"While a Nike-Hercules site could take days to be established, Patriot sites can be established in hours." In 1966-67, I trained with the newly formed 333d Arty, Air Defense Missles, Ft Bliss. MOS 16B20, launcher crewman. It was one of two 'semi-mobile' Nike Herc units (62d Arty, if I remember right, was the other). The 333rd's purpose was to be able to move our equipment and be set up and 'combat ready' anywhere in the world in 72 hours. We went from Basic Unit Training to 'Combat Ready'... rumors were flying... "we're going to Thailand, Viet Nam, etc, but only moved from Main Post, to McGregor Range, north of El Paso in the desert! From there the unit was bled down and, I guess, eventually disbanded. During the bleed-down, I left the unit, went to the 591st MP's (95B20), and then became a Drill Sgt (95B2b), C-2-3 in Logan Hights, Ft. Bliss, leaving the service in 1969. I couldn't believe all the wasted time & money just to be 'buried in the desert' ! I tried to find anything pertaining to the 333rd Arty, but info is almost non existant. I guess it's the 'lost' or 'ghost' unit. :(
I was a 24U20, Missile Tech from 1975-78, stationed in Baumholder, FRG. Once a year, we would take a team for a week of evaluations at the base on Crete. We would build up and calibrate a missile. We would fire the missile the crew before us assembled. It was a memorable time of my life.
Thanks for the info......My dad was a Warrant Officer & launcher supervisor at a Nike site in Washington State. He died when I was very young so it's nice to here about what he did.
There were two "Fire" switches, one in both the IFC and LCA. The Battery Commander fired the missile from the IFC in normal conditions. In case of "emergency commo proceedures", the Btry. Cmd. gave a countdown from "5" and the missile was "Fired" from the "Launch Control Trailer" (LCT).
16B here, love that missile. There still were units in 1986. Westkirchen, I heard somewhere that it was changed to patriot in 1989. I dont know, I left in 1986.
@jackport63 I stand corrected. You're right, the third and last switch is on the "LCI" in the launch section in case the cable from the LCT to the LCI was broken. I was a "scope dope" for a while, so please excuse my ignorance. "Blazing Skies", jackport63.
The Nike-Hercules system never missed its target in its entire history. You cannot say this about todays hi-tech system. A-5-56. 1962-1965. Wilmington,Ohio.
In your opinion was the fully-automatic control too expensive,and complicate? In my view it would have been installed an-automatic-humanone. imean: radars might have given range of targets,and a soldier might have driven by radio-commands the missile,by looking at radar-video
I beg to differ. It did its job wherever it was deployed from Europe, the Continental USA , Japan and Korea. No enemy bomber from any hostile country EVER dropped a bomb that was protected by the Nike Hercules. For a defensive weapons system, that's "effective". As for the warheads, yes they were "nukes", even in the US (LA had about 325) and NOTHING ever happened. No explosions, no radiation leaks, zip, zero, nada! To bad we are afraid of nuclear power generation. "It's the right thing to do!"
I was a "scope dope" (radar) from '67 to '73. Europe - CONUS. US-RA & NG. However, I thought then, and I still think now, that a land based missile defense is nothing but a "primary target". Can you imagine a Nike-Herc Btry in Submarines? I sure can. I hope the USA puts air defense under the water and moves it around, undetected.
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"While a Nike-Hercules site could take days to be established, Patriot sites can be established in hours."
In 1966-67, I trained with the newly formed 333d Arty, Air Defense Missles, Ft Bliss. MOS 16B20, launcher crewman. It was one of two 'semi-mobile' Nike Herc units (62d Arty, if I remember right, was the other). The 333rd's purpose was to be able to move our equipment and be set up and 'combat ready' anywhere in the world in 72 hours. We went from Basic Unit Training to 'Combat Ready'... rumors were flying... "we're going to Thailand, Viet Nam, etc, but only moved from Main Post, to McGregor Range, north of El Paso in the desert! From there the unit was bled down and, I guess, eventually disbanded. During the bleed-down, I left the unit, went to the 591st MP's (95B20), and then became a Drill Sgt (95B2b), C-2-3 in Logan Hights, Ft. Bliss, leaving the service in 1969. I couldn't believe all the wasted time & money just to be 'buried in the desert' ! I tried to find anything pertaining to the 333rd Arty, but info is almost non existant. I guess it's the 'lost' or 'ghost' unit. :(
I was a 24U20, Missile Tech from 1975-78, stationed in Baumholder, FRG. Once a year, we would take a team for a week of evaluations at the base on Crete. We would build up and calibrate a missile. We would fire the missile the crew before us assembled. It was a memorable time of my life.
Thanks for the info......My dad was a Warrant Officer & launcher supervisor at a Nike site in Washington State. He died when I was very young so it's nice to here about what he did.
There were two "Fire" switches, one in both the IFC and LCA. The Battery Commander fired the missile from the IFC in normal conditions. In case of "emergency commo proceedures", the Btry. Cmd. gave a countdown from "5" and the missile was "Fired" from the "Launch Control Trailer" (LCT).
16B here, love that missile. There still were units in 1986. Westkirchen, I heard somewhere that it was changed to patriot in 1989. I dont know, I left in 1986.
@jackport63 I stand corrected. You're right, the third and last switch is on the "LCI" in the launch section in case the cable from the LCT to the LCI was broken. I was a "scope dope" for a while, so please excuse my ignorance. "Blazing Skies", jackport63.
The Nike-Hercules system never missed its target in its entire history. You cannot say this about todays hi-tech system. A-5-56. 1962-1965. Wilmington,Ohio.
In your opinion was the fully-automatic control too expensive,and complicate? In my view it would have been installed an-automatic-humanone. imean: radars might have given range of targets,and a soldier might have driven by radio-commands the missile,by looking at radar-video
Where at a Nike site would a launch of a missile had been activated? The IFC crew of launcher crew.
bulky, nowadays long rang SAMs mobility is a must.
Picture shows a Nike Hercules, max altitude 80+k. Range 90+ miles. Hydrazine was used in the Nike Ajax, *not* the Nike Herc shown here.
I didn't see the Missile Master control systems so touted during the days of the Herc. I guess they wanted it to launch without a flaw I guess...
Where would a missile be fired from? The IFC or Launcher crew.
I beg to differ. It did its job wherever it was deployed from Europe, the Continental USA , Japan and Korea. No enemy bomber from any hostile country EVER dropped a bomb that was protected by the Nike Hercules. For a defensive weapons system, that's "effective". As for the warheads, yes they were "nukes", even in the US (LA had about 325) and NOTHING ever happened. No explosions, no radiation leaks, zip, zero, nada! To bad we are afraid of nuclear power generation. "It's the right thing to do!"
Can you imagine having your finger on the button and hearing "Just do it!" in the back of your head? lol
B Battery 3/71 ADA 77-80 in Germany
I was a "scope dope" (radar) from '67 to '73. Europe - CONUS. US-RA & NG. However, I thought then, and I still think now, that a land based missile defense is nothing but a "primary target". Can you imagine a Nike-Herc Btry in Submarines? I sure can. I hope the USA puts air defense under the water and moves it around, undetected.
Been there , don't that !
great SAM! the HAF had it operational until mid 90's.
good missile but it had the hazzard and toxic hudrazine...
and? i just push it. if i got order.
lol
BCO battery at batttle station azimuth 6400 data release
40yeaes ago at McGregor Range Fort Bliss