SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — In the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, nine Atlas missiles at silos near Spokane were aimed at Cuba, ready to launch nuclear bombs within 15 minutes.

More than 50 years later, few people except for curiosity seekers and military history buffs know the silos exist.

The silos were decommissioned in 1965 and all but one are privately owned. One near Reardan is used for storage and occasional research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The silos were built to withstand a nuclear blast. Each cost $4 million and was operated by crews from Fairchild Air Force Base.

___

More From News Talk KIT