9. The Soviet submarine K-19 led to many forgotten casualties of the Cold War
The Cold War created a decades-long arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States. In the 1950s, as the US moved nuclear weapons into its Naval arsenal, the Soviets hastened to keep up. The Soviet submarine K-19 began construction in 1958. At least eight, and probably more, Soviet workers perished while building the ship. Toxic fumes from rubber adhesive took out six women while they completed a rubber-lined cistern. A fire during construction, probably caused by welding sparks triggering oily rags into flames, taking two workers, and injured several more. At the ship’s commissioning ceremony, the champagne bottle smashed across the vessel’s bow failed to break, a sure sign among superstitious sailors that they were joining an unlucky ship. Superstition or not, the omen proved to be true during the submarine’s subsequent career.
On July 4, 1961, the submarine suffered a reactor accident while at sea on training exercises. Radioactive steam was ventilated throughout the vessel. At least eight crewmen passed from radiation exposure within the next few weeks. Nearly two dozen succumbed to the immediate effects of the radiation, how many others developed radiation-linked cancers and other diseases remain unknown. The submarine generated low-frequency distress signals which were picked up by several US ships in the vicinity, which offered assistance. Not wanting to risk exposing Cold War secrets to the Americans, the Soviet commander declined, continuing to expose his crew to dangerous radiation hazards. K-19 eventually underwent repairs and returned to service. Throughout its Cold War career, it continued to suffer accidents and casualties, both fatal and non-fatal, including a 1972 fire which took out 30 Soviet sailors.
