On November 3, 1974, off the British coast, two submarines collided. The episode, which has been circulating in military circles for decades, was confirmed thanks to recent declassified files from the CIA. Kept secret for 43 years, it could have triggered World War III.
The incident involved the class leader SSBN-627 strategic submarine James Madison and a Soviet unit (probably nuclear-powered attacking unit) which will never be identified. According to CIA documents, the collision occurred not far from the Holy Loch base, in County Argyll, Scotland, operated by the Pentagon from 1961 to 1992. At the time of the accident, the US unit was equipped with sixteen ballistic missiles. Poseidon for 160 nuclear warheads with multiple independent reentry.
Shortly after leaving the base, the US submarine, still maneuvering, collides with a Soviet unit. Both submarines were submerged. Henry Kissinger, then Secretary of State to President Gerald Ford, was informed the same day. The CIA document is dated November 3, 1974 and marked "secret eyes only".
The CIA claims that the Soviet submarine was maneuvering in the shallow waters of the bay to position itself in the wake of US unity. The CIA note sent to US Secretary of State Kissinger reads: "The Pentagon confirms collision between one of our Poseidon-armed units at a Soviet submarine. The submarines have surfaced. Soviet unity then plunged. We do not yet know the extent of the damage, but we will keep you updated".
It is just one of the many nuclear accidents that occurred during the Cold War involving US and Soviet units. Had that incident not been deemed accidental and regarded as an intentional attack, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
President Ford, at the request of the United States National Security Advisor, Brent Scrowcroft, classified the incident to prevent it from triggering public panic in the middle of the Cold War and did not order any official investigation. 43 years later, the CIA declassifies the files of that episode.
Il James Madison was retired from service on November 20, 1992.
