The United States Army carried out nuclear tests in the South Pacific in the 1950s. One such test using the test hydrogen bomb nicknamed "Jughead" was to be carried out on the Island. When a U.S. Army team of 18 soldiers arrived on the Island, they built a tent camp on the Mesa and a firing tower for the bomb. The soldiers were unable to carry out their mission before being wiped out by the Others, and Jughead was left unexploded. ("Jughead") The U.S. Army took a photo of the Island in September 1954, which was later seen in the Lamp Post. ("316")
Conflict with the Others
A photo of the Island taken for the U.S. Army, as found in the Lamp Post. ("316")
Richard Alpert and the Others first encountered the Army group, 18 men strong, constructing their campsite. Alpert offered them the opportunity to leave the Island peacefully. When they refused, he and his people were "forced" to kill them. It is likely that this conflict was waged over some period of time, as evidenced by the presence of claymore mines on the Island.
The Others later salvaged many of their supplies, including their tent camp, uniforms and weapons, taking them for their own. They continued to patrol the Island and expected the Army to send people to retrieve the bomb. ("Jughead")
The nametags on the salvaged uniforms included:
Jones, Cunningham, and Mattingly were 3 of Jacob's candidates.
- Ana Lucia found an old U.S. Army knife on one of the Others who invaded the Tailies camp in 2004. ("The Other 48 Days") Since the Others appear to have appropriated the Army's weapons after killing them, it is likely that this knife originally belonged to one of the soldiers who came to the Island in 1954. Ana said the knife was probably 20 years old, but if it belonged to this group, it would have been at least 50 years old.
- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: United States Army/Theories
- How did the Army locate and safely travel to the Island?
- Is the Army aware of what happened to Jughead and the lost platoon?
Other U.S. military
- Sam Austen
- Kelvin Inman
- Martin Keamy
- Leonard Simms
- Sam Toomey
- U.S. Soldier No. 1
- U.S. Soldier No. 2