atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansasdefective speedometer wisconsin
Nearly 20 years later Peden bought the base -- which had remained abandoned all that time -- for $48,000. Discover Wamego LSD Missile Silo in Wamego, Kansas: During the 1990's nearly all of the world's LSD is thought to have come from the operators of the lab once located in this missile silo. It was then fueled and prepped for launch. Before the 80s, an Atlas E intercontinental ballistic missile with a 4 megaton warhead lived here. Morbid souvenir hunters had removed launch buttons from the control desk. The inside seems unremarkable, except that the rooms have 15-foot ceilings and at the entrance to the living quarters is an old panel with switches for initiating a launch. Old missile sites dot the country. Based out of Forbes Field in Topeka from 1961 to 1964, the 548th Strategic Missile Squadron was composed of a "ring" of nine sites around Topeka that had silos for the Atlas series of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), the first ICBM used by the United States. It was built as an Atlas E missile structure in the early 1950s, in response to the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The official public website of the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ". or website corrections, write to CENWK-PA@usace.army.mil. Located in the Kansas town of Wamego, the site, says Peden, was the nation's best preserved "E"-type (of the three Atlas variants made, the "D" and "E" were stored horizontally, to be raised by crane in the event of a launch, and the "F" was stored vertically). During the 2003 Labor Day weekend, many of the members of the 548th SMS attended the first reunion ever held for this squadron. Click on image to expand gallery and view more photos. As a part of the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program, the building and property were cleaned and mitigated of its few remaining toxins and given a clean bill of health. At the entrance to the living quarters is a control panel, very similar to the one that was originally housed here. Clark Hunt, Mark Donovan need to listen | Opinion, Couple stops at gas station for Michigan lottery tickets. The Forbes S-5 facility operated from 1961 until 1965, when it was decommissioned and excessed. The missile was kept in a horizontal position and in order to launch, a 400-ton hardened concrete overhead roof was rolled back after which the missile was elevated to a vertical launch position. Recently, Ed Peden drove a visitor to a site that he's sold to a spring manufacturer. The property is entered via a half-mile driveway, and the complex is protected by secure, 8-foot fencing. Then wife starts to scream, Heidi Gardner coaches Chiefs Travis Kelce in commercial for Saturday Night Live, On Location: The Globetrotting, Volcano-Chasing Romance of Fire of Love, Making Memories on a Wintry Jaunt Through Quebecs Countryside, An Experts Guide to Booking the Perfect Alaska Cruise in 2023, Carnival Cruise Line Warns Passengers of New Scam, Everyone, It Seems, Is Cruising to Antarctica. UPPER AND LOWER LEVELS OF THE LAUNCH CONTROL CENTER ARE NEARLY COMPLETED. After he checked to make sure there were no traces of radiation, radon or other contamination, he and Dianna moved in and began transforming the Cold War relic into a warm family home. The Atlas ballistic missile began with the US Army Air Corps request for proposal in October 1945, which led to development in the 1950's of the Atlas, Navaho, Snark, and Matador/Mace missiles. Now it is lit with chandeliers, hung with delicate fabrics and covered in richly colored carpets, a gathering place for the Pedens and their friends. There has been little need to add air conditioning, given the 18-inch-thick walls and ceilings and 36-inch floors. The Atlas E was equipped with a Mark IV re-entry vehicle developed by General Electric and carried a type W-38 warhead which had a yield of approximately 3.8 megatons of TNT. The Forbes S-5 Site was one of nine (9) former Series E Atlas Missile Sites located around Forbes Air Force Base, Topeka, Kansas. Now Its Paused, How to Spot AI-Generated Art, According to Artists. We like to think of it as a transformational symbol, he says. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. In New Mexico there are "silo clubs" more accurately, gatherings of young people drinking beer. Mark Hannifin of Midland, Texas, bought one that was flooded with 130 feet of water; he uses it for giving scuba diving lessons. ", The Atlases were decommissioned only four years later when they were replaced by Titan IIs and Minutemen. Most were shuttered after only a few years of war readiness. "Most want them for secure storage, and paranoid people want bomb shelters," he says. Before they could move in, they discovered the site was contaminated with various chemicals possibly rocket fuel, gasoline, industrial cleaning agents, and other compounds that had been dumped there three decades ago. At the end of the tunnel is a wooden door with a small knocker. Asking Price: Please email: [emailprotected], 34 secluded acres (141 acres to E. possibly for sale), 450 sq ft. care-takers cabin on out-skirts of property, 2 sets of 4- solar panels with battery system, 1 acre stocked pond with dock, sand beach & rustic cabin, Ceremonial tree and stone circle plus fire-pit, Walnut tree grove plus apple and pear orchard, 65 Massey-Ferguson tractor, brush-hog mower plus other equipment, 11,000 sq ft. underground shop/garage with 47 ton drive-in door, 2,000 sq ft. living space plus 3500 sq ft. great room with stage, 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms in living space, 2 potential bedrooms and sleeping nooks in great room, Passive solar greenhouse entry with hot-tub, 750 sq ft. surface living space with full kitchen, laundry, bath. You will have plenty of room above ground on 18+ acres and in the below ground expansive and secure living area. The Pedens, on the other hand, are happy to share their story. Dianna, a speech pathologist, remembers when she told her mother she was moving there. When the double steel doors at the end are slammed, they send dungeon-like echoes off the walls, as if you are entering another world or a really big basement. Theyve transformed it from a place of war and destruction to a place of community, family and love.. Contact the webmaster, http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/forbes-field-548th-strategic-missile-squadron/19234, Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store Museums. The tunnel makes an eerie foyer. (The entrance to the bay can seen in the background). Many of these people had not seen each other since the deactivation of the unit in 1965. Copyright (c) 2023 Nathan A. Ferguson | Sitemap. When the owner originally purchased the property in the 1980s, he was required to use a canoe and a flashlight, or even dive under the water, to explore the site. "She turned the energy of the destructive warrior into the protecting warrior," Dianna Ricke-Peden says. The Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for detecting contamination of former missile sites, has been a continuing presence on the property for fives years now. After having been abandoned for over 20 years, the subterranean structure had accumulated over 1 million gallons of water and debris. By October, all nine sites had their Atlas E missiles. Holding his nose to dive under doorways between the flooded rooms, Peden took his first tour of what would soon become his family home. The property holds great potential to continue its use a secure private residence or further development into a unique tourist destination. A wood-burning stove warms the space. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider It is move in ready the outside needs some sprucing . To ready the missile for firing, the bay's roof was retracted and the missile lifted into a vertical position. atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas. The government spent millions of dollars building each of the sites but evolving weapons technology made them quickly obsolete. This design didn't last long, as it became apparent that too much time was lost preparing the missile for action. He built this small structure over the entrance to his living space and in the shadow of a castle turret. First, it establishes a record containing the documents that form the basis for selecting the response action. We have some explosive news from Eskridge, KS. Peden's missile base is an early design. It takes the Pedens several minutes to answer the doorbell, for example, as they have to walk the length of a 120-foot tunnel. At 2,800 square feet, it's about the size of a typical suburban rambler. Way back in the day, a missile silo used to sit at this spot just outside of Topeka. Much of this is groundwater contamination beneath the site. When the place was bought as a home, it had a good amount of standing water and a lot of work needed to be done. Site 2 - Worden, Kansas This bad boy is located South of salina Atlas f missile silo It comes with 19 acres. A total of 72 of these Atlas F. In the 1960's the Atlas E structure cost the tax payers $3.3 million dollars (equivalent to $27million in today's inflationary dollars). This has been the best buy of a lifetime, he says. Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during their time here in the Sunflower State. Classified as a single-family residence with zero bedrooms, one bathroom, and one garage space. This is equivalent to around $27 million in today's dollars. The 548th SMS was activated in 1960 and missiles first started arriving at the SMS sites in January 1961. He is also media savvy, as evidenced by the dozens of newspaper and magazine clippings taped to a hallway wall. 16 juin 2022 parasitism in the sonoran desert. Today, two years after they finally moved in, the home portion looks fairly conventional, though a few structural inconveniences remain. When he died in 1890, his hide was given to the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, where he was stuffed and put on exhibit. ", "It's remarkably phallic," he explains; "the missile raises up erect, then penetrates the atmosphere and spews radioactive waste to countries thousands of miles away." A 4,000 square foot Quonset building with water, electricity, and plumbing comes with the property. The property is to be sold as is. Furnishings and equipment to be included with the sale are negotiable. 15513 Missile Base Road, Eskridge, Kan., about 25 miles west of Topeka, Cost: $5 per person or $25 for a group (whichever is greater). Realty specialist John Robinson of the GSA's Ft. Worth, Texas, office says he gets hundreds of calls every year from prospective missile base purchasers (though the GSA no longer has any Atlas sites for sale, it does have sites once occupied by second-generation missiles). As Ed opens the door, the Cold War melts into a warm cocoon of peaceful vibes and New Age decor. The site is located in Lyon County, Kansas, approximately 8 miles west of Allen, Kansas and approximately 45 miles southwest of Topeka, Kansas. The landscape of Peden's Atlas missile bay is similar to this historical aerial photograph of a similar site, except most of the outbuildings were removed years ago, and his parking lot is completely empty. By October, all nine sites had their Atlas E missiles. These sites were manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year during the time the Squadron was active. atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas. 6, just southwest of Topeka, Kansas, and their home lies beneath three feet of earth. Sediment and water samples taken the main sump, sediment trap, flame tunnel, and various pits located in and around the missile base structure, were determined to be potentially a source of groundwater contamination at the Site. Claudine Zap covers celebrity real estate, housing trends, and unique home stories. The Topeka base, opened in 1961, housed a gigantic Atlas E missile armed with a 4 megaton thermonuclear warhead -- a weapon 200 times more powerful than the bomb that obliterated Nagasaki.. It stretches past miles of Kansas farmland, occasionally interrupted by a rest stop or filling station. Attn: CENWK-PME, Forbes Altlas Missile Site S-5 Project Manager. It was a good deal: He got a 33-acre site with a landing strip, plus 15,000 square feet of available underground space. It is fully furnished It has solar panels Small apartment outside Shed outside It is a one of a kind home maintained for many years. The poem ends with a statement that sums up the spirit in which the Pedens approach the transformation of missile silos: "Ancient fears will transform into Love.". The Pedens' is one of 21 that went up in Kansas, which was happy to get the accompanying infusion of money. What they have called Subterra Castleincludes an underground living quarters, workshop, and event space that they have called home for more than three decades. Now, very deliberately, it's filled with spiritual artifacts from all over the world. The owners have preserved the control room, signage, and other artifacts from the structures former life as a military outpost. 2023 Cond Nast. Ed and Dianna Peden bought this Cold War Atlas E nuclear missile silo and spent the last 33 years renovating it. This Atlas E site is the last undeveloped site we know of for sale. > monoliths appearing 2022 > atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas. With a lot of cleaning, effort, and love, the space has transformed into an eclectic blend of bright colors covering industrial scenes. The first of two tunnels out of the missile bay leads to a platform. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. neither here nor there in a sentence +91-7900646497; nbm.school.sre@gmail.com; east greenbush ny property records; straight comb albany gamefowl; beltway 8 traffic accident; arkansas disaster declaration august 2020; . Environmental contamination at the Forbes S-5 Site resulted from waste management practices during the facilitys operational period. Originally appeared in Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine. The one structure Peden added to the property is a sunroom containing a hot tub. A 7,000 square foot missile silo under wide-open acreage in rural Abiline, Kansas is up for sale on Zillow. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. He found 34 acres of grass in need of mowing and, deep below ground, an 18,000-square-foot warren of concrete tunnels, most of it flooded with rainwater. The Pedens' is one of 21 that went up in Kansas, which was happy to get the accompanying infusion of money. In 1982, schoolteacher Ed Peden drove out to investigate a decommissioned nuclear missile bunker that was up for sale near his hometown of Topeka, Kansas. The highlight of this portion of the house is the spiritual room, formerly the missile control room. The cleanup is scheduled to take about 10 years at a cost of $6.5 million. Japanese TV, six. Peden, who has given countless tours of the facility, has also put a lot of effort into collecting photographs and other items from the time. But my father was thrilled. "The room had some heavy energy," he says. Are you sure?. It was a mess, but he was determined. "There are nine of these Atlas E missile sites around Topeka, 12 Atlas Fs around Salina and 18 Titan IIs around Wichita." Old missile sites dot the country. Forrest Peden, killed in France in 1945, was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nations highest military award, for his valor during World War II. An Atlas missile silo can be turned into a spacious home. Its a unique place, and if youve never toured it, you should definitely add it to your bucket list. For now though, we'll have to be happy with a tour of the place. One of the sites was located south of Lawrence, Kansas . From Iran's reigning master of cinema to wolf-eating witches, these are the best films you didn't see last year. The USACE will hold a virtual public meeting July 26, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. (CST) to explain the Proposed Plan via the following Webex link: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/calley.w.havens. The structure is semi-hardened, which according to the Department of Defense means, construction that provides protection against near-miss detonations of large general-purpose military bombs and direct hits from smaller munitions. The structure requires thousands of cubic yards of very special, epoxy-resin concrete and heavy rebar. Theres no windows, Siegle says. It then took 80 wheelbarrow trips to clear the space of mud and gunk, Siegle notes. They installed solid oak floors, laid down rugs, hung tapestries and added rustic wood, rattan, natural fibers and stained glass. In the cavernous bay that once housed a nuclear missile, Ed Peden now stores his lawnmower and other toys. At his wife's request, Peden keeps the master bedroom off limits for tours. The final stop on the tour takes you through the upstairs dining room, where the diesels that powered the site used to live. While it did have 150 Minuteman II missile sites, they were imploded after being decommissioned. The missile was kept in a horizontal osition. A large-scale overhaul has been completed on this once in a lifetime opportunity with endless possibilities! Originally a bomber squadron, this unit was deployed to England during World . In the 1950s, the Atlas ICBM project was born out of a response to the Soviet space and missile programs and the threat of nuclear war. This one was in Worley, Idaho. In 2018, an Interim Remedial Action was performed to remove the water and sediments from the sump, sediment trap, and flame pit structures. Atlas Missile Silo in New York Is Listed for $600K, Two More Titan II Nuclear Missile Silos Blast Onto the Market in Arizona, What a Blast! The structure alone cost the government $3.3 million dollars to build, not including the cost of the land, rocket, warhead, equipment or staff. Photo courtesy: SiloMan at www.siloworld.com. Ed first saw the abandoned property in the early 80s. This property is a 1960 era Atlas E Missile Site that has been converted into a self-sufficient home. Pictured is a photograph of an Atlas site from 1964. The Atlas E missile it housed was stored horizontally in a missile bay. Above ground, the property features two lookout towers designed like castle turrets, a Quonset building, a 450-foot caretaker cabin, and even a Stonehenge-like ceremonial stone circle with a fire pit, used for outdoor events. Three men manned the controls 24/7 between 1961 and 1965. The Forbes sites were completed 3 weeks ahead of schedule. This atlas e site is the last undeveloped site we know of for sale. they ask. Despite the labor problems and student pickets, the project continued on schedule. June 8, 2022 atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas. But where others saw problems, Ed saw opportunity. An underground tunnel connects the workshop to the living quarters. Today the missile bay houses Peden's Winnebago, a tractor and various other vehicles, including an old MG Midget with a For Sale sign in the window. The entrance tunnel, which once connected the missile's launch area with its control center, has been painted red, white, and blue by the Jackson Heights High School student council. During this reunion the 548th SMS Association was formed in order to continue the research for more members and to have a central organization for those who served to contact their fellow missileers. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Owning this refurbished missile silo is a once in a lifetime opportunity, with a $3.2 million price for entry. Deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. "All the sites have their problems," he says. All rights reserved. Friends built two faux castle turrets over the bunker's escape hatches. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. And stories circulate about dead bodies and ghosts and a silo-dwelling hydra-headed monster stories that occasionally inspire dangerous stunts. However, theres plenty of sunshine in the above ground one-bedroom residence. Just 25 miles west of Topeka, this unique structure hides mostly underground. The underground complex was designed to withstand a nuclear strike and has water, electricity and a forced sewage system to the ground surface. Now, the Pedens are hoping to simplify and downsize, so they've enlisted friend and property manager Matthew Fulkerson to sell this unusual home. Plus, they've kept some of the original equipment around for their tours, so they don't lose the history of the place. Active during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the site was decommissioned in 1965 when new technology rendered it obsolete. Missouri has no old Atlas missile bases. The Atlas E was one of the earliest generations of rocket systems designed to deliver an atomic warhead anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. "Others want to grow mushrooms.". zinoviev strengths and weaknesses; what were some other elizabethan era pastimes, besides bear baiting? Ed Peden, an ultralight manufacturer, and Dianna Ricke-Peden, a speech therapist, live on Atlas E missile base No. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Welcome to the home web site for the 548th Strategic Missile Squadron. Ed calls these sites 20th century castles. The space is a boon, but a buyer will have to become accustomed to the lack of natural light. Ed, 67, loves giving tours. If you love odd things, such as Elvis toothbrush and toenail, or a couch full of hundreds of sock monkeys, the Museum of Odd might be right up your slightly off-center alley. Cost: Suggested donation of $5 for adults, $3 for children. Located in rural pastoral setting of NE Kansas makes it a secluded and quiet get-a-way. Atlas F Missile Silo For Sale. Had a long day and still want to stream something? Some Of The Most Mouthwatering Food In Kansas Is Served At This Unassuming Local Gem, This Enchanting And Historic Town In Kansas Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, The Charming Out Of The Way Flea Market In Kansas You Wont Soon Forget, The One Mexican Restaurant In Kansas With Surprisingly Delicious Burgers, The Most Unique Bed And Breakfast In America Might Be Right Here In Kansas, The History Behind This Remote Hotel In Kansas Is Both Eerie And Fascinating, These 11 Amazing Kansas Restaurants Are Loaded With Local History, This Is The Single Craziest Thing You Never Knew Happened In Kansas. Millions of dollars of concrete structure remains on site for use. Second, it meets the CERCLA requirement for public involvement in determining the selected response alternative. Photo: Courtesy of SiloMan at siloworld.com. The former missile bay and launch control center now serve as a gargantuan garage and workshop. A contemporary photograph shows the missile bay as an Atlas is backed in through the garage door. You can think of it as the flower children thumbing their nose at the military industrial complex. Ad Choices, In 1982, schoolteacher Ed Peden drove out to investigate a decommissioned nuclear missile bunker that was up for sale near his hometown of Topeka, Kansas. After the purchase, the first priority was to dry out the space. A spiral staircase descends to the underground living area, which has a stage, great room, two kitchens, a dining area, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. "We will inevitably return to our burrow. The Administrative Record file is located and maintained at or near the site in a local information repository. It's gone a long way since it was first bought in 1982, that's for sure. When they do leave, they put on the answering machine so that callers can hear their message: "We must be on the surface just now," it says. She was very upset with me, says Dianna, now 61. Off the exit, south 7 miles, left at the T, follow the curve to the right but not onto the gravel road, another couple of turns and you find yourself on Peden's mile-long driveway. I, for one, eagerly await when we can stay here again! The government ripped out all of the hardware when the site was decommissioned. "I can't go out and put in my kid's playground because they are out there taking core samples," Dave Sigler says. It was home to a 4-megaton warhead. The operational technical manual must have been fascinating reading. The Atlas E site he lives in was operational from 1961 to 1965, then decommissioned. The Atlas rocket was also used by NASA during the early days of manned space travel and was the booster used to put John Glenn into Earth orbit. Most of the rooms were three-quarters flooded, and the water had stagnated for nearly two decades. But not everythings modern. It is the strongest structure in the county. The below-ground offering includes six bedrooms, three bathrooms, and around 6,500 square feet. Thank you! Visit naturalhistory.ku.edu. Peden stripped to his shorts and dropped a rope ladder into the flooded base. It had been vacant for some time, says the listing agent, Trent Siegle with Midwest Land Group. On the walls: pictures of the old site and the missileers who worked there. A Members section of this web site allows those who served in the 548th to find the people with whom they served. Shannon Ancrum Today, retired from teaching, Peden is one of the Midwest's leading missile base brokers. The Atlas E type missiles were composed of the SM-65 variant and were housed in a "coffin launcher" style complex. Their 47-ton garage door was designed to withstand a doomsday blast. "It's part of what we believe," Dianna Ricke-Peden says. This story was originally published May 18, 2015, 7:00 AM. Join us as we tour Peden's missile-base home and take a look back at the time that spawned these supersized structures. It was flooded with nine feet of water, and he had to tour it in a canoe. Before the pandemic, the above-ground unit was busy as a popular Airbnb. The 548th SMS was based at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kansas from 1961 thru 1965. Details: University of Kansas Natural History Museum, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd. The Pedens do plan to build living space above ground eventually. They now run a business called 20th Century Castles that helps others do the same. In the years following, the Atlas sites were dispersed among local governments, companies, and individuals by the federal government's General Services Administration. An ICBM arrives in Osage, Kansas in 1961. A 1958 story in The Topeka Capital was headlined: "Missile Base Is Viewed With Joy"; another, in a 1961 edition of The Kansas City Star, began: "What is happening in Kansas is almost incredible, and so awesome it shakes you right down to your boots. A couple spent 30 years renovating a nuclear missile silo into an underground castle. The squadron was armed with the SM-65 weapon system, more commonly know as the Atlas. Contaminants in the soil were not detected above respective screening criteria. The power room of an Atlas E missile bay in Worley, Idaho, in March 1965. By January 10, 1946, Consolidated-Vultee's engineers, under the leadership of Belgian-born Karel Bossart, submitted their proposals for two 6,000 . He got his first look at missile base No. The federal government sold most to the private sector, but others are owned by federal agencies or state governments. atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas atlas e missile site for sale topeka, kansas. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The Administrative Record file is available at the following locations: Council Grove Public Library USACE-Kansas City District, 829 West Main Street Administrative Records, Council Grove, Kansas 66846 635 Federal Building, Phone: 620.767.5716 601 E. 12th Street, E-mail: cglib@tctelco.net Kansas City, MO 64106-2824. The current owners purchased the property in the early 1980s. Site 1 - Rock Creek, Kansas. You can almost feel the 60s give you a hug as the sound of flutes floats softly through the incense-flavored air. 785-843-8750. Former Titan Nuclear Missile Silo for Sale in Arizona. Visit the museum on Facebook facebook.com/MuseumOfOdd. The facility is currently a private property. Nearly 6 months later, on January 24, 1961, the first Atlas missile arrived at Forbes. He thinks it's ironic that someone with his liberal political views lives in a structure built for such an ominous purpose. He found 34 acres of grass in need of mowing and, deep below ground, an 18,000-square-foot warren of concrete tunnels, most of it flooded with rainwater. Fulkerson, who also got married on the property, has lived there and worked with the Pedens for the past 10 years. What to Do When Netflix Wont Let You Share Your Password. They were controlled by ten different Air Force bases located throughout the United States. The home consists of two main areas. isabellas brunch menu . To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for. Peden had the room checked out by some of his more spiritual-minded friends. At least one other Atlas site has been transformed into a home, but that silo owner guards his privacy assiduously. The Atlas E missiles were equipped with a Mark IV re-entry vehicle and carried a type W-38 warhead which had a yield of approximately 4 megatons of trinitrotoluene. Now the couple is aging and are ready to pass the torch as they downsize and simplify their lives.