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New York Defense Area
Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Nike defenses were placed during the mid-1950s to defend the nation's most populous city. Site designations and locations of Nike batteries defending New York include:

(NY-03/04) Orangeburg/Mt. Nebo (double site) (NY-24) Amityville/Farmingdale

(NY-09) Kensico/White Plains (NY-25) Rocky Point/Brookhaven

(NY-15) Fort Slocum (NY-29/30), Lido Beach (double site)

(NY-20) Lloyd Harbor/Huntington (NY-49) Fort Tilden

(NY-23) Hicksville/Oyster Bay (NY-99) Spring Valley/Ramapo.

Headquarters facilities were located at Tappan, Fort Totten, Fort Wadsworth, and Roslyn.

Combined with the sites located in New Jersey, the New York sites composed one of the largest defensive nets in the nation. Sites NY-03/04, NY-24, NY-25, and NY-49 received upgrades to accept Nike Hercules. Beginning in June 1960, command and control was coordinated by a "Missile Master" facility located at Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Earlier, New York's air defenses had been manually coordinated from Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.

Perhaps to even a greater extent than elsewhere, New York site locations in proximity to major population centers made good public relations vital, especially in the wake of a highly publicized disaster at a New Jersey Nike site in 1958. During the following year a Nike missile exhibit participated in 40 major public events ranging from the State Fair to Boy Scout Camporees. Nike sites also were occasionally opened to the public.

As in several other states, during the 1960s the National Guard assumed a greater role in operating the sites.



Subtopics

Nike NY-03/04 24 Nike Ajax/12 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1955 - Apr 1974 . Control site partially intact; Town of Orangeburg. Launch site intact; USAR Center-Orangeburg.

Nike NY-09 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-15 8 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - Jul 1960 . Control site transferred from DoD control to another party. abandoned. Launch site Department of Corrections Hospital.

Nike NY-20 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational Jan 1957 - 1963 . Control site obliterated; private ownership. Launch site obliterated; private ownership.

Nike NY-23 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Control site Nassau County Board Coop Services. Launch site Village of Brooksville Native Park.

Nike NY-24 12 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1957 - Apr 1974 . Control site USAR Center. Launch site Zahn Airport.

Nike NY-25 10 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1957 - Jun 1971 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-29/30 24 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-49 16 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1955 - Apr 1974 . Control site intact; Gateway National Recreation Area. Launch site intact; U.S. Park Service.

Nike NY-53 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1957 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-54 8 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1955 - Nov 1968 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-56 16 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1960 - Jun 1971 . Control site Gateway National Recreation Area. Launch site Gateway National Recreation Area.

Nike NY-58/60 8 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1955 - Nov 1968 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-65 8 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1955 - Jun 1971 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-73 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1958 - Apr 1963 . Control site transferred from DoD control to another party. Launch site Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Nike NY-79/80 23 Nike Ajax/12 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1955 - Apr 1974 . Control site intact; Essex County Park District. Launch site partially intact; General Services Administration.

Nike NY-88 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-93/94 24 Nike Ajax/12 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1955 - Jun 1971 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike NY-99 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - 1963. Control site partially intact; East Ramapo School District. Launch site partially intact; East Ramapo School District.

Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules. Bibliography: 13403.

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