Imagine a top-secret, nuclear-powered city buried beneath two miles of polar ice. A hidden fortress with thousands of soldiers, all preparing a network of tunnels stretching for miles, ready to launch hundreds of nuclear missiles at a moment’s notice.
It sounds like the plot of a James Bond movie, but it was a very real, audacious, and ultimately failed US Army plan. Its name was Project Iceworm.
Decades after it was abandoned, the secrets of this frozen city are re-emerging, not as a declassified file, but as a ticking environmental time bomb. This is the story of the Cold War’s most ambitious secret base—and the toxic mess it left behind.
What Was Project Iceworm? A City of Cold War Secrets
Project Iceworm was a top-secret US Army program during the height of the Cold War (1959-1966) to construct a network of mobile nuclear missile launch sites under the Greenland ice sheet. The goal was to place medium-range nuclear missiles within striking distance of the Soviet Union, hidden where they would be nearly impossible to find and destroy.
To test the concept, the Army first had to prove they could build and live under the ice. This led to the creation of their proof-of-concept and cover story: Camp Century.
What Was Project Iceworm? The Core Definition
Project Iceworm was a top-secret U.S. Army program (1960-1966) to construct a network of mobile nuclear missile launch sites beneath the Greenland ice sheet, disguised as the scientific research station “Camp Century.”
Key Facts at a Glance:
✅ Official Cover: Camp Century – Arctic research and ice core drilling station
✅ Secret Mission: Deploy up to 600 nuclear-armed Iceman missiles in mobile launch sites under the ice
✅ Location: Northwestern Greenland, approximately 150 miles from Thule Air Base
✅ Operational Period: 1959-1966 (abandoned when ice instability made it impossible)
✅ Power Source: PM-2A portable nuclear reactor (the first ever deployed in the Arctic)
✅ Declassification: 1997 (Denmark only learned the truth then)
✅ Current Status: Abandoned, with toxic materials buried under ice that’s now melting due to climate change
The Simple Explanation: The U.S. wanted a “survivable” nuclear deterrent that could launch a retaliatory strike even if the Soviet Union destroyed all American missile silos. The solution? Hide missiles under thousands of feet of ice where they couldn’t be detected or destroyed.
The Engineering Marvel: Camp Century
What they DID build was extraordinary:
Physical Specifications:
- Main tunnel: 1,100 feet long, 26 feet wide, 28 feet high
- 21 side tunnels for various functions
- Depth below surface: 28-30 feet under ice
- Total area: Equivalent to a small town
- Capacity: 85-200 personnel
Facilities Included:
- Living quarters (barracks for 200 soldiers)
- Research laboratories
- Kitchen and mess hall
- Recreation facilities (theater, library, gym)
- Hospital and dental clinic
- Chapel
- Nuclear reactor room (PM-2A)
- Vehicle maintenance garage
- Storage areas
- Communications center
Construction Method:
- Bulldozers cut trenches in ice surface
- Prefabricated steel arch panels erected
- Snow piled over arches
- Heat from buildings/reactor compacted snow into solid ice ceiling
- Result: Stable ice-walled tunnels
Power Generation:
The PM-2A nuclear reactor was a marvel:
- Portable nuclear power plant (first in Arctic)
- Output: 1.5 megawatts electrical
- Designed by the U.S. Army’s Nuclear Power Program
- Operated from 1960-1963
- Provided heat and electricity for entire facility
The Cover Story: Camp Century, “The City Under the Ice”
Publicly, Camp Century was presented as a revolutionary scientific research station, a demonstration of humanity’s ability to conquer the harshest environments. And in many ways, it was.
- Construction: US Army engineers used Swiss-made boring machines to carve out over 2 miles (3 km) of “cut-and-cover” tunnels deep within the ice.
- Facilities: The sprawling base housed up to 200 soldiers and included a hospital, a theater, a library, a church, and scientific labs.
- Power Source: Most remarkably, the entire city was powered by the world’s first portable nuclear reactor, the Alco PM-2A.
This “city” was a legitimate engineering marvel, but its entire existence was a smokescreen for Project Iceworm’s true, terrifying purpose.
The Deception: Denmark’s Perspective
Here’s where it gets diplomatically messy.
What Denmark Was Told:
- Camp Century was a scientific research station
- Purpose was climate research and ice core studies
- Nuclear reactor was for testing polar power generation
- Project was civilian-scientific in nature
What Denmark Wasn’t Told:
- The real purpose was deploying nuclear weapons
- Greenland would become a strategic nuclear platform
- Tunnels were prototypes for a massive missile complex
- The entire operation violated the spirit (if not letter) of agreements
The Revelation (1997):
When Project Iceworm was declassified in 1997, Danish officials were shocked.
Danish Foreign Minister’s Response:
“This was a clear violation of the understanding we had with the United States regarding military activities in Greenland.”
Political Fallout:
- Strained U.S.-Danish relations
- Fueled Greenlandic independence movement
- Raised questions about transparency in NATO alliances
- Created precedent concerns for other Cold War secrets
Greenland’s Reaction:
Many Greenlanders felt betrayed—their homeland had been used as a nuclear pawn without their knowledge or consent.
The Real Mission: 600 Nuclear Missiles
The ultimate goal of Project Iceworm was far grander than one base. The plan, codenamed “The Iceman,” called for:
- A Massive Tunnel Network: A staggering 2,500 miles (4,000 km) of tunnels to be built under the ice.
- 600 Hidden Missiles: Deploying 600 specially modified “Iceman” nuclear missiles throughout this network.
- Constant Movement: The missiles would be constantly shuffled between launch sites on a complex railway system, making it impossible for the Soviets to target them all in a first strike.
The entire operation was conducted without the full knowledge or consent of Denmark, which had sovereignty over Greenland.
Why Did Project Iceworm Fail? The Unstable Ice
The project’s undoing wasn’t a political scandal or a budget cut, but a simple, inconvenient scientific fact. The US Army’s planners made a fatal assumption: that the Greenland ice sheet was a massive, static block of ice.
They were wrong.
Geologists and glaciologists studying the ice cores from Camp Century discovered that the ice sheet is a viscous glacier. It is constantly, albeit slowly, moving and deforming. Within just a few years, the tunnels and trenches began to warp and narrow, threatening to crush the entire facility. The concept of a stable, long-term missile complex was impossible.
By 1966, the project was quietly canceled, and Camp Century was abandoned.
The Toxic Legacy: A Cold War Ticking Time Bomb
When the Army left, they took the nuclear reactor, but they assumed everything else would be entombed in ice and snow forever. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
They left behind:
- 200,000 liters of diesel fuel.
- 240,000 liters of wastewater and sewage.
- An unknown quantity of toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from building materials.
- A significant amount of low-level radioactive coolant from the nuclear reactor.
For 50 years, this toxic cocktail remained frozen and forgotten. But now, climate change is thawing the secret. A landmark 2016 study published in Geophysical Research Letters predicted that due to accelerating Arctic melt, parts of the Camp Century site could begin to be exposed to the surface by the year 2090, releasing this waste into the fragile ecosystem.
This raises a thorny geopolitical question: Who is responsible for cleaning up a 60-year-old American secret military mess on Danish territory?
What Remains at Camp Century Today?
The site wasn’t properly decontaminated before abandonment.
What Was Left Behind:
Structural Materials:
- Steel tunnel supports
- Prefabricated buildings
- Railway tracks and equipment
- Electrical wiring and infrastructure
Hazardous Materials:
- 200,000 liters of diesel fuel
- 240,000 liters of wastewater
- PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls – highly toxic)
- Low-level radioactive waste from the nuclear reactor
- Chemical solvents and coolants
The Original Plan:
The military assumed everything would be permanently entombed in ice, gradually buried under accumulating snowfall, and remain frozen forever.
The Problem:
They didn’t account for climate change.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Project Iceworm
Here are direct answers to the most common questions about this secret project.
1. What was the purpose of Project Iceworm?
Its purpose was to secretly hide up to 600 nuclear missiles under the Greenland ice sheet, creating a launch site that was undetectable and survivable in a nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
2. Where was Camp Century located?
Camp Century was located in northwestern Greenland, approximately 150 miles (240 km) from the coast and the US Thule Air Base.
3. Was Project Iceworm successful?
No, it was a failure. Scientists discovered the Greenland ice sheet was not stable but was a flowing glacier, which would have crushed the tunnels over time, making a long-term missile base impossible.
4. What was left behind at Camp Century?
The US Army abandoned the entire base and its infrastructure, leaving behind millions of liters of sewage and diesel fuel, toxic PCBs, and low-level radioactive coolant from its portable nuclear reactor.
5. Is Project Iceworm dangerous today?
Yes. Climate change is causing the Greenland ice sheet to melt. Scientists predict the toxic waste abandoned at the site could be exposed and released into the environment within this century, posing a significant ecological threat.
6. Can you visit Project Iceworm or Camp Century?
No. The site is completely inaccessible. The tunnels and buildings of Camp Century were long ago crushed and buried deep beneath decades of accumulated snow and ice.
7. Who owns the waste at Camp Century?
This is a complex international issue. The waste was created by the US military on land that is under the sovereignty of Denmark (and now Greenland’s home rule government). No country has officially accepted responsibility for the cleanup.
8. Was Project Iceworm declassified?
Yes. Key details about the project and the associated Camp Century were declassified in the 1990s, revealing the true military intent behind the “scientific” base.
Project Iceworm vs. Other Cold War Secret Projects
How does it compare to other crazy Cold War schemes?
| Project | Goal | Status | Crazy Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Iceworm | 600 nuclear missiles under Greenland ice | Failed, abandoned | 10/10 |
| Project Azorian | Steal Soviet submarine from ocean floor | Partially successful | 9/10 |
| Project Stargate | Psychic spying (remote viewing) | Failed, cancelled | 8/10 |
| Project DUMBO | Nuclear-powered bomber (infinite range) | Failed, too dangerous | 9/10 |
| Project Plowshare | Use nuclear bombs for civilian construction | Failed, radioactive nightmare | 8/10 |
| Operation Northwoods | False flag attacks to justify Cuba invasion | Rejected by Kennedy | 10/10 |
| MKULTRA | Mind control through drugs/torture | Exposed, discontinued | 10/10 |
Project Iceworm’s Unique Distinction:
It’s one of the few Cold War projects that combined:
- Massive engineering ambition
- Complete operational failure
- Long-term environmental consequences
- International diplomatic deception
Authoritative Sources for Further Research
For verified information on Project Iceworm, consult these primary historical and scientific sources.
- The National Security Archive, George Washington University: Hosts declassified documents on Project Iceworm.
- Geophysical Research Letters: The 2016 scientific study that calculated the environmental threat from the abandoned waste.
- The Wilson Center Digital Archive: Provides historical context on Cold War international history, including US-Danish relations regarding Greenland.
A Warning Frozen in Time
Project Iceworm is more than just a fascinating piece of Cold War history. It is a profound cautionary tale about military ambition, scientific hubris, and the long-term consequences of our actions. What was once buried as a state secret is now emerging as a global environmental problem. The story of the city under the ice serves as a chilling reminder that some secrets refuse to stay buried forever.
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