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Locations of Former NIKE MISSILE SITES (text)

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Ohio

For locations and views, fly in using Google Earth thanks to NikeSiteSearchers
Cincinnati-Dayton
CD-27DC Wilmington
CD-27 Wilmington
CD-46 Felicity
CD-78 Oxford
Cleveland
CL-02 Bratenahl
CL-11 Painsville
CL-13 Willowick, Lake Co.
CL-34DC Warrensville/
CL-34 Warrensville/ Highland Hills
CL-48 Garfield Heights
CL-59 Parma/ Midpark Station
CL-67 Lakefront Airport
CL-69 Lordstown Military Res/Fairview Park

A Web Site covering the Cleveland area
Designation General Location Detailed Location (Current Status)
CD-27DC 88th Arty Gp Wilmington 4 SE, SR 730 and Osborne ((I)Nike Center Town & Country School/Orion Industries)
CD-27 Wilmington C - 4 SE, SR 730 and Osborne ((I)Nike Center Town & Country School/Orion Industries)
[(Moats, R) (May 2013) Site 27 IFC was turned over Clinton County Board of Education. ]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 39-24-31, 83-53-43, Topozone (Combined view) ]
[(Jordan, J) (November 2002) .. now a Clinton County school for handicap kids ]

L - 4 SE, Osborne Rd ((I) private owner)
[(Ingram, D) (May 2017) It is privately owned but the gate was unlocked and open so we drove right in. The trees and brush that had grown up where the elevators were located had been cleared and a work crew was pumping out the underground (garages?). They stated that there might be an effort to open another Nike museum if they could get an elevator working. They may have been pulling our leg, but all three elevators are now covered to keep out water and it is located in an excellent place for an attraction like that. ]
[(Moats, R) (May 2013) The Launch area was sold to some local person and is just rusting away on its own. ]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 39-24-02, 83-52-55, ]

CD-46 Felicity C - 3 W Felicity, S of OH 156 (OHArNG: Company C, 216th Engineer Bn)
[(Murdock, S) GPS 38-51-07, 84-09-20, ]

L - 3.5 W Felicity, S of OH 156 (Industrial park)
[(Murdock, S) GPS 38-50-38, 84-08-35 ]
[(Riggs, D) (Sept 2011) I am a 20 year USMC veteran, and am dating a girl that lives on the old Felicity Ohio Nike missle base. The other night she took me on a tour of the bunkers and all around there, just thought I'd pass the info back to you and whoever that was stationed there. All 3 missle launch sites are being used, 2 for storage, and 1 for a giant worm farm. I kid you the hell not! Apparently some guy pumped all the water out, got the pumps working again, got the lights working again, and pressure washed the whole thing, hauled down about 5 tons of compost and a whole ####load of worms and started his buisness. Didnt last but a year, but all the dirt is still down there. Everything looks good, he got all the tunnels and little side rooms done and you can still read the painted on exit signs above the doors. Elevator is at the top, and all buildings topside are gone. Give me a shout if you want pictures or whatever.]

CD-78 Oxford [(Page, T) Office of Federal Facilities Oversight
C - 3 NW Oxford, Todd Rd N of US 27 (USAR Center)
[{Jordan, J} (March 23, 2003) I was by there on 3-23-03 to take a look for the first time it was great. I had a big surprise. There were some transport trucks, tankers, a 6 m1a abrams sitting there looking ready to go. I couldnt get too close I didnt want to get detained. Out of all the ones I have seen in the Cincinnati area this one looks like it could be used at any time. I wonder why those tanks were sitting there? ]
[{Piland, D} "... closed gate about 30 yards from the road. It looks like all they would have to do is move the systems back and it would be ready to go. All the way to the lightning rods on each of the radar towers." ]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 39-33-02, 84-46-21, ]

L - 4 NW Oxford, Taylor Rd N of US 27
[{Piland, D} " ... not nearly as well maintained as the IFC area. All the buildings seem to be intact but with some broken windows, etc. It belongs to Miami University of Ohio. ... they use it for storage and have a Television/Radio tower on it."
{ update Feb 2022 - links - https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2022/02/oxfords-cold-war-history, https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2VPB_CD_78_Oxford_OH, https://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/626596/optimization-study-aims-to-expedite-nike-cd-78/ and https://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/626596/optimization-study-aims-to-expedite-nike-cd-78/ } ]
[{Morgan, M} - Feb 2022 - Second round of construction, Hercules only. BUT, I expect it's possible the contractor(s) built the site to the "standard" Nike design.
[{Binder, Michael} - Feb 2022 - Despite being built in the Hercules era, all of those later defenses (CD, DFW, KC, SL, etc.) were built with universal launchers able to accommodate both Ajax and Hercules missiles, and had the liquid component fueling areas in case there was a shortage of new Herc missiles and they needed to supply Ajax to fill out the available sections. I have a photo from a KC site (I believe) that shows both Ajax and Herc missiles, in different sections.
[(Murdock, S) GPS 39-33-30, 84-47-32, ]

CL-02 Bratenahl web page
C - 8925 Lakeshore ((O) state waterfront park)

L - 555 E 88th St. ((O)US Navy Finance Center)
[{Wilson, D} (July 2003) To: Gale Maxey, The administrative offices of CL02 were in the Launcher Area which was 8925 Lakeshore Blvd, Bratenahl.

The IFC area was also on the north side (lake side) of the 4 lane which I believe now is an Interstate Highway. I lived in the IFC BOQ and worked in the Battery HQ in the launcher area. I did not get into the pit area much but I believe all three batteries were side by side. The line of sight was over the southern edge of Lake Erie as both the IFC and Launcher areas were north of the main highway. Hope this helps. Would be glad to try to answer any more questions. Doug Wilson ----- ]
CL-11 Painsville web page

C - 505 Blackhawk (Lubizoil Corporation; storage yard)
" The property was bought by Lubrizol and they still own it to this day. I am just curious because my great grandfather actually owned all of that property in the 1930 - 1950"s. It as a fully functional farm back then. From the stories I remember hearing growing up was that my great grandpa ended up selling property to the state when they put the freeway in. When my grandparents were married they moved back to the farm and put a house up on the property. They raised my mother and uncle there until 1976 when Lubrizol finally offered the right price for them to move. Its just kind of scary/funny that my mother and uncle were probably out playing in the field, with a Nike site literally 200 feet away. I was born in 1982, so I dont remember anything about the Cold War and unfortunately, they really never covered much of it in History class in school.
FYI.... The only visible remnant of the Nike site is in fact the generator building. It looks kind of awkward sitting there by itself with the trees all growing around it. Every time it gets dark outside and your driving past on Route 2, you see the light on outside of the building. "
- Matt Orris - October 26, 2016
[(Murdock, S) GPS 41-43-20, 81-16-28, ]

L - (County Engineer's office)
[(Murdock, S) GPS 41-43-38, 81-17-11, ]

CL-13 Willowick,
Lake Co.
web page, local history spotted by Thomas Page
C - 30100 Arnold Rd ((P)Robert Maury Park)
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) The original fence is still in place and the [city] park fills the whole area of what was the IFC. The only building left is a small pump house.]

L - 33525 Curtis Rd ((P) Willoughby-Eastlake School District; School bus terminal and storage area, J F Kennedy Senior Center
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) The magazines have a one foot thick cap of concrete on them. All air vents, stairwells, hatches, etc. have been removed and the area paved over for parking. There are about 4 Nike era buildings left. CL-13 had the barracks and admin area located with the launch area. One barracks is left and is now a senior citizen center. The original basketball court is still in place.]

CL-34DC Warrensville/ web page
CL-34 Warrensville/
Highland Hills
web page
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) Warrensville had a name change and is now Highland Hills.]

C - S of OH 87 ((P) USAR Center, 319th Qm Bn, 444th Qm Co.)
[(Morgan, M) see Bill Stark's CAMP article on the Cleveland Defense Area from September 1986 - Located on Richmond Road between Harvard Road and Chagrin Boulevard to the north of the launch site on the west side of Richmond Road near the Beachwood Line - buildings and radar tower are falling into ruin (1982). - I think the lat/long for the site: Lat/Long: 412722/0813003 ]

L - 3978 Richmond Rd ((O) abandoned )
[(Morgan, M) see Bill Stark's CAMP article on the Cleveland Defense Area from September 1986 - Located at Richmond and Harvard Roads, Warrensville Township - buildings are falling to ruin (1982)

CL-48 Garfield Heights web page
C - 5640 Briarcliff (Garfield Heights Board of Education)
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) The IFC is complete, though I didn't see a basketball court. This site had the barracks and admin area in the IFC. It's used by the school district for their offices. It's in very nice shape with the original flag pole still in use. The school district business manager was very friendly and showed me the 1955 dated "as builts" plans for the site that the Army gave them when they were given the site.]

L - 733 Stone Rd
[(Giera, Allen) (Nov, 2011) I work for the city of independence in Ohio. The Nike site CL-48 is owned by the Independence school board not Garfield hts. The only reason I'm commenting is because the past couple of days I've been looking for pictures of the site while it was operating. ... I put in a sewer line there a few years ago and when digging came across the buried power box it was huge with about 30 conduits coming out of it. I wish I would have taken pictures. Oh well just thought that I'd comment on the location of the site and wish I could find some history or pics of it from when it was functioning. ... Then there's a building that was the barracks but now is the school boards office. The launch area alone is still in pretty good shape. The custodians are very nice there. They've let people that were researching the old Nike sites look all around the area. ]
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) I was told that it had been paved over for school bus parking. ]

CL-59 Parma/
Midpark Station
web page
C - 7300 York (Nathan Hale Park)
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) ... the only signs of the IFC was a park sign that pointed the way to "Nike Site Building" which was a heavily modified Nike era building being used for maintenance.]

L - Pleasant Valley Rd (Cuyahoga Community College, Western Campus)
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) No signs of the launch area exist.]

CL-67 Lakefront
Airport
web page
C - 4200 S Marginal ((P)City of Cleveland; J L Stamps District Service Center)
[(Piland, D) (June, 2010) Lat 41.5210, Long -81.6660
[(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) I could not find the IFC. The address listed is a city plant of some type.]

L - Airport ((O) Cleveland Lakefront Airport; runway)
[Ed Henry (April 22, 2020) reports "what is now the finance center was the launcher area"]
[(Piland, D) (June, 2010) Lat 41.5179, Long -81.6840
[(Morgan, M) (May, 2007) Tomx2: Concur with the location of CL-67L under what is now Rwy 6L. Back in Oct 92 William Stark - who wrote THE article on Cleveland Defense Area which appeared in the CAMP Journal some years back - gave me a tour of the remnants of CL-02, CL-13, CL-34/CL-34DC, CL-67 and CL-69. Here are my notes from CL-67:

CL-67 Lakefront – This was one of the city’s Ajax-only sites; the launcher was located on airport property and was eventually razed and partially paved over. The control site is located at 4200 Marginal, on the land side of the road. 67C is the City of Cleveland Joseph L. Stamps District Service Center; it’s been heavily modified and there are no plats remaining.
CL-67 went operational in 1956 under C/351st, became C/1/68th in Sept 58 and was transferred to the OHArNG’s B/1/137th in Jan 61. The site inactivated in 1963.
I just called up the aerial image on MapQuest, there are still buildings there and I undoubtedly have slides of the IFC remains upstairs. MK

[(Bateman, T) (May, 2007) I have not found anything that would indicate precisely where CL-67 IFC is (FUDS GIS website does not show an entry for the site and I was not involved in your previous discussions) but I was provided with two photos that show CL-67L under construction on the site of what is now Runway 6L at Burke Lakefront Airport. They can be found at http://nikehercules.tripod.com/cl-67.html.
[(Page, T) (July, 2003) (After many e-mails between 5 or 6 people trying to locate/identify launcher area of CL-02.) It appears that CL-02 is now correct. However, CL-67 apparently is not. It appears that your CL-67L text is actually describing CL-02L!
referring to the June, 2000 from Tom Vaughn below -
And, that exactly describes the CL-02L site that Gale Maxey just nailed down. Mark Morgan's description of CL-67L is that it indeed was at the airport. However, I do not think that one has actually been verified ... or, has it, Mark? Thanks ]

(Adventure ;-) [(Vaughn, T) (June, 2000) The launch area is not on or in the airport nor now a runway. It is on the north side of I-90, east of the airport. Use the Martin Luther King exit to get to it.

... I was on the interstate and saw what looked like Nike buildings in a park. What I found was the barracks and admin area. It wasn't a park. They were behind a fence in a high security type setup. At first I thought it was a prison. There was a state ranger station next door and I asked them where the missile magazines where. They said they were inside the secure area and I'd have to go to the gate to get access.

I did that and pressed the button to talk to someone and they said no one was admitted in the evening and I'd have to talk to (X) for permission to see the magazines. I knew I was near them because right inside the gate was an assembly building. The next morning I went to the gate and said I was there to see (X) and take pictures. They let me in and (X) meet me and said I'd have to get permission of the commanding officer to take pictures.

Well, I already seen what I had come to see. The 3 magazines were still in place in the parking lot. They had fences around them. I wasn't able to get pictures because the (X) met me as I entered. (X) took me to the CO's office but he wasn't in. His secretary had a fit that I was let in. Wanted to know how I got in, who let me in etc. Told me I had to leave immediately and write for permission. I left her office but (X) who brought me there was gone so I returned to the parking lot by myself. I then got all the pictures of the magazines and buildings I wanted. Still don't know what that place really was. The offices were in a large bunker type building with no signs on it. The CO was a full bird Col. As I walked through that building I saw signs that said something about Army Material Command. ]

CL-69 Lordstown Military Res/Fairview Park web page

A fun question from David
    "Any idea why CL-69 was labeled "Lordstown Military Reservation"? Lordstown OH is 55 miles away!"
then David got a reply from
HERMAN ....
   " I was there almost from the first day we began the sites. It all began at Lordstown, where we activated the battalions in some old warehouses. As the sites in and around Cleveland were completed the batteries moved up and into the locations. One of the first opened was Cl 69 at Rocky River, the one at Parma and those along the lakefront also were opened about the same time."
And a response from Mark Morgan
   "Concur, the town of Lordstown's over by Youngstown, as was the Lordstown Ordnance Depot and GM's Lordstown Plant. However, ARAACOM/ARADCOM station and personnel lists from the 1950s-1960s ID CL-69 as "Lordstown Military Reservation." Go figure...MK"

C - Westwood Ave ((O)park and housing)
[(Santagata, G) (Feb, 2008) The IFC area is a ball field, however I didn't not go to it yet to take a good look around.]

L - 21700 Westwood Ave ((O) Tri-City Park)
[(Herron, Marty) (Apr, 2017) There still is a ventilation shaft still standing on Westwood drive in Fairview close to W217th. It is a green structure standing about 8ft tall. I remember going down in the tunnels after the base was abandoned in the 70's. Most of the office furniture was just left behind. I'm sure those underground structures are still there, but no way to access them any longer. Besides Tri-City park, the rest of the base is now an upscale housing development. ]
[(Santagata, G) (Feb, 2008) I found a place called Tri C park. It is the launcher area. I didn't have my camera or even my phone with me but I did get her to pull in and look around. I was surprised to find some of the blast berms still there. Also a good bit of the original fence. The magazines are paved over and are now tennis courts. They are about 5 feet higher than the parking area. As soon as it stops snowing, it does that a lot here in the Cleveland area, I will get some updated pictures for you. ]

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Okinawa
The struggle to specify the position of Korean (and Okinawan) Nike sites was long and confused - what I have listed is at best a compromise that seemed to satisfy most people.
I am willing to list objections which might help clarify people's memories :-))
Designation General Location Detailed Location (Current Status) [See location maps and comments below]
30th Artillery Brigade (AD) Sukran
Sukiran
[(Hintz, L) (Aug. 2003) South of Kadena, down Highway 1 ]
[(Pettinari, John) (May 2010) ]
?2/61?
- - Alpha
Site # 1 [(Sinclair, A) (May 2002) Sites 1-4 were on the north end of the island. Sites 9-16 were Hawk sites. I was a Western Electric Tech Rep supporting the 1/65 from August 1966 to October 1968. All of the sites at that time were Improved Nike Hercules.]
- - Bravo Site # 2, ?@ Tokeshi? ?Ishikawa Daki, ? [(Bailey, P) (April 2008) Google Earth has recently updated parts of Okinawa
The site 2 IFC area ruins are now clearly visible on the top of Ishikawa Dake The buildings are still standing.
26 degrees 27' 09.60" N, 127degrees 50' 11.05" E
The launching area which is to the N/E appears to have been developed for other use.
[(Bailey, P) (October 2007) Okinawa Site 2 Was on the mountain top just above Ishikawa. Also known as Ishikawa Daki. I believe "Daki" means mountain. It was one of two HIPAR sites the other was Site 6
- - Charlie Site # 3, [(Pendell, Bob) (November 2007) Site 3 charlie battery was next to Isikawa above Moon bay. Hope this will bring that up to date.
- - Delta Site , 4
White Beach
[Martin, Roy (Aug 2018) I was there in 1969. The site is clearly identifiable via Google Earth at coordinates:
26 18’ 31” N      127 53’ 58” E
The launch pad (and the entire site for that matter) has obviously been repurposed, but then it’s been nearly 50 years!
1st Bn, 65th Aty
- - Alpha
Site # 5? [(Sinclair, A) (May 2002) Site 5 was on MCAF, the Marine Corp Air Facility in Futema. ]
- - Bravo site #6 [(Rusher, J) (Nov 2012) Actual location on map is near Kudeken as far south and east as you can get high on cliff with the Pacific on one side and Nakagusuku Bay on the other.] [(Pettinari, John) (May 2010) Battery B -B/8/3 We were located close to Chinen in the south,high on a hill overlooking the sea.]
[(Sinclair, A) (May 2002) Site 6 was in Chinen, right next to the Hawk battery. They did have a HIPAR radar. The HIPAR was built by GE and was a high power acquistion radar. The standard acquistion radar with Hercules and Improved Hercules was call the LOPAR, or Low Power Acquistion Radar. It was built by Western Electric ]
see note by Stanley Yamada
see First grade childhood experience by Christopher Hoke
- - Charlie site #7 [(Sinclair, A) (May 2002) Site 7 was at Yozadaki but I don't remember a HIPAR radar at that site. It was the headquarters for the 1st Missile, 65th Art then [1966-1968]. ]
- - Delta
accident
site #8 - protected Naha Air Force Base [(Brown, S) (Mar 2011) The fire control area was located on the West side of the Naha flight line along with the mess hall , barracks and the Battery Commander. The launcher area was tucked between the East side of the flight line and the South China Sea, barracks, missiles, assembly and tech buildings and the 4 k9 kennels. Those of us on the launcher side commuted to the mess hall via deuce and a half, three times a day. ]
[(Sinclair, A) (May 2002) Site 8 was on Naha Air Force base and shared a AAR (Auxillary Acquistion Radar, actually built by Raytheon) with the ADCAP that was there also. ]

From Tom Madracki, September 2005
Nice Nike site! I was Hawk, but at least on Okinawa, they were related. Some of the Okinawa maps are either completely wrong or incomplete. I was at Hawk site 9, next to Nike site 1. Here's my map. [Actually his web site :-)) ]

From Roger Mills, August 2005
I served on site 2 a, the fire control area. It is shown as site 1. Site 1 was also HQ and was located at Yomatan. Site 2 was located where site one is shown. I was there from 1967 to 1970.
This is Ed Thelen - Sorry - I am too frazzled to change the map - There has been so much controversy over the years that I'm leaving it alone.

From John Purves
"There are at least five former Nike-Hawk sites located south of Naha City on pieces of land long since returned to Okinawa. North of Naha, there are a good few more. By far the largest number of missile sites were purpose-built facilities located outside of the larger Army and Marine facilities (most of which still exist)."

Map of past sites on Okinawa
Map base from Microsoft Encarta Virtual Globe 1998, Nike site locations from Japanese book published by the TAIHEI SHUPPANSHA (literally "Peace Publishing Co".) in July of 1968. It was edited by NAKANO Yoshio and entitled "Okinawa Mondai o Kangaeru" (Lit: "Considering the Okinawa Problem"). Map from book forwarded by From John Purves

Correction offered by Doyle Piland
By the way, if you were talking to an American who served with Nike in Okinawa with Nike, the site numbers listed on the above web site map would be different. Site 6 was where they show site 7, site 7 was where they show site 8, and site 8 was where they show site 6.

Comments by Doyle Piland
The radar areas would have something different that any other Nike radar sites in the world. The radars were mounted on towers or platforms like many others but had "clam-shell" type covers which could be raised during typhoons to protect them. For this reason, the towers/platforms were pretty sturdy. You can find pictures of radar areas at http://www.nikeordnance.com/ and at several of the sites linked at the bottom of that page.

Bolo Point was near Site-1, which was "A" Battery of the ??/61st ADA. There were two launchers moved to Bolo Point (from maintenance spares or floats I think) and set up for the Nike Annual Service Practice (ASP). Bolo Point was what seems like 1.5 to 2 miles west/southwest of the Alpha Battery launcher area. The units doing their ASP used the Alpha Assembly & Test building for their buildup. The IFC crew used the Alpha IFC for check out and the actual firing. Bolo Point was at the very western tip of the Yomatan Peninsula near the center of Okinawa. I was on Okinawa for four years and I think I saw all 32 that were fired during those 4 years.

ROGER C HUBER reports that these had underground magazines (similar the those in the U.S.).

Thomas H. Brown offered
I was right in the middle of things as Security (S2),Operations (S3), and Supply (S4) officer for the 8th Bn., 3rd Arty. As an explanation of why a Warrant Officer would have such duties, there were only four officers assigned to battalion; The commander (LTC), the executive officer (MAJ), personnel officer (S1) (CAPT) and everything else on a W4. Brigade was responsible for all inspections and evaluations. My duty was to keep the Commander out of trouble. It truly was a rewarding experience.

The enclosed article appeared on the Coral Courier, the weekly paper published by the U.S. Army Base Command, Okinawa. It was published in Vol.2, No. 22 dated June 1, 1973.

30th ADA Brigade relinquishes Role to Japanese SDF

The 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, located on Okinawa will cease operations and be placed on inactive status this month. The brigade, which presently is composed of two battalions, the 8th Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery (Hawk) and the 8th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery (Nike Hercules); the Headquarters Battery and the 44th Ordinance Company (Guided Missile) (General Support), is being phased out as a result of the reversion of the Ryukyu Islands from United States control to the control of the Japanese Government which took place last year.

... unit histories ...

In 1959 the Army’s 97th Group converted to the highly capable Nike-Hercules air defense missiles and on June 24, 1960 was redesignated the 30th Artillery Brigade (Air Defense).

...

In 1961 the 30th Brigade was brought to four-battalion strength with the arrival of battalions of the 1st and 3rd Artilleries armed with the deadly Hawk air defense missile to provide protection against low altitude aircraft. On June 6, 1961 the 30th Artillery Brigade (AD) became the first Allied unit to fire a Nike-Hercules missile outside CONUS.

... On November 21, 1969, in a joint communiqué, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato announced that the Government of Japan and the Government of the United States of America should enter immediately into negotiations for the reversion of the Ryukyu Islands to Japan. After extensive planning, the reversion of the Ryukyu Islands took place on March 15, 1972, terminating over 25 years of United States administration.
Calton Bolick writes that the newspaper is incorrect about the "March 15, 1972, terminating over 25 years of United States administration." date above ... "the actual date was May 15, 1972, which I remember very well as I was there at the time."

Included in the reversion agreements was an arrangement that Japan would assume the responsibility for the air, ground and maritime defense of the Islands not later than July 1, 1973. The Government of Japan agreed to deploy A Nike group (3 batteries), a Hawk group (4 batteries) and appropriate supporting troops to Okinawa to carry on the surface-to-air missile role in the Air Defense Mission. Additionally the Government of Japan agreed to buy the U.S. equipment presently located on site.

A Surface-to-Air Missile Transfer Plan was jointly prepared by U.S. Army, Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) and Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) planners. The Nike missile systems were transferred to the JASDF and the Hawk missile system to the JGSDF.

In accordance with the Transfer Plan, on-site orientation and familiarization took place on Nike sites, with 30th ADA Brigade and JASDF advance party personnel working and living together on site. Brigade personnel manned the sites until transfer was complete.

When all facets of the transfer are complete, one of the significant phases of Okinawa Reversion will be finalized. The Brigade is proud to have been a part of such an historic event.

By the end of this month, the 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade will officially cease to exist as an active unit. ...

From Mike Murray
Site 7 was located on the very south tip of Okinawa. The area was called Yozadaki and it was a mountain area. Site 7 was the headquarters location of the 65th Arty which was part of the 30th Arty Brigade. The IFC area had a large HYPAR system and we had a swimming pool, tennis courts, baseball field with night lights and cement blocks dugouts. Several generator buildings, 3-van building, EM club, BOQ, Mess Hall, Barracks, Admin buildings and a Underground Communication Center. The Launching area was on the road that led to Suicide Cliffs Monument. The address of site 7 was
Battery C, 65th Battalion, 30th Artillery.

Also there was Hawk missile site next to us and it was known as site 14. It two was part of the 30th Arty Brigade. If I remember site 6 was located at Naha Air Base which was a couple miles south of Naha. I remember site 1 was located North about 20 miles of Naha.

I was at site 7 from Jul 67-Jan 69 and was a computer and acquisition radar crewman in the IFC area. I went to school at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, Texas as a Missile Launcher crewman.

Every year I go to site SF-88 located in the Marine Headlands on the North side of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. This site is a State Park and we have a reunion of all Army personal that worked a served on Nike Missile Bases. Just a note the Acquisition Radar was located on a 2-3 story concrete platform but never had a steel clamshell but a inflatable canvas cover which often ripped during typhoon winds. All of the other radars used in the IFC did have steel clamshells.

note by Stanley Yamada Sept 2008, see site #6 (above)
I lived on Camp Chinen, Okinawa from 1951-1970.

I remember both the Nike Hurcules and the Hawk site that was adjacent to our base. When I left the base through the main gate, I would proceed up a short hill to our fire station (for some reason it was located off post). A right at the fire station intersection would lead to a road that went around the base perimeter. It also went past the entrance for both missile sites (they were less than a mile from Camp Chinen).

As Camp Chinen was a C.I.A. support base, I always believed that the missile sites were there in part for our protection.

Stanley Yamada


In a follow-up e-mail, Stanley wrote: Sept 20, 2008

However you can view a few pictures of Camp Chinen along with the radar dome of the Nike Hercules site being visible in the background of the third and fifth pictures. The pictures are at the following site:

OkinawaBrats.com

You'll need to scroll down towards the bottom of the page as the pictures are the last post. While you're there you may find it interesting to dig around the site as the posts are mostly from people that were stationed on Okinawa at one time or a! nother.

First grade childhood experience - by Christopher Hoke
My father was stationed in Okinawa in 1960 and 1961. He was a fire control maintenance technician for B battery. I went to first grade on the army base there. I think it was camp Kui? Please excuse the spelling.

I was able to visit him at the site once. The site was placed on top of a high cliff. A very pretty location. Once they did a test fire on one of the beaches. I can remember the missile sitting on the launcher on the beach.

It just didn’t look right. Anyway it was a hot nasty rainy day. I was sitting with my dad in the rain some distance from the beach. There were others there. After what seemed like an hour the Herc fired. I never thought it would make so much noise or be gone so fast. Since the weather was so nasty it disappeared into the clouds almost as soon as it left the launcher. I heard the boom when it hit the target but that was it.

After 1961 my dad was sent back to Fort Bliss to train troops where he stayed until he retired in 1965.

I am glad you had this on the web. It did bring back a lot of memories.

"Japanese to Guard Okinawa" from Washington Post, found by Donald E. Bender

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Updated Feb, 2022