Atomic Annie is the nickname of the M65 atomic cannon, the enormous 280 mm gun that fired the only nuclear artillery shell in U.S. history. After that 1953 test, the cannon was accidentally switched with another one, and for years almost nobody knew that the famous gun was in the wrong place. This article follows the test, the mix-up and the search, and then lists the cannons that survive today.
The short answer: the real Atomic Annie, the gun used in the 1953 test, sits at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. At least six other M65 cannons survive on display across the country.
This is the written companion to our video of the same name. Watch it below, then read on for the details.
What was the M65 atomic cannon?
The M65 was a 280 mm (11 inch) gun designed in the early 1950s to carry a nuclear shell behind enemy lines. The Atomic Annie cannon measured about 85 feet (26 metres) in length and weighed roughly 83 tons, so it needed a heavy truck at each end to move, along with a crew of five to seven people to operate. Depending on the shell, its range ran from about 7 miles (11 km) to roughly 20 miles (32 km).
Moving the M65 Atomic Annie was a feat of engineering in its own right. The gun travelled between two heavy transport trucks, one at the front and one at the rear, each with its own driver. Together they carried the cannon by road, and once the crew reached a firing position, the trucks could be detached so that the gun could be lowered to the ground and made ready to fire.
The design was built at Watervliet Arsenal in New York and was based on the German World War II “Anzio Annie” railway gun, which explains the nickname. At least 20 were produced, and by the mid-1960s missiles and smaller nuclear weapons had made them obsolete.
The Atomic Annie test of 1953
The Atomic Annie test, code-named Grable, took place at 8:30 in the morning on May 25, 1953, at Frenchman Flat in the Nevada desert, as part of the Upshot-Knothole series of nuclear tests. The shell travelled about 7 miles (11 km) before it detonated 524 feet (160 m) above the ground. The blast had a yield of 15 kilotons, comparable to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
It remains the only time the United States fired an atomic shell from a cannon.
How the real Atomic Annie got lost
After the test, the gun that fired it was mistakenly switched with a different cannon. The error went unnoticed for about ten years. When it was finally discovered, the Army began a search, and the original gun was found in West Germany. It was brought home in 1964, and it now stands at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where visitors can see the gun that made history.
Where are the Atomic Annie cannons today?
At least seven M65 cannons survive on public display. Here they are, counted down in the order of our video.
7. Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
The cannon at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona is the first stop on the list.
6. Watervliet Arsenal, New York
Watervliet Arsenal is where these guns were built, so it is fitting that one stands there today.
5. Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois
Rock Island Arsenal keeps an M65 on its grounds, and the Army offers a self-guided tour that includes it.
4. Freedom Park, Junction City, Kansas
At Freedom Park in Junction City, the cannon overlooks Fort Riley.
3. National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, Albuquerque, New Mexico
The national nuclear museum in Albuquerque displays an M65 together with its two heavy transport trucks.
2. U.S. Army Ordnance Training and Heritage Center, Petersburg, Virginia
Another M65 stands in Virginia, near Petersburg. It was restored and installed at Fort Lee in 2017 and is now part of the Army’s ordnance training and heritage collection.
1. U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Number one is the real Atomic Annie, the cannon that fired the 1953 shot. It is the one that was swapped by mistake, traced to West Germany and returned in 1964.
The Atomic Annie cannons at a glance
| Rank | Location | State |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Yuma Proving Ground | Arizona |
| 6 | Watervliet Arsenal | New York |
| 5 | Rock Island Arsenal | Illinois |
| 4 | Freedom Park, Junction City | Kansas |
| 3 | National Museum of Nuclear Science and History | New Mexico |
| 2 | U.S. Army Ordnance Training and Heritage Center | Virginia |
| 1 | U.S. Army Artillery Museum (the real Atomic Annie) | Oklahoma |
Frequently asked questions
Where is the real Atomic Annie today?
At the U.S. Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Many visitors search for Atomic Annie in Oklahoma for this reason.
Did Atomic Annie really fire a nuclear shell?
Yes. On May 25, 1953, an M65 fired a 15-kiloton nuclear shell about 7 miles (11 km) at the Nevada test site. It was the only atomic shell ever fired from this cannon.
How many M65 atomic cannons were built?
At least 20 were built, and at least seven survive on display today.
How far could the M65 shoot?
Between roughly 7 miles (11 km) and 20 miles (32 km), depending on the shell. The 1953 test shell travelled about 7 miles.
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Related reading: What Are the Tallest Buildings in the World? and What Killed the Dinosaurs? For more history like this, subscribe to the Mr Global Rankss YouTube channel.
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