U.S.WEIRD NEWS

Oregon's 1970 exploding whale mishap, caught on video

Officials used half a ton of dynamite on the beach, and a car parked a quarter mile away was the casualty; the whale mostly stayed put.

On air: Hank Ledger and Kenji Moonfield on Wake Up, America
Published 5:46 AM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

At a glance

First reported by The Washington Times: “Remember when: The story of Oregon's exploding whale mishap caught on video in 1970”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 5:46 AM ET on Wake Up, America, by Hank Ledger and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Oregon.
BBN covered this story before: Oregon gun laws held up in courts; Omar probe; graffiti crew (October 16).

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The Washington TimesRemember when: The story of Oregon's exploding whale mishap caught on video in 1970

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIn nineteen seventy, Oregon officials tried to get rid of a dead whale on a beach with half a ton of dynamite, and the video still circulates today.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA big chunk of the whale stayed intact, but a car parked a quarter mile away did not.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA quarter mile. The car was just parked there, minding its business, and the whale's last move was to flatten it.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWhat does a man do when the plan fails that loudly?
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentHe files it under blubber-based learning, Hank, and the clip goes viral fifty years later.