Nashville Marks 45th Anniversary of a Narrow Escape from Bombing
Nashville, TN – As Labor Day weekend approaches, memories of a terrifying event that took place 45 years ago come flooding back for some residents and law enforcement officials. On September 2, 1979, a massive car bomb was discovered just blocks away from the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, narrowly avoiding what could have been a disastrous explosion.
The Unfolding Event
The situation unfolded just before the long holiday weekend. Jim Cavanaugh, a retired agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), was on the scene of a previous bombing at the Classic Cat strip club on 6th and Broadway. He was conducting an investigation into a fire that had caused significant damage to the club when his attention was drawn by a construction worker to something far more dangerous.
“I was actually in the club when a construction worker came up to me and said, ‘You’ve got to see this,’” Cavanaugh recalled. “I thought he was talking about the earlier incident, but then he said, ‘No, there’s a bomb right now.’” Cavanaugh quickly realized the severity of the situation.
A Grave Discovery
Outside the strip club, Cavanaugh found a stolen car packed with dynamite. He described the harrowing experience of seeing “six sticks of dynamite and dual-electric blasting caps” already rigged to explode. “I could see the clock ticking from the back, the alarm clock,” he added, emphasizing how delicate the situation had become.
The chilling realization hit that this bomb was unlike anything Nashville had faced before. Measuring approximately 200 pounds, this car bomb was labeled as the largest high-explosive bomb ever found in the United States at that time, according to Cavanaugh.
Emergency Response
Realizing that every second counted, Cavanaugh and local law enforcement quickly evacuated the area. “We knew that this thing’s ticking, and we had to get the bomb squad here immediately,” he said. People’s lives were on the line, and the bomb squad was summoned to manage the crisis. They arrived shortly after the alert and worked diligently to defuse the explosive.
Thanks to their prompt action, nobody was hurt, and the bomb was safely defused. What could have turned into a tragic event became a story of quick thinking and effective emergency response.
How the Bombing Attempt Went Wrong
Ultimately, the failure of the bombers to successfully detonate their device was attributed to a mistake in setting the alarm clock, which they intended to set for an overnight explosion. “Those old-fashioned alarm clocks could be tricky,” Cavanaugh explained, noting that the faulty timer was a metal hand that wasn’t always accurate.
The Investigation and Arrests
The investigation that followed the attempted bombing was extensive and lasted over a year. It led to the arrest and conviction of five individuals involved in the crime. The ringleader, Arthur Wayne Baldwin, had a vested interest in the strip club’s operations in Memphis and Nashville. He viewed the Classic Cat as competition he wanted to eliminate.
“This was all about competition and greed,” said Cavanaugh, explaining Baldwin’s motive. “He just didn’t want any other strip clubs around. He wanted all those patrons at his establishments.”
Comparison with Recent Bombing Events
Interestingly, while the bomb from 1979 was classified as a high explosive, more recent bombings, like the one on Christmas Day in 2020 in Nashville, involved different types of explosives. Cavanaugh noted that the bombing incidents differ significantly in their execution and materials used. The 2020 bomber used a blasting agent rather than the high explosives involved in the 1979 incident.
Community Reflection
As Nashville reflects on this attempted bombing 45 years later, it serves as a reminder of the potential dangers lurking in everyday life. The proactive measures taken by law enforcement and the ATF that day averted a catastrophe, underscoring the importance of vigilance and quick response to threats.
While these incidents are reminders of the challenges that cities face, they also highlight the resilience of the community and the strength of its emergency response teams. As the holiday weekend approaches, thoughts of that fateful day linger for those directly involved, serving as a testament to the need for ongoing awareness and preparedness in the face of danger.
