Philadelphia 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.
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.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules
- Bibliography
- 13403