July Atomic Commemoration Events in New Mexico

July 16th is an historic day for public health and environmental disasters in New Mexico. On July 16, 1945, the U.S. government tested the first atomic bomb, called the Gadget, on the grounds of the White Sands Missile Range. The Gadget held 13 pounds of plutonium, of which only three pounds fissioned. The remaining 10 pounds disbursed as the mushroom cloud came down in the rainstorms that followed the blast. The contaminated ash fell on open water sources, fields ready for harvest, gardens, workers, and animals.

On Saturday, July 20th, beginning at 7:30 pm, the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium will host its 10th Annual Candlelight Vigil to commemorate the harm experienced from the 1945 Trinity test. It will be held at the Tularosa Little League Field, located west of the Tularosa High School. Read the whole story and more at: nuclearactive.org

Email: ccns@nuclearactive.org