Larrys' Nike Page

Welcome! After typing "Nike Hercules" into my browser search, I was suprised to find so many hits.  My days on Herc sites were interesting and enjoyable, so I thought I should put  a page together and share my experience and the few photos I took. My Army Career. Nov 1965 to Aug 66 Stationed at C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 51st Artillery, in San Rafael, California. (SF-93)? I went to "radar training" AIT at the Presideo and became Acquisition operator in the IFC.    I also went to projectionist school and showed 16 mm movies in our Base theatre.  Ha-Ha, it was the pool room in the IFC barracks.  I was amazed to see one of our sister sites. SF-88, is now being restored to a national park and tourist attraction.  I would love to go there and  hear that 400 cycle hum and work on the equipment.  I really appreciate all that time, money, and effort those people have put into this. Sep 66 to Oct 68 I don't like to remember this.  I was in Ansbach, Germany shooting 175mm guns. Nov 68 to Aug 69 Went to the US Army Air Defense School at Ft. Bliss Texas.  Improved Nike Hercules Fire Control System Maintenance class  2/69.  Because I was a Sgt E5, I was put in charge of one of the classes.  (See the photo listing of class 2/69).  Sep 69 to Jan 70 Transferred to Travis AFB, California.  They couldn't use a Buck Sargent radar technician, so they sent me back to Ft. Bliss.  I ended up in A Btry 1st Bn 333rd Arty.  This didn't look good cause this thing had wheels.  We were set up on Biggs Field.  See Related Story from Kenneth Johnson We shut down 1st 333rd, and were attached to the 2nd 52nd.  We moved out to McGregor Range.  I was in A Battery.  We got our equipment from what looked like a Nike junkyard.  After much cleaning and parts replacing, we got it running and fired a missle from it.  After that, other batteries from all over used it for firing. Jul 70 to Jul 71 After 5 years of military service, I finally got where I wanted to be;  C Btry 2nd Bn 52nd Arty in Hialeah Florida.  Great weather, no wheels, and by now I was a Spec 6, Acquisition radar mechanic.  The site was located in Jackie Gleasons' back yard, (he also had an airstrip and a golf course there), and we could climb the antennas and watch the Rat Pack playing golf.  I have looked and looked on Terra-Server, but I can't find it..Please help.  Because Herc seemed to be on the way out and there wasn't any replacement for it I got out.