M14 Forum

Oxmix · January 14th, 2010, 01:34 PM

Any Cold War Nike Missile System vets out there?

Regards

Ox

Motown7.62 · January 14th, 2010, 03:29 PM

I'm not a Cold War NIKE missile vet but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Seriously, there is an old NIKE missile base very near my home in Newport, MI. It is still standing but was abandoned back in the 60's. You can still see the mounts for the missiles.

Motown out

Sustinemus · January 14th, 2010, 05:41 PM

There's at least 4 of us here, Oxmix.

I'll let them volunteer to check in on the thread though.

Sustinemus · January 14th, 2010, 05:50 PM

Motown:

Would that be site D-57 on the south side of Newport road west of Telegraph road?

Trung Si · January 17th, 2010, 05:53 AM

I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Last Night but I had the experience of spending the Night on a Nike Base in Germany during the Mid 60s, We were in a small Convoy coming back from the Fulda Gap, I remember that We couldn't get out of Our Vehicles, there were Guards with German Shepard Dogs that had unfriendly Dispositions and All the Missiles were pointing East!

Michael Tompkins · January 31st, 2010, 05:23 AM

I was an MP stationed at Delta 5/6 ADA in Hotheim, FRG back in the late '70s. It was fairly isolated from the rest of the world. It was a real $hit-hole, in my opinion. Physical security was the worst! Our duty was 24 on and 24 off for months at a time without a break. You felt like an animal after a time. Hard to go anywhere or do anything, since you were usually sleeping on your off day. The guys I worked with were the best, but I was sooooo glad to rotate out of that place!

Mike

Sustinemus · January 31st, 2010, 07:38 AM

Ah, yes.
Watching the exclusion zone with our fuzzy little friends.

Those are good shots of the launcher area Michael (I copied them to my desktop and restored the color balance - old photos turn red). I noted the M203 on your M16. Are those above-ground steam heat pipes coming from the Generator building, or something else? Ours were underground. Got any shots of the IFC area?

Michael Tompkins · January 31st, 2010, 09:00 AM

I actually have several more pictures of the X area, but have not copied them.

Yes, those are the steam pipes that ran above ground.

The IFC is located about a mile away on another hill side. Only visited it one time in the 20 months I was there.

Yeah, I carried a 203. I thought it was cool at the time and asked for it. After awhile, the coolness wore off and it was just extra weight to lug around. It was fun to have when we went to the range and had rounds to fire.

In the third picture, the building to the right is the Generator Bldg. Closest to you is the LCT behind the sandbags. The building to the left is the Ready Bldg. Post 2 and IDA were inside along with the Security Office, Arms Room and Bunk Room. It is were we lived, ate, slept, learned and hung-out when we weren't in a tower. When we weren't sleeping, we were usually cutting grass, painting something (the Army's answer when something was dirty) or filling sandbags...my God, we filled a lot of sandbags!

The building in the background of the third picture is the Maintenance Bldg along with Tango 6. You can see Alpha Barn as well. The other pictures are of Bravo and Charlie Barns.

One of these days, I will copy the other pictures I have. I think that they are even better than that of those that are posted. I even have one of myself and 3 other buddies sitting on one while it's resting on the pad.

Good talking to you!

Mike