Dyess Defense Area
Missile · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.
On November 19, 1959, the Army conducted groundbreaking ceremonies at Dyess AFB for the battalion headquarters of the 5th Missile Battalion, 517th Artillery of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command. Installed to defend the SAC bombers and Atlas F missile silos stationed at and around Dyess AFB, the two Nike Hercules sites were controlled by a "BIRDIE" system installed at Sweetwater Air Force Station. Site DY-10, located at Fort Phantom Hill and site DY-50, located southwest of Abilene, remained operational from 1960 until 1966.
Subtopics
- Nike DY-10 12 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational Oct 1960 - Jun 1966 . Control site intact; Abilene Independent School District. Launch site intact; private ownership.
- Nike DY-50 12 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational Oct 1960 - Jun 1966 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules
- Bibliography
- 13403