What It Was Like to Stand in the Shadow of an Atomic Blast episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 6, 2026 · 7 MIN

What It Was Like to Stand in the Shadow of an Atomic Blast

from Our American Stories · host iHeartPodcasts

On this episode of Our American Stories, from 1945 to 1992, the United States conducted more than a thousand nuclear weapons tests. Many took place in Nevada, where young Marines were ordered into trenches to observe what would happen when the bomb went off. Among them was Toby Madrid.For decades, he stayed silent, sharing his memories only once with his son and a trusted co-worker, Richard Muniz. That rare conversation captured the surreal experience of facing a nuclear explosion in the desert and the shadow it left on the men who served. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 6, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

What It Was Like to Stand in the Shadow of an Atomic Blast

0:00 7:59

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Our American Stories?

This episode is 7 minutes long.

When was this Our American Stories episode published?

This episode was published on April 6, 2026.

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Our American Stories episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!