(and reunions)
No charge for posting most anything Nike, including Items, Wanted or for Sale
(send me e-mail to add/modify/delete)
Contents:
- Friends of Nike Site Summit meeting on Monday July 28 at 5:30 - posted July 23, 2008
- C/2/562,Fairbanks,Alaska, at Myrtle Beach, SC - Sept 14-21, 2008 - posted May 24,2008
- National Nike Veterans Reunion in Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 11-13, 2009 - posted May 1,2008
- Kit of the Herc by Revell has been reissued. - posted April 22, 2008
- PI-37 Reunion, August 2008 - posted April 20, 2008
- U.S.ArmyAlaska vs. Nike Summit Site - posted Feb 7, 2008
- Red Canyon Range Reunion September 18-21 2008 - posted December 2007
- Last Italian Nike fired, special (radio) HAM event - posted November 2007
- Bill Shaw wishes some Nike site closing pictures
- Maybe the world would be a better place if U.S.ArmyAlaska had no money at all!! - posted July 2007
- Somebody else is having fun ;-)) was "Moose Creek Reunion News" - posted June 2007
- U.S. Army Alaska has too much money - posted June 2007
- Update information on Nike Site Summit - posted May 2007
- Reunion Mike Site, Alaska - posted May 4, 2007
- Maybe a Tare (Alaska) reunion? - posted March 2007
- Free Art, Live Fire
- Nike on History Channel
- Dealing with the VA?
- Battery "B" 126th, unit patch & crest
- Sandy Hook (New Jersey) - Guided Tours
- "American Attorney Full Employment" techniques - Nike Shoe Company
- Cold War Certificate
- 6th/43rd Nebraska Historical Marker
- Nike [Launch] Safety Measures?
- Nike Training "Packages"
- Help for moving or saving your Nike web site
- Francis Gary Powers, Jr., Cold War Museum, Lorton, VA.
- death of Bud Halsey Jan 4, 2001
- Prints of a Nike Hercules site
- Lest we forget North Korea
Items, Wanted or for Sale - Picture, Nike Ajax Missile Launch Complex at WSMR - posted June 6, 2008
- Nike Herculas kits for about $15 +s.h - posted May 27, 2008
- DVDs of TV program of SF-88 for sale - posted March 2008
- Nike Launch site for sale in Muskego near Milwaukee, Wis - posted December 2007
- A novel, Epiphany about Nike defending against asteroids - posted November 2007
- Nike Launch site for sale Kansas City - posted November 2007
- Nike Launch site for sale Upper NY - posted August 2007
- sale Nike Models June 2007
- sale Nike Models e-bay April 2007
- sale Nike Pin, Patch
- a Soviet SA-2 for sale on e-bay :-))
- on-line Nike Shops
- wanted "Family with a future" decal or patch
- book of Regimental ADA Crests and Lineage/History of all of the ADA Battalions purchase on-line
- want Nike Ajax shoulder patch
- new book, An Antiaircraft Artilleryman 1939-1970>
- D-4-44 DVD
- Red Canyon Range Camp Caps
- ARADCOM shield
- release of Nike-CD ll
- collector of American Military Service beer steins from 1950 - 1970
- Second Edition of "Rings of Supersonic Steel"
- ARADCOM insignia in a beautiful 5/8 inch lapel pin
- ARADCOM decals
- The Malpais Missiles book
Friends of Nike Site Summit meeting on Monday July 28 at 5:30
| Please come to the next Friends of Nike Site Summit meeting on Monday July 28 at 5:30 at the offices of our affiliated group, the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation. They are located at 645 W. 3rd. Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 929-9870 in the 2 story building to the West of the Marx Bro. Cafe. It is a historic cottage overlooking Ship Creek. We will have news about getting a Nike Missile for the State Fair. Gordon Lund from the Nike Historical Society will be coming up, and we will have lots more information about that. You can also hear about the latest developments in the Nike Site Reunion. Hope to see you on Monday! Bob French |
C/2/562, Fairbanks,Alaska, at Myrtle Beach, SC - Sept 14-21, 2008 - posted May 24,2008
National Nike Veterans Reunion in Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 11-13, 2009 - posted May 1,2008
The topic has come up before at meetings with the Friends of Nike Site Summit, but our initial time frame was too short. This time we're going for it: a National Nike Veterans Reunion in Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 11-13, 2009. The summer rush will be over, fall colors should be at their prime, the weather will be cool but not cold, and most importantly, it will still be fishing season without the crowds!
We're planning to have the event held at the Sheraton Anchorage. They are giving us fantastic rates and perks if we get the numbers. I've asked for a block of 50 rooms, not knowing how many will want to come up. The price quoted is $99/night, plus tax, which will come out to under $120.
Activities will depend upon response, of course, but here are some of the possibilities:
At this point, I'm looking for the possible number of attendees. Please reply if you are interested in attending. We're almost a year and a half out, so there's plenty of time to save some pennies and plan for a great bash. Make sure your old Nike buddies get this message. The grapevine is strong and we don't want to miss anyone.
See you in '09!
Greg Durocher
Howdy Tom [Lundregan] -
Good questions. There are a lot of possible side trips to take, and I'll get a list of suggestions together at some point.
There are two glacier boat trips reasonably close to Anchorage: Airboat trip up the Kinik River to view Knik Glacier, and the Portage Glacier Tour. There are other glacier tours further along from either Whittier (into Prince William Sound) or Seward (into Kenai Fjords National Park). Air tours out of Palmer going up Kinik Valley are quite spectacular. Out of Talkeetna, 114 miles north of Anchorage, you can take some stunning trips around Denali (Mt. McKinley).
The Alaska RR has numerous trip combos (http://www.alaskarailroad.com/arrc8.html)
No mosquitoes at that time of year. They really slow down in late July. Right now the 'bombers' are out. In a few weeks we'll get the 'fighters', which are the ones I really hate, as they're smaller and faster.
Kit of the Herc by Revell has been reissued. - posted April 22, 2008
PI-37 Reunion, August 2008 - posted April 20, 2008
If you are a veteran of B-Battery, 1st AAA Msl Bn (Ajax), and/or B-Battery, 3rd Msl Bn, 1st Arty (Hercules), and have not been contacted by Don Wellman, please call him at 214-348-7698 or email him at dfwellman@sbcglobal.net, for reunion information.
U.S.ArmyAlaska vs. Nike Summit Site - posted Feb 7, 2008
I presume the U.S. Army in general is supposed to be supervising these - whatevers.
If you hear of anything sillier, please advise me at ed@ed-thelen.org
from Darrell Lewis, Feb 7, 2008, Historian, NPS, Anchorage, AK
- who I suppose is swept up into this whole fiasco :-((
U.S. Army Garrison Alaska (USAGAK) will begin consultation on the future of
Site Summit with the Friends of Nike Site Summit, the Nike Historical
Society, the Cold War Museum, the Alaska Association for Historic
Preservation, the National Park Service, the State of Alaska, the City of
Anchorage and others on Tuesday, March 11th at 10:00am. If you were not
contacted by the Army and are interested in participating in this
consultation I recommend you contact Meg Thornton, USAGAK Cultural Resource
Manager at meg.thornton@us.army.mil and inform her that you are intrusted [?interested?]
in participating in this consultation. The current plans call for
demolition of nearly half of the Site Summit Historic District. I will
attach a copy of what they sent me to assist you familiarizing yourself
with their plans.
Darrell Lewis, Historian
Red Canyon Range Reunion September 18-21 2008 - posted December 2007
I plan on sending out information packets to the people on my mailing list after the first of the year. Anyone who has not been in touch with the group previously and is interested in attending should contact me by e-mail before the end of January. Please let me know if there are any other questions.
Yours truly, Heather Covert
Last Italian Nike fired, special (radio) HAM event - posted November 2007
A special HAM (OM) radio call and event station will be operated since January, 1st 2008 until June, 30th 2008 , in 80 m / 40m / 30m / 20m bands and SSB / CW / PSK31 modes, to commemorate the last symbol of Cold War fired by Italian Air Force last November 24th 2006
at Capo San Lorenzo missile range (16.54 UTC) near the city of Cagliari (70Km at North East), Sardinia.
For any question, feel free to send me an email to : ii3nik@libero.it or visit my personal web page
http://www.iz3jjd.eu/
Somebody else is having fun ;-)) was "Moose Creek Reunion News" - posted June 2007
U.S. Army Alaska clearly has too much money - posted June 2007
Some of you have already received notices from Ms Carrie McEnteer about the recent release of the Environmental Assessment detailing the Army's Draft Report outlining the alternatives to management of Nike Site Summit. That report was sent out to all those who sent comments to Carrie during the Scoping Process. For those people as well as others who were not involved, this is to inform you that the FINAL comment phase is in progress and your inputs will be critical in letting the Army know what you think of their preliminary decision to manage Site Summit. The end of the comment phase is July 13, 2007. After that, the Army will send out their FINAL report on the fate of Site Summit and will begin initiating one of the four alternatives that is listed in their draft report that can be downloaded at http://www.usarak.army.mil/conservation/NEPA_FRA.htm
Please go to Site Summit, Alaska - Nike Hercules ADA at
http://home.mchsi.com/~jerals and click on the "contact" box at the top which will take you to the specifics of this final comment phase and how and why you should respond. I have listed "Friends of Nike Site Summit" at www.nikesitesummit.org as a site you should go to for the a good guide to help you with your comments. They are very informative of the situation and have created an organization that has taken upon themselves to aggressively pursue the preservation of Site Summit. Keep in touch with them by visiting their site often. Although they are still in the construction stage of their website, they are constantly reporting pertinent information of the ongoing process to save Site Summit.
Your letter or email can mean the difference between Nike Site Summit being gone forever, or preserved to show future generations that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance, and to highlight the vital role that the Nike sites provided during the Cold War.
Thanks for your support. And thank you so very much to all those who have already submitted their comments to the Army's EA Draft Management Proposal that started on June 13th.
Jeral Sexton
Update information on Nike Site Summit - posted May 2007
...
We are fast approaching the deadline for the Environmental Assessment Team and the Army to complete their findings
on the fate of Site Summit. After they submit their report, we have 30 days to comment on their decision.
I hope to be able to notify you the moment they make it public. If I am not able to get this information to you
in a timely manner, please go to
http://www.usarak.army.mil/conservation/NEPA_FRA.htm
which is the website for the Ft. Richardson Environmental Assessments that list current NEPA actions.
Your support during the initial comment stage of the Scoping Process has resulted in the most active involvement on
record as far as getting the message to the Army to save Site Summit. This was a tremendous help in giving Site Summit
the recognition it so rightly deserves. We now have an official organization called "Friends of Nike Site Summit"
which have formed a coalition of State and National preservation representatives as well as various grassroots local
Anchorage residents and historians. They have been holding regular meetings in Anchorage and will have their own
website soon. This is the type of action that will definitely help make Site Summit a historical landmark as well
as preserve it as a museum.
In addition, I would like to call your attention to many new photos of Site Summit that were sent to me by three
former crewmembers. Many of the photos are very detailed and show a lot of Site Summit that are not present in my
official photo pages. I am sure you will enjoy seeing them and might even recognize yourself in some of them as well.
Please go to the "links" section and then to "main links to this site" section and scroll down to the bottom of
the page or just go to
http://home.mchsi.com/~jerals/wsb/html/view.cgi-showresources.html-TopRes-Main-20Links-20to-20this-20Site.html.
Again, thank you for all your support and stay tuned to the ongoing process of saving Site Summit.
Jeral Sexton
Reunion Mike Site, Alaska posted May 4, 2007
Maybe a Tare (Alaska) reunion? - posted March 2007
Free Art, Live Fire - received Jan 13, 2006 from Charles
Up to 5 small prints and 2 large prints may be requested at one time. Delivery time is approximately 4 to 6 weeks. To see an example of the free National Guard prints, punch in "National Guard Prints" under search, this should bring up the site
or http://www.ngb.army.mil/gallery/
I just had the print framed and double matted, very nice piece for any Nike Hercules collector.
Regards,
Nike on History Channel
from Chuck Zellers September 2005
Dealing with the VA?
from Bob Robbins Feb 2005
Since we are all getting older, not getting any younger fast :-((
I really didn't want to turn my web site into an old man's
complaint column or obituary column. I have so many complaints
of my own I ain't got much time for other's complaints ;-|
But I am glad I don't have (or don't think I have) any form of hepatitis.
I've always figured I'm a closet hypochondriac, I don't need no help ;-))
May we always be 22 - broke, fit, and full of beans. ;-))
Ed Thelen The test unit was on a pole outside the LCT and the power density
at someone underneath was
microscopic compared to the likely cell phone at my ear.
from LTC Daniel T. Sailer, December 2003
from Mary Rasa October 2002, July 2003,
November 2003
The first full season of conducting tours has concluded for winter. Over
900 visitors toured the Nike IFC radar site this year from April- October.
Tours were conducted once a week and included 3 special event days.
The Radar C-2 site has been restored. The Interconnecting Corridor bldg,
sentry booth and generator bldg were painted inside and out. The HIPAR
bldg was painted on the outside. Missing glass windows were replaced in
all bldgs. The 2 trailers connected to the ICC bldg were painted and
cleaned. All the radar towers were painted and a few have the radars
mounted on them. The compass rose was repainted and the blacktop road was
redone in the entire area.
Americorps completed a great deal of work at the site and uncovered the
sidewalk leading from c-2 to the barracks area and cut a ten foot swath of
area around the existing bldgs at that location.
Here's the latest development on the acquisition of new items.
The park is now in ownership of 2 Nike Ajax and one Hercules missile. I
arranged for the transfer of property from the Air Force to the NPS last
month. They are at an Air Force museum in Florida and our maintanence
chief is arranging for the transportation of the missiles to the park in
the near future.
Mary Rasa
The village wants to name it the "Nike Sports Complex" to honor its Cold War
heritage. The big shoe company, Nike Inc., however, says that the idea
raises serious trade mark issues. The company is clearly not thrilled with
the idea.
I'm looking for anyone who used to work at a Nike missile defense site who
might care to comment.
I'm on a short deadline, so call as soon as possible.
Many thanks.
We are all getting older.
I figure if Nike didn't kill/harm you in the past 30 years
(I don't know of any documented) - your problems are age, not Nike.
This web site is not a medical clearinghouse.
And I'm tired of attorneys, who will take about
40% of a possible "award", asking for free help and research!
From Dick Allen , Aug 6, 2003
August 6, 2003
Ed, I would appreciate you posting this. MANY THANKS!
Anyone who served between September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991 is eligible for
subject certificate. Just fill out form, print and sign it, and mail to address
listed, with supporting document. Form is located at:
https://coldwar.army.mil/us_application.htm.
From Rob Branting,
July 28, 2003
From Man-Won Jee, June 7, 2003
From Odom, James F.
From BOBCON4492, May 5, 2003
Hmmmm - What an interesting question -
Seems like a more flexible group identification
system than "the high school Class of '66"? Or if some one graduated from college
after the fall semister or fall quarter is that "Class of '72a" ? Does the Artillery School
still deal in "Packages"?
Do/did they start over with "Package 1" for every new product line (oh - I mean weapon system)?
Military schools in general?
Anyone got ideas? Please CC me so that I can spread the word :-))
from Ed Thelen, November 25, 2002
I have just modified John McGrath's most excellent web site
Francis Gary Powers, Jr. March 22, 2001 & July 2003
From Mark A. Berhow January 10, 2001
Three of my high school classmates were
killed in that "police action". Two probably by the Chinese.
Our high school class had 155 people in it, We knew everyone.
Hi Ed,
Greetings Nike Veterans and site employees:
Both the week preceding and following the reunion would be good for hiking, fishing, gold-panning, scenic drives, etc.
gfdurocher@usgs.gov
907-786-7009
Tom Lundregan writes
" Greg: Recently saw this in my AIAA Society Monthly :::::::: The AIAA is sponsoring an ICAS-2008 in Anchorage, Alaska
26th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS )
incl. 8th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, & Operations (ATIO) Conference.
14--19 September 2008 Egan Convention Center Anchorage,AL
website---registration---www.ICAS2008.org
"Greg" is also checking into possible extension of the hotel rate on either side of the Nike dates -
The old 1/40 scale plastic kit of the Herc by Revell has been reissued. It is sold by historic aviation for$14.95 at www.HistoricAviation.com
An August, 2008 reunion is being planned for anyone that served during the years 1957 through 1974, at Nike site PI-37, located near Herminie Pennsylvania.
Mr. Thelen,
National Park Service
Alaska Regional Office
240 West 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
Tel. (907) 644-3470
Fax (907) 644-3811
from Heather Covert rhcovert96 @ yahoo . com - note new e-mail address
The dates for the Red Canyon Range Reunion 2008 in Colorado Springs are Sept. 18-21 2008.
from IZ3JJD Andrea Zecchinato
II3NIK Nike Hercules Memorial Year
thank you.
QSL card
from RBTV
Latest from
Below is the actual text from Paul’s E Mail of 06/14/07
Roger I am thinking about the middle of July, 2088, In Nashville Tenn. At a American Legion, I talked with Doug Jones today, He is going to help setting things up. He is going back to Ak. next week and is going to try to locate George Stark. And Joe Yaska. If he is successful I will ask them to start saving some of there grayling and moose and ship it down. Let me know what your thoughts are. Thanks Paul
I assume Paul has a “Minor Typo Here” I checked my calendar and I’m scheduled to shovel coal the month of July in 2088 can’t get out of that duty no one wants to fill in for me
. But let Paul Know your thoughts here is his Email address pakulba@aol.com at this time I have a list of 35 names some without E Mail address. Will be sending something to them via snail mail.
webmaster@a-2-562.org
U.S. Army Alaska clearly has too much money
Ed Thelen
from: Jeral Sexton June 16, 2007
subject: Nike Site Summit needs your help
Site Summit crewmember '67-'69 and Webmaster
This is a very high volume email ping for all those listed in my "guest book" as well as various others
who have contributed to the Site Summit, Alaska - Nike Hercules ADA website at
http://home.mchsi.com/~jerals
Site Summit crewmember '67-'69 and Webmaster
Reunion #5 2007
Charlie Battery 2nd Missile Bn 562nd Arty
Fairbanks,Alaska 1960/1962
Location: Orlando,Fl
Date: Oct,21st to Oct28th,2007
Contact: Joe Leone
813-855-3077
joe52440@tampabay.rr.com
Here is a great freebee for all Nike Hercules lovers. A Free art print entitled "Live Fire at Kahuko" featuring the Hawaii National Guard with Nike Hercules missiles on the beach is available. The artist is the well known military artist James Dietz. Two sizes of the print are available. Address for print request is:
Chief National Guard Bureau
ATTN: NGB-PAI-H (Prints)
1411 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202-3231
Charles
Don't know if anyone has mentioned the History Channel's "Weird" program,
which shows unusual things. There is a 4 minute or so video about the Nike program.
Very interesting. The two hosts that travel the US showing these "weird" subjects,
went to a NJ Nike site, visited the Launcher Area, showed film of Nike Ajax and
Hercules launches, the BC van interior, etc. It has been on a couple of times.
Regards,
Chuck Zellers
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Robbins
> Hello Ed this is Bob Robbins.
> Was with the RCRC In Las Cruces and WSMR with you Last fall.
> Just went through your Site again and was looking for something
> or someone who had experience with VA claims from their Missile days.
Well, I have had considerable e-mail about and from attorneys
and guys claiming all sorts of things due to "radiation".
In my infinite wisdom ;-) I think the effects of "radiation"
due to Nike stuff are nil. Figuring the attorneys are trying
to drum up some hysteria (and business) I have ignored the whole thing.
> I have been going to the VA in Wichita and have had an elevated
> blood count for the last few years. I finally broke down and
> got a liver biopsy. They now tell me I have Hepatitus C 2nd
> degree Fiberous.
I am told that "Hepatitus C" is a whole other kettle of fish.
> I went to the VA site and looked this up and i have none of the
> things they say can cause it. I am going to file a VA claim on Thursday
> I am supposed to go back to VA Hosp on March 8 to discuss treatment plans.
Hmmm - no fun - I suspect you will have an up-hill fight :-((
I really don't know much about the VA, VA benefits (if any)
but apparently they have little budget and long lines?
> Was wondering as we are all getting older if you have heard of or
> possibility of putting some question on board for anyone who has
> filed VA claim and experiance.
No - actually I haven't been asking because of this "radiation" thing.
> The most dangerious thing I was involved in was the Ajax fueling.
Yeah, but, I suspect you will get lots of questions about
Good Luck.
> Bob Robbins
-----------------------------------
and Bob came back with
> No Problem Ed and I agree with you. I have been in VA system
> for about 5 years non-service connected and pay my bills.
> I had heard all the negative reports also
> however the VA has really helped me out.
> I have not had problems with long lines and long waits. I
> had my right hip replaced at the end of May and was crawling the
> hills out at Red Canyon in Oct.
> The thing bothering me is ( I am a REpublican ) congress is going
> to cut oout the lower rated veterans like me from system.
> The only thing I remember about the radiation from teaching at
> Fort Bliss is not to stand in front of the test stand as it had
> a magnetron in it which sent test signals to the Missile.
> They claimed and we had to tell students that it could make
> them sterile after prolonged exposure. What ever that ment.
Instructors tease too much. The missile magnatron was a little guy
with a peak pulse power of 400 watts - Lets see - the duty cycle was
about 0.005% (0.1 microsecond about every 2 milliseconds?) gives
an average power of 0.02 watts total output.
> However one had to stand if front of the test stand to make changes
> in the procedure. On the Herc the procedure was over 1700 steps.
> It was fewer then that on Ajax but still could take some time.
> Bob
I am LTC Daniel T. Sailer from Volk Field, Wisconsin.
I currently employ and work with previous NIKE Site employee's from the 1960's who worked in Southern Wisconsin at NIKE/Hercules Sites. Most are close to or about to retire from the military. I would say about 6 of them. Presently I am working on a Shadowbox for one of these patriots and would like to include a unit patch & crest in the box, but cannot find these items anywhere. Can you help me? They were from Battery "B" 126th, that is all I have on unit designation. Any help or product you could help me with would be appreciated, thanks.
"American Attorney Full Employment" techniques
Museum Curator
(732) 872-5953
Fort Hancock Historic District web site
Official Gateway web site
info on this web site
SandyHookStatus 2003
from Holt, Doug
I decided to rant here
Hi all,
Dear Friends
We are all getting symptoms and troubles that we are not used to.
Mine are eerily reminiscient of my fathers later troubles -
Dear ED;
To answer Mr. Man-Wou Jee's question about safety measures on the Nike
system, was the two man rule. It took two people to arm
the missile. One person had half of the combination and the second one had
the other half. On custodial sites (Greece, Korea, Turker, etc),
a PAL device (permissiave action link) was used, and it took two persons to
remove it so the arming device could be installed.
Question: I was in Package 43 of the nike program. does anyone have the total
number of these packages that were trained and sent out?
and would like to change - I can help.
(with 135 HTML files and 600 images)
and can help you in the following ways if you are having trouble porting your web site
to a more friendly web host
Don't feel trapped :-) e-mail me :-))
Francis Gary Powers, Jr. sent this
updated document and is negotiating to locate his
Cold War Museum at
W-64, Lorton, VA.
He is looking for a Nike Missile for display and other related equipment.
Volunteers needed in the Fairfax, VA area.
Mark & Ed:
John Porter,
present manager of
SF-88 Nike site, mentioned the
bigger picture
