Historian Finally Discovers Identity of ‘Miss Atomic Bomb’ After 25-Year Hunt

After a 25-year investigation, historian Robert Friedrichs has confirmed the identity of “Miss Atomic Bomb,” the woman immortalized in a famous 1957 photograph wearing a swimsuit shaped like a mushroom cloud. The woman in the photo, long a symbol of Las Vegas's atomic age, has been identified as Anna Lee Mahoney, according to Fox 5.

Friedrichs started looking for the woman in 2000. His hope was to find the woman before the Atomic Museum opened in Las Vegas. During the year(s) he spent searching, he received multiple leads, spent hours in archives, and interviewed many showgirls and photographers. Finally, in the winter of 2024, while looking for an obituary, he received a breakthrough.

According to the obituary, Mahoney was born on August 14, 1927, in the Bronx, New York. She had multiple stage names, including Lee A. Merlin, but later worked under her legal name, Mahoney. With the help of private investigators, Friedrichs matched the aliases to a single Social Security number.

“It was a 25-year-long journey to uncover who this woman was,” Friedrichs said. “The image itself was captivating, but it was the mystery of her identity that drove my research.” He added, “The woman in the photograph was not just a symbol; she had a story, a life, and now we can finally tell it.”

Mahoney trained in ballet before becoming the lead dancer at the Sands Hotel, performing for stars like Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. The 1957 photo, taken by Don English, became an icon of the nuclear era, symbolizing the fusion of glamor and science in Cold War pop culture.

“She remains one of the most requested images in our archive,” said Joseph Kent, deputy director and curator of the Atomic Museum. “This iconic image has been a symbol of the atomic era and has been associated with the history of atomic testing in Nevada.”

Mahoney later served for 30 years as a mental health counselor and passed away in 2001 in Santa Cruz, California, after a battle with cancer. A new temporary exhibit, opening on June 13 at the Atomic Museum, will explore Friedrichs' research and Mahoney's life, finally giving voice to the woman behind one of Las Vegas's most enduring images.