© 2026 WEKU
Lexington's Choice for NPR
Support WEKU!
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The 1850 campaign is replacing lost federal funds one supporter at a time. Thanks to our listeners and supporters, we are now just 286 away from reaching this goal of 1850 new supporters donating at least $10 a month. Click here to join the campaign!

'We were scared': Man recalls the night he nearly launched a nuclear missile

NPR | By Esther Honig
Published February 20, 2026 at 5:03 AM EST

In 1974, Lt. Colonel Randall Lanning manned the launch controls that could deploy nuclear weapons in the event of a Soviet attack. He looks back at one night that's still etched in his memory.

Copyright 2026 NPR
NPR News
Esther Honig
Support nonprofit, fact-based public service journalism
WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.
Contribute now
Related Content