6/24/2023 0 Comments Abandoned missile silo locationsReinforced concrete 3 to 4 feet thick protects the sites from impact. The silos are 160 feet in depth, built in groups of three, and supported by propellant and equipment terminals, a powerhouse, control center, and antenna terminals. The sites themselves are engineering marvels, buried deep in the dry Idaho dirt and designed to withstand earthquakes and nuclear missile impacts. These and some of the other sites around the country are privately owned, with the occupants living above ground or in the refurbished command centers. The missiles, most of the equipment, classified information, wiring, and salvageable metals were removed from the sites. All Titan I squadrons were deactivated in June 1965. As a result, the 569th Strategic Missile Squadrons sites in Idaho closed down and the personnel moved to join two Titan squadrons at Lowry AFB, Colorado. In May of 1964, Defense Secretary McNamara directed the accelerated phase-out of the Titan I weapons, replacing them with the more efficient Titan II. Peace through Deterrence was the goal, with the mutual understanding that instant retaliation would occur should either side strike first.Įach of the three sites in Idaho had a short-lived existence. These sites were not a secret back then, even to the Russians. Despite these problems, construction ended before the deadline of 1 April 1962. Three workers died in accidents and several labor strikes delayed the work. Water wells used in the construction varied in depth from 950 to 3,030 feet and the water required special filtration. The initial construction cost was $28.9 million, but the budget swelled dramatically to over $51 million due to labor shortages, material shipping costs, extreme weather, and extensive design modifications. In 1960, construction began on three Titan I missile complexes at Bruneau, Oreana, and a third site near Boise. and the USSR, the base gained a new mission. Remnants of the United States’ preparation for attack remain their shadows are a grim reminder of how close the world came to annihilation.Īt the height of the Cold War, Mountain Home AFB served as an alert base for the Strategic Air Command. The Cold War lasted 44 years from 1947 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was a time of uneasiness and paranoia, of backyard bomb shelters and computer war games. “MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho - Peace Through Deterrence: the Titan ICBM Programįor most of us, the Cold War is one of those eras which is remembered in history books and old relics. The following article was written by the Gunfighter Heritage Committee. 240, Philip, SD 57567 or call: 60 or contact by email at are offered daily throughout the year and begin at the park’s project office located off Interstate 90 exit 131.Titan I 569-A Missile Silo Mountain Home AFB Idaho Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, 21280 SD Hwy. These sites, along with the new Minuteman Missile Visitor Center, contain exhibits that help visitors understand the story of one of the most important eras in both American and World History. Visit the National Park Service site for more information about planning your trip, hours of operation, and reservations for a guided tour of the Launch Control Facility Delta-01. The park service has several options for visitors that range from 30 minutes to a day, to accommodate every schedule. Visitors can easily spend a half day exploring these historic sites. There are three sites to the Minuteman Missile park – the Visitor Center, Launch Control Facility Delta-01, and Delta-09 Missile Silo - which span a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 90. All told, there were 15 launch control facilities and 150 missile silos at the ready during this time. This site protects two facilities that spanned western South Dakota from 1963 to the early 1990s and the end of the Cold War. Located just minutes east of Wall Drug is the National Park Service’ Minuteman Missile National Historic site, which tells the story of Minuteman Missiles, nuclear avoidance and the Cold War. Minuteman Missile National Historic Museum
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