GREENLAND CAMP CENTURY

Year Published: 1959

Creator: Army Corp of Engineers

Complete Record: This silent film from the Cold War era shows preliminary work conducted in 1959 as part of Project Iceworm and the building of Camp Century. The goal of Iceworm / Century was to install a network of nuclear missile launch sites which could serve as an early warning site and potentially survive a first strike in the event of nuclear warfare with Russia. Camp Century was constructed in 1959 by the Army Corp of Engineers. It was built into the Greenland ice sheet and was powered by nuclear reactors. The project was abandoned in 1967 following the realization the ice sheet was not nearly as stable as initially perceived to be leaving the missile basing concept unfeasible. (00:00) This film represents "dailies" or rushes documenting some aspects of the project and puts viewers on the ground showing as servicemen monitor weather conditions and conduct various operations and experiments. It opens with a uniformed serviceman inspecting various equipment (:09). He enters one of the US Army Signal Corps meteorological stations (:52) and checks weather mapping instrumentation (1:19). A group of servicemen pulls supplies from tracked snow vehicles (1:39). Somebody holds a 16-millimeter camera (1:54). The workers take a food break (2:09). Tracked vehicles run over thick snow (2:14). Vehicles refuel (2:34). A number of weather balloons experiments are conducted (3:02). Wide shots show servicemen and weather balloon in front of camp installations (3:51). Scenes within the working station follow, servicemen look over paperwork (3:59) near a strategic air command radio transmitter (4:08). Incoming army men are delivered on a USAF Lockheed Martin C-130 (4:33). The group convenes on the ground (4:53) as the C-130 gets refueled (5:01). Aerial shots follow through the window after takeoff (5:11). Wide shots pass over weather mapping instrumentation (5:49) and another meteorological station (5:56). Snow tears over a roadway (6:28). Core samples are pulled from under the surface (6:41). Shots follow of army men exiting (7:10) and entering the trenches. Various equipment are pictured including satellite equipment (7:58), an equipment stand for developmental testing (8:15), weather tracking meters (8:39) and equipment for long duration balloon project (8:47). Two men step out for a weather balloon test (9:14). A total station transit (9:39) is put to use. Another weather balloon experiment follows (10:05). A uniformed Army serviceman adjusts a satellite roof installation (10:21). Snow is shoveled into the meteorological station in order to ensure accurate temperature readings (10:31). One of the men shows viewers how the equipment works (10:44). A meteorological station for MET Team (11:58) follows. Servicemen smile and wave for the camera (12:28). Caterpillar tractors plow snow (12:39). Wide shots follow of an orange tracked vehicle (13:23). Final shots show an army man leaving the meteorological station (13:48) to check various equipment (14:10) an add more snow to the station for another temperature reading (14:44).