How Green Berets jumped from planes with a man-portable atomic bomb during the Cold War
By George Hand
July 1, 2025
My tour with the Green Berets began in 1983. In those years, the Green Berets, among many other missions, were blessed with the task of operation and delivery of a small nuclear “suitcase bomb” munition. The allure of such a magnificent task gave way to many rumors and speculations – but the facts are more alluring still.
The development of the small nuclear device began in June 1960 with the M54 SADM (Special Atomic Demolition Munition). The M54 was put into production in August 1964. The weapon was 12 inches in diameter, 18 inches long, and weighed approximately 59 pounds. The transport configuration added many more pounds to the weight of the device, and demanded specialized skills to operate.
SADM had a variable yield estimated to range from the equivalent of 10 to 1,000 tons of TNT!
The detachments who specialized in the employment of the weapon system were known as Green Light teams. There was a measure of awe and prestige in the men who undertook the mission. It was no easy task to be accepted in one such team if you did not positively glow at your current Green Beret function. All the Green Light men were also SCUBA/Combat Diver qualified, as SADM target sets included harbors and other waterborne targets such as dams and bridges.
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