Billboards inform Puget Sound citizens of nuclear weapons stockpiled in their backyard

Billboard in Lake Forest Park - 20 miles from largest concentration of deployed nukes
in the world. Photo by Karol Milner

By Glen Milner

On July 22, 2024 and continuing for four weeks, five billboards display the following paid advertisement: Did You Know, We’re only *** Miles from the Largest Concentration of Deployed Nukes in the World! Let’s Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

Included in the five advertisements are maps showing the proximity of the cities and billboards in Everett, Lake Forest Park, Seattle, and Tacoma—to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, homeport for 8 of the Navy’s 14 Trident nuclear-powered submarines.

The billboards serve as a public service announcement—informing the reader of the exact number of miles they are at that exact location, to the largest concentration of deployed nuclear weapons in the world.

Pat Moriarity, the artist commissioned by Ground Zero to produce the billboards stated,

"I have lived in Kitsap County for 24 years, so I've been long aware of the Bangor sub base. But until recently I never really understood the true extent of just how many nuclear weapons were stockpiled so close to my home. 

"I'd like to think if my neighbors knew, they would be concerned about getting rid of them. As a species we need to evolve past this mutual assured destruction mentality. It's like the scariest staring contest you can imagine.”

The cartoon style billboards by Pat Moriarity are the second of a series of cartoon billboards that show the proximity of communities across Washington State to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

Comic book artist Pat Moriarity created the cartoon.

Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor is homeport to the largest concentration of deployed nuclear warheads in the world. The nuclear warheads are deployed on Trident D-5 missiles on SSBN submarines and are stored in an underground nuclear weapons storage facility on the base.

Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action has also joined with Pax Christi USA to purchase five billboards that will begin on August 19, 2024 for four weeks with a message from Pope Francis, declaring that nuclear weapons are illegal and immoral. The sign, designed by Pax Christi USA, also demands that nuclear weapons be eliminated in the Puget Sound region.

There are eight Trident SSBN submarines deployed at Bangor Six Trident SSBN submarines are deployed on the East Coast at Kings Bay, Georgia.

One Trident submarine carries the destructive force of over 1,000 Hiroshima bombs (the Hiroshima bomb was 15 kilotons).

Bangor to Lake Forest Park - 20 miles

Each Trident submarine was originally equipped for 24 Trident missiles. In 2015-2017 four missile tubes were deactivated on each submarine as a result of the New START Treaty. Currently, each Trident submarine deploys with 20 D-5 missiles and about 90 nuclear warheads (an average of 4-5 warheads per missile). The warheads are either the W76-1 90-kiloton warheads, W88 455-kiloton warheads, or W-76-2 8-kiloton warheads.

The Navy in early 2020 started deploying the new W76-2 low-yield warhead (approximately eight kilotons) on select ballistic submarine missiles at Bangor (following initial deployment in the Atlantic in December 2019). The warhead was deployed to deter Russian first use of tactical nuclear weapons, dangerously creating a lower threshold for the use of U.S. strategic nuclear weapons.

Comic Book artist Pat Moriarity, who created the cartoon style billboard near his home in Port Orchard, is an award-winning internationally known artist.

Hans M. Kristensen is the expert source for the statement, “Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor… with largest concentration of deployed nuclear weapons in the world.” (See cited source material here and here .) Mr. Kristensen is director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists where he provides the public with analysis and background information about the status of nuclear forces and the role of nuclear weapons.

The billboards are an effort by Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, a grassroots organization in Poulsbo, Washington, to reawaken public awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons in the Puget Sound region.

The billboard ads

The five billboard ads measure 10 ft. 6 in. tall by 22 ft. 9 in. in length and will be displayed for one month starting on July 22 for the cartoon billboards and on August 19 for billboards with the statement by Pope Francis. The billboards, and second of a series of billboards by Pat Moriarity, are located at:

• Evergreen Way and north of Lake St, Everett WA
• Bothell Way and south of NE 149th St, Lake Forest Park WA
• Stewart St and west of Minor Ave, Seattle WA
• Pacific Ave and north of S 72nd St, Tacoma WA
• 6th Ave and west of N Mason Ave, Tacoma,WA

The five billboards with Pax Christi USA and the statement by Pope Francis will be near the following locations:

• Mukilteo Speedway (Highway 525) and north of Bernie Webber Dr
• Bothell Way and south of NE 149th St, Lake Forest Park WA
• Denny Way between Taylor Ave and Vine St, Seattle WA
• Center St and east of S Madison St, Tacoma WA
• 6th Ave between S Trafton St and State St, Tacoma,WA

The photo of the submarine with the statement by Pope Francis is from a U.S. Navy DVIDS website. The caption for the photo states:

BANGOR, WA, UNITED STATES

05.09.2015

Photo by Lt.Cmdr. Brian Badura

Commander, Submarine Group Nine

BANGOR, Wash. (May 5, 2015) USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) sails home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a routine strategic deterrent patrol. Jackson is one of eight ballistic missile submarines stationed at the base providing the survivable leg of the strategic deterrence triad for the United States. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Brian Badura/Released)

Our proximity to the largest number of deployed strategic nuclear weapons puts us near a dangerous local and international threat. When citizens become aware of their role in the prospect of nuclear war, or the risk of a nuclear accident, the issue is no longer an abstraction. Our proximity to Bangor demands a deeper response.

Nuclear weapons and resistance

In the 1970s and 1980s, thousands demonstrated against nuclear weapons at the Bangor base and hundreds were arrested. Seattle Archbishop Hunthausen had proclaimed the Bangor submarine base the “Auschwitz of Puget Sound” and in 1982 began to withhold half of his federal taxes in protest of “our nation's continuing involvement in the race for nuclear arms supremacy.''

On May 27, 2016, President Obama spoke in Hiroshima and called for an end to nuclear weapons. He said that the nuclear powers “…must have the courage to escape the logic of fear, and pursue a world without them.” Obama added, “We must change our mindset about war itself.”

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The Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action was founded in 1977. The center is on 3.8 acres adjoining the Trident submarine base at Bangor, Washington. The Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action offers the opportunity to explore the roots of violence and injustice in our world and to experience the transforming power of love through nonviolent direct action. We resist all nuclear weapons, especially the Trident ballistic missile system.