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

In the early 1950s, a dozen gun batteries positioned 6 to 7 miles from the center of the city protected the "City of Brotherly Love." In the mid-1950s, the Philadelphia District of the Corps of Engineers supervised the construction of a circle of 12 Nike Ajax sites averaging 25 miles from center city. Sites on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River included:

(PH-07) Richboro (PH-82) Valley Forge/Paoli

(PH-15) Newportville/Crowden (PH-91) Worchester/Center Square

(PH-67) Chester/Media (PH-99) Warrington/Eureka. (PH-75) Edgemont/Delaware City

Headquarters facilities were located at Swarthmore.

Sites PH-75 and PH-99 were upgraded to launch Nike Hercules missiles. Following this modernization, the remaining Nike Ajax sites were deactivated from 1961 to 1963. Site PH-75 was deactivated in 1968; PH-99 stayed on duty until 1971. These batteries were manned by both Regular Army and Pennsylvania Army National Guard units. Command and control functions were hosted by a "Missile Master" facility based at Pedricktown, New Jersey.

The contributions of Philadelphia's defenders were recognized on April 24, 1963, as Mayor H.J. Tate presided over a ceremony declaring that spring day in Philadelphia as "ARADCOM Day."



Subtopics

Nike PH-07 8 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - Sep 1961 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike PH-15 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - 1963. Control site private ownership. Launch site private ownership.

Nike PH-23/25 22 Nike Ajax/14 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1958 - Apr 1974. Control site Township of Lumberton and private owner. Launch site Township of Lumberton.

Nike PH-32 8 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - 1963. Control site obliterated; private ownership, future housing planned. Launch site partially intact; Evesham Board of Education.

Nike PH-41 23 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1956 - Apr 1974 . Control site US Government abandoned. Launch site US Government abandoned.

Nike PH-49 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - 1963. Control site intact; Bethel Church. Launch site private ownership.

Nike PH-58 12 Nike Ajax/7 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1957 - Apr 1974 . Control site General Services Administration. Launch site General Services Administration.

Nike PH-67 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike PH-75 23 Nike Ajax/11 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1955 - Nov 1968 . Control site Ridley Creek State Park. Launch site USAR Center.

Nike PH-82 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1982. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike PH-91 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - 1963. Control site private ownership. Launch site USAR Center.

Nike PH-99 22 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1956 - Jul 1971 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.

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

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