The Utica site was dedicated in October 1957 and was manned until ...
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“From October 1956 to July 1958, I was part of the Nike guided missile sites that were set-up across America during the Cold War… I was stationed at Battery B of the 516th AAA Missile Battalion …. Our main duty was to keep the missile site operationally ready. Much of the rest of our time was spent in housekeeping chores. The launching site covered about 20 acres of ground… In 1958, the Nike base set up a white colored replica Nike missile and launcher in a grass covered area in downtown Utica by the Baptist Church … to provide information to the public about Nike guided missiles.” I will never forget my two years at the Nike site.. ‘Thank you’ to all of my Army friends that I served with and ‘thank you’ to all the kind people of Utica and Shelby Township.” - Reverend Ronald C. Purkey (to Shelby Historical Committee) - UTICA NIKE BASE Nike Batteries included three separate areas. The administrative and Integrated Fire Control (IFC) areas were usually co-located. Launch areas were separated by at least 1,000 yards but within visual sight of each other. Photos of Utica Base: bases for the radar towers (right); barracks for maintenance area (bottom right). defense of the major areas of the U.S. in 1953. It was the first guided missile to be deployed in defense of the United States. The Utica site was dedicated in October 1957 and was manned until 1964 by members of Battery B-516th AAA Missile Battalion. The Nike Ajax system was designed to supplement and then replace gun batteries deployed around the nation’s major urban areas and vital military installations. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF NIKE HERCULES G Length: 41 feet G Diameter: 31.5 inches GWingspan: 6 ft. 2 in. G Booster Fuel: Solid propellant G Range: over 75 miles G Speed: Mach 3.65 (2,707 mph) G Altitude: Up to 150,000 feet GGuidance: Command by electronic computer and radar G Missile fuel: solid propellant. The administrative areas included barracks, a mess hall, and a recreation/administration supply building. These buildings were typically one- story cinder block structures with flat roofs. The original Nike barracks at River Bends Park have been converted to the Shadbush Environmental Center for Utica Community Schools. The Nike guided missile system was placed in the field of Adapted from materials collected by the Shelby Township Historical Committee. The material for this display has been provided by The Charter Township of Shelby Historical Committee www.shelbyhistory.com With assistance by NIKE GUIDED MISSILES In the early 1950’s, the U.S. Army deployed Nike - the world’s first operational, guided, surface-to-air missiles (right). By the late 50’s the U.S. Army began replacing the original Nike Ajax batteries with the longer-range nuclear-capable Nike Hercules.
Transcript of The Utica site was dedicated in October 1957 and was manned until ...
“From October 1956 to July 1958, I was part of the Nike guided missile sites that were set-up across America during the Cold War… I was stationed at Battery B ofthe 516th AAA Missile
Battalion ….
Our main duty was to keep the missile siteoperationally ready. Much of the rest of our time
was spent in housekeeping chores.
The launching site covered about 20 acres ofground…
In 1958, the Nike base set up a white coloredreplica Nike missile and launcher in a grass
covered area in downtown Utica by the BaptistChurch … to provide information to the public
about Nike guided missiles.”
I will never forget my two years at the Nike site..‘Thank you’ to all of my Army friends that I servedwith and ‘thank you’ to all the kind people of Utica
and Shelby Township.”
- Reverend Ronald C. Purkey(to Shelby Historical Committee) -
UTICA NIKE BASE
Nike Batteries included threeseparate areas. The
administrative and IntegratedFire Control (IFC) areas wereusually co-located. Launch
areas were separated by at least1,000 yards but within visual
sight of each other.
Photos of Utica Base: bases forthe radar towers (right); barracks
for maintenance area (bottomright).
defense of the major areas ofthe U.S. in 1953. It was the firstguided missile to be deployedin defense of the United States.
The Utica sitewas dedicated
in October 1957and was
manned until1964 by
members ofBattery B-516th
AAA MissileBattalion.
The Nike Ajax system wasdesigned to supplement andthen replace gun batteriesdeployed around the nation’smajor urban areas and vitalmilitary installations.
TECHNICALSPECIFICATIONS OF
NIKE HERCULES� Length: 41 feet� Diameter: 31.5 inches�Wingspan: 6 ft. 2 in.� Booster Fuel: Solidpropellant� Range: over 75 miles� Speed: Mach 3.65 (2,707mph)� Altitude: Up to 150,000feet�Guidance:Command byelectroniccomputer and radar� Missile fuel: solidpropellant.
The administrative areasincluded barracks, a mess hall,and a recreation/administrationsupply building. Thesebuildings were typically one-story cinder block structureswith flat roofs. The original Nikebarracks at River Bends Parkhave been converted to theShadbush Environmental Centerfor Utica Community Schools.
The Nike guidedmissile system wasplaced in the field of
Adapted from materials collected by the Shelby Township Historical Committee.
The material for this display has been provided byThe Charter Township of Shelby Historical Committee
www.shelbyhistory.com
With assistance by
NIKE GUIDED MISSILES
In the early 1950’s, the U.S. Armydeployed Nike - the world’s first
operational, guided, surface-to-airmissiles (right). By the late 50’s the U.S.Army began replacing the original Nike
Ajax batteries with the longer-rangenuclear-capable Nike Hercules.
