Installing Nike Hercules Missiles in Alaska

Bill Momsen

All images and text copyright © by the author, 2004 - 2007. See page 3 for permission to use.

The first generation Nike was designated Ajax, and carried only conventional explosive warheads. It was superseded by Nike Hercules (9K), a rather bloated version of Ajax, which could carry either conventional or atomic weapons, with four Ajax boosters strapped together for initial lift-off. Other differences from Ajax included using a solid fuel second stage rocket motor, and solid state electronics. Ajax had a ceiling of 60,000 feet; Hercules, 100,000. Ajax achieved Mach 2.3, Hercules 3.6. Hercules had two Acquisition Radars, HIPAR (High Powered) and LOPAR (Low Powered).

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When communists bombarded the Quemoy/Matsu islands off mainland China in August 1958, the Ordnance detachment that was supposed to go to Alaska was sent over there with all their winter gear to install Nikes. The Bay Area was scoured for Nike specialists and in December 1958 we were assigned to 194th Ord. Det. and shipped off to Alaska on a Navy transport, with all our summer gear! We were berthed in the forward hold in tiers of hammocks. The head was located even farther forward. If one happened to be sitting on the toilet and the ship pitched, it would drop beneath you alarmingly.

From our port of debarkation, Seward, we traveled by train to Anchorage and Fort Richardson. I didn't think anything could get that cold, even though Anchorage was called "The Banana Belt" because it never got colder than 30° below zero! I did get used to it. One balmy spring day I was out washing my car in a tee shirt and wondered why the wet rag kept sticking to the metal. Yes, it was below freezing! After a brief introduction period we were issued cold weather gear and started our duties - setting up a Nike-Hercules launching site. The only site we installed was Site Summit, on Mount Gordon Lyon, a mile high in the Chugach Mountains. Anchorage was positively balmy compared to working on the mountain - lots of snow, severe cold (-45° F.), and shrieking winds (recorded as high as 161 mph). I was now assigned to USARAL (United States ARmy ALaska), which itself was part of ARADCOM (ARmy Air Defense COMmand). 

A Nike Battalion was composed of three Batteries. In our case A (Point, a double site), B (Summit) and C (Goose Bay), ringing Anchorage and serving to protect Elmendorf AFB (a SAC base), Fort Richardson and Anchorage. The missiles were armed with either conventional or atomic warheads. In CONUS (CONtinental United States) the missiles were stored in an underground bunker on "rails" and rolled by hand onto the elevator/launcher. Once on the surface, they were rolled onto the three fixed launchers. The remaining one stayed on the elevator launcher. In Alaska this was impossible due to the permafrost, so a concrete building on the surface housed the missiles, and they were rolled out to the launchers and raised into firing position. Each site was equipped with four launchers. 

Our first task was to install the necessary equipment in the launch area. Although I worked only on Site Summit, others from our outfit, the 194th Ordnance Detachment, installed equipment at the other two sites. Once this was done, our duties were maintenance - testing, troubleshooting and repair. The sites had to be operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Since we were quartered in Anchorage, this often meant traveling treacherous roads in blinding snowstorms at all hours of the day and night, while the troops stationed at the sites were snug in their barracks. Many times we worked all night to get the equipment online.

By now my wife and infant son had joined me and we were able to live off-post in an apartment.

 The first problem facing me in the morning was to find out which mound of snow was hiding my car. After shoveling off the snow, the next step was to unplug the heater (all parking lots had "hitching posts" to power heaters that kept the engines warm), then remove the air cleaner and spray ether into the carburetor in the hope that it would start. (Click to enlarge - 15K)

Hopefully arriving at Ft. Richardson intact, the next step was to check out a truck from the motor pool, and drive up to the site, no mean feat in a white-out. In a white-out blowing snow obscures vision; it is like looking at a white sheet. (22K)

As Ron Playle recalls, "Three vehicles in a small convoy were going up to work at Site Summit. Rackley in a ¾ ton was in the lead, I was following driving a 2-½ ton unheated truck with the guys in back. Momsen with Sgt Watts followed in a Jeep. (ed. note: Sgt. Watts stuck his head out the window for only a few minutes; when his head reappeared, his parka hood was packed solidly with snow!) After we got past the tree line, it got REALLY bad. We were on the stretch with a cliff on one side, and a drop-off on the other. I finally slowed down to a crawl, and sent the assistant driver outside to get in front of me and guide me. It didn't work. I couldn't even see him, and the snow was getting deeper. The wind was howling, making talking difficult. An abominable snowman appeared, and it was Rackley! His ¾ ton was only about 10 or 15 feet in front of me, and almost completely mounded over! Then the jeep came up behind. Everyone came to my truck as we figured out what to do. Luckily for us, one of the big snow rigs came to our rescue, and was able to get around us. It was the kind that dug the big tracks that looked like tunnels. He told me to follow him. I couldn't see unless I stuck my head out the driver's window, but I managed to follow him up to the launch building. The next day my eyes were sore from the wind blowing in my face!"

But once at the site, the view of Anchorage, Turnagain Arm and mountains was spectacular! (20K)

The next step was to dig out the equipment. (25K)

When we started, only the concrete buildings and slab faced us. After shoveling off the slab, the concrete had to be heated using gasoline powered heaters and tarpaulins, which had a nasty habit of catching fire. The Army was too cheap to give us diamond drills, so we had to set the lag bolts for the launchers and rails by drilling holes using star drills and sledgehammers. I was appointed "safety officer" (Enlisted Men could be temporary "Officers"). First I gave a lecture illustrating how to remove burrs from the drill. Next, out to the field for a demonstration. One man held the drill and I raised the sledgehammer high and brought it down with a mighty swing not on the drill, but his wrist .....(20K)

Here we are - the "crew" installing a launcher. Note the use of the broom (center) - one of our  primary tools. We went through many. In the background is a portion of the patrol road fenced between two electrified, alarmed fences, patrolled by guard dogs, quite useless in the spring, when flooding would have made it easy for a saboteur with a boat to simply row over it. (31K) 

"All work and no play ..." SP4 Playle sledding on part of a packing crate.

"Sno-Go" clearing the pad for us. (16K)

Snow plow? We don't need no stinkin' snow plow! (16K)