25 September 2017
Ellsworth AFB Famcamp
The COLD WAR- to all my Brothers-in-Arms, you know what I’m talking about……Might IS Deterrence or Annihilation.
The museum was very interesting (says me, not my wife), as it had the whole NUKE history all the way to the SALT2 Treaty to decommission the amount of nukes that US and our enemy had…. Those were the days, when we knew who the enemy was…..
I’m going to start with some “history” I found on the web :
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site was created in 1999 to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development. The facilities represent the only remaining intact components of a nuclear missile field that once consisted of 150 Minuteman II missiles, 15 launch-control centers, and covered over 13,500 square miles of southwestern South Dakota.
The launch facility Delta Nine (D-09) was constructed in 1963. The launch tube’s 90-ton cover has been rolled partly away and welded to the rails it rides on. The launch tube was then covered with a glass viewing enclosure. Part of Reagan’s “Trust but Verify” allowed the glass enclosure so the Soviets could “see” the missile.
The only way to get to the underground part of the site is by a ladder 30 feet long, tours are not conducted underground for safety reasons. Visitors can conduct self-guided tours of the site during the day by calling a number on their cell phones but we got lucky in that a Park Ranger was there and he provided an excellent narrative of the Minuteman.
The (decommissioned) launch control facility, known as Delta One (D-01), is about 10.5 miles away which was closed to visitors due to upgrading the fire suppression system. There was (is) one Launch Control Facility for every 10 missile sites. That way, one lucky enemy missile strike can not wipe out all our assets.
To the right of the glass enclosure is a cone shaped item protruding out of the ground. It is a low frequency antenna used to transmit to “Looking Glass” to provide command and control in the event a silo or launch facility was compromised.
The code name “Looking Glass” came from the aircraft’s ability to “mirror” the command and control functions of the underground command post at Strategic Air Command headquarters.
Looking Glass aircraft were airborne 24 hours a day for over 29 years, until 1990, when “The Glass” ceased continuous airborne alert, but remained on ground or airborne alert 24 hours a day. Looking Glass can assume command of all U.S. nuclear-capable forces.
Very interesting piece of US Military history.
God Bless America and all our War Fighters, past, present , and future.