New Findings Reveal Secrets of Cold War-Era Camp Century in Greenland

GREENLAND — New insights into Camp Century, a Cold War military outpost, have surfaced, detailing its secret operation and the ambitious Project Iceworm, a plan to deploy nuclear missiles hidden beneath its icy surface. Established in 1959, the base operated for seven years, but its role in U.S. military strategy remained largely unknown until recent discoveries.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed Camp Century primarily as a nuclear power base, but it was also home to a network of tunnels that could ostensibly support the housing and movement of up to 600 nuclear missiles aimed at the Soviet Union. Austin Kovacs, an army research engineer who worked at the camp, reflected on the conditions there, stating, “People thought it was dangerous. And it was not dangerous. It was comfortable. And at times it was very, very monotonous.”

The camp was located 127 miles from the nearest community, accessible only by sled. Despite its isolated location, it was equipped with various amenities, including a clinic, theater, and library. John Fresh, a soldier who visited the site, described it as “like walking into a freezer,” emphasizing the extreme cold that pervaded the environment.

Project Iceworm, however, was shrouded in secrecy for many years. The project’s existence was exposed following a 1968 incident wherein a U.S. jet carrying nuclear bombs crashed in the region, prompting a government investigation. The inquiry revealed covert approval from the Danish government for the initiative.

Despite the successful concealment of the project, military planners failed to fully account for the challenges presented by the glacial environment. The shifting ice caused steel railways to buckle and placed the reactor in jeopardy. By 1963, the nuclear reactor was decommissioned, and Camp Century was ultimately abandoned by 1967.

In 1969, reports indicated that the camp had fallen into disrepair, with snow and debris accumulating in its hallways. However, interest in the site was reignited when NASA scientists, during a flight over Greenland last April, detected the network of tunnels with radar technology. Alex Gardner, a cryospheric scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted that they “didn’t know what it was at first,” illustrating the hidden nature of the camp.

The recently collected radar data presents a clearer view of Camp Century’s infrastructure, now buried under approximately 100 feet of ice. Chad Greene, a researcher leading the effort, stated, “In the new data, individual structures in the secret city are visible in a way that they’ve never been seen before.” This fresh perspective on the clandestine base emphasizes the importance of studying past military endeavors and their implications.