August 9, 1965

Fifty-three civilian workers died in an accidental fire while they were modifying the Titan II Missile launch complex 373-4 near Pangburn (White County). The Titan II Missile program was a Cold War weapons system featuring fifty-four launch complexes in three states. Eighteen were in Arkansas, from which intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying nine-megaton nuclear warheads could be launched to strike targets as far as 5,500 miles away.