Everglades, Part 2.5: More Photos of the Nike Missile Base
May 06, 2017Our tour of the Nike Missile Base in the Everglades National Park was so cool that a single post doesn't do it justice. So here are a few (okay--quite a few) more pictures to give you a further taste of the place.
Yes, this place of potential nuclear destruction was painted pink throughout its time of service. I guess the paint was on sale.
Our guide assured us that use of deadly force is no longer authorized on tourists.
This map gives you an idea of the launch area layout. The pink control building is about a mile from the launch area.
The soldiers painted this and other outdoor art to while away what must have been some pretty boring hours at this isolated site. Some of it is still there:
This is what technology looked like back then. Some of the equipment used to test the missiles is still on site.
They missiles were stored above ground in buildings like this because the water table in the Everglades is so high.
To launch a missile, the soldiers would have to wheel it out by hand, a process they practiced over and over.
Once the missile was in position, the guys were to take cover in this bunker while another soldier, in the pink building pictured above, hit the launch button.
Fortunately, they never had to launch a missile, but the missiles stayed on duty until 1979.
2 comments
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your blog! Keep up the good work. We met at Cedar Key RV Resort. Carol and Garry - we bought our Airstream at Colonial.
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