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Kansas City Defense Area

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The two Kansas sites, KC-60 and KC-80, were located 2 miles south of Gardner and at Fort Leavenworth. Along with two sites in Missouri, these Nike Hercules sites defended this important industrial/transportation center. They were operational from 1960 to 1969.

The groundbreaking ceremony at Fort Leavenworth was highly publicized, with Kansas Governor George Docking participating in the festivities. The Corps of Engineers Kansas City District oversaw construction of the sites. The initial projected cost of construction of the four sites around Kansas City was placed at $6 million. However, modifications made during construction escalated this figure. Command and control was coordinated from a "Birdie" site at Olathe Naval Air Station. At Olathe, an Air Force SAGE blockhouse received sensor inputs from around the country and designated defensive systems (such as Birdie) to handle a threat. Headquarters facilities were also located at Olathe.

Site KC-10 was located 2 miles southeast of Lawson while site KC-30 operated 5 miles northeast of Pleasant Hill. These two Nike Hercules batteries, dubbed Lawson and Lone Jack, guarded the eastern approaches to Kansas City. The Corps of Engineers Kansas City District commenced work on these sites in late spring 1958. They were active from November 1959 until February 1969.