Loring Air Force Base
In 1951, the Department of Defense (DOD) allocated funds for the construction of an ordnance storage site at Loring AFB. The designs called for a self-sufficient "maximum security storage area for the most advanced weapons of mankind". The mission of the facility would be the protection and maintenance of the weapons used by SAC. The facility was in the northeast corner of the base, and construction began on 4 August 1951. In addition to 28 storage igloos and other weapons storage structures, the facility included weapons maintenance buildings, barracks, recreational facilities, a warehouse, and offices.
Caribou Air Force Station
On the other side of this wall was the second section of the building, the equipment room. The equipment room measured 24 feet-6 inches in width by 21 feet-8 ½ inches in length. A loading dock on the backside of the building had steps and a double-door entrance that was 6 feet-4 inches in width. This outside entrance led directly into the equipment room. There were no doors to the equipment room from within the building. To the left of the second entrance door, the hallway adjacent to the equipment room led to a door into the third section of the building. This third section of the building was the most important. There were two rooms in this section. Surrounding the outside walls of these two rooms were the 14-inch thick brick and tile cavity walls. The tile was cemented to the interior brick wall. This provided an interior tile wall from ceiling to floor. The hallway in this area measured 5-feet in width. In the center of this hallway was a door into the first room. This room measured 25 feet-9 inches in width, by 21 feet-8 ½ inches in length. A door at the end of the hall opened into a second room. This room measured 20 feet in width by 26 feet-6 inches in length. This room also had a special exhaust air system installed in one of the exterior (tile covered) walls. This system was designed to reduce dust and airborne contamination. Both of these rooms were laboratory rooms, and each had tile walls and linoleum floors. The two laboratory rooms were very similar in design and the equipment installed was basically identical. Each room consisted of a series of cabinets and workbenches. They were of metal construction, and were installed against three of the four walls. The interior wall separating the two rooms was constructed of metal. On each side of this interior wall were identical cabinets with one large 16” by 20” by 8” stainless steel sink. The sinks were unique in the fact that they had knee operated control valves. This allowed a technician the freedom to hold an object with both hands while controlling the flow of water to the sink. Both rooms also had a monorail installed in the ceiling. This system was used to suspend weapons related components from the ceiling, and to move them from one side of the room to the other. Perhaps the most interesting part of these two rooms was the source pits, which were permanently constructed within the foundation of the building. Each room had a source pit located in the far left-hand corner of the room. The source pits were approximately 20 feet apart. They were constructed of stainless steel tubing. Each source pit was approximately 8 inches O.D., and 6-9/16 inches I.D. The source pit was 48 inches in depth from the floor line to the bottom of the pit. The pit itself was surrounded by concrete block below the floor line. Inside the source pit was a uniquely constructed device. This device was constructed of brass plate, brass tubing and stainless steel. The device was a basket that was constructed in such a way as to limit its ability to absorb neutrons. The device had two holding trays made entirely of solid brass plate. Each tray was 2-inches in height. A distance of 2-3/8 inches separated the two trays. The two trays, as well as a circular brass ring at the top, were connected together by 8-¾ inch steel rods. All connecting rods, tubing, and brass were bonded together by silver solder. Suspending the basket within the source pit was accomplished by 1/8” diameter aircraft cable. The cable was 43-½ inches in length, and was fastened to the basket by a threaded steel rod and hex nut. The basket fit very snug. The cable extended from the top of the basket through a cap which was inserted into the top of the pit to seal it. The cap was constructed of polyethylene. The top of the cap was made of stainless steel, and was fitted with a neoprene ‘O’ ring. The bottom of the cap was fitted with a solid lead shield and covered with a stainless steel bottom. The cap was approximately 6 inches thick. All welded joints for the cap had to be water tight and smooth. The pit was sealed so that air could not escape. The lead shield prevented radiation from escaping from the pit. The two source pits were used to store radioactive polonium neutron initiators. The two laboratory rooms within the ‘C’ Structure were used for the assembly and calibration of nuclear capsules. Personnel of the adjacent SAC base PMEL laboratory last occupied the building, after the site closed in 1962.