Amazon Annie's Debut

After the specially trained nine-man crew of artillerymen loaded her and hurried out of sight, 40-ft.-long "Amazon Annie" (also called "Atomic Annie") stood alone and silent on Nevada's Frenchman Flat. At a control point ten miles away, Atomic Energy Commission scientists got ready to turn on the remote-control firing apparatus. Then, at 8:30 one morning this week, the first atomic artillery shell ever fired whished from Amazon Annie's 280-mm. (11 in.) barrel and hurtled on its way. Above the target area, an atomic fireball blossomed, then a purplish cloud, that whitened as it rose swiftly into the air.

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