THE NPG NEWS
The Newsletter of the Nike
Preservation Group
Volume
3, Issue 1
January 2000
Nike Preservation Group, Inc., 475 Maple Street, West Lafayette,
Indiana 46060
Editors: Don and Susan Peterson
Phone: (765) 743-9333 E-mail: dspeterson@musa.
Nike
C47 placed on National Register
After nearly three years of delays and
bureaucratic red tape, Nike Site C47 has been placed on the National Register
of Historic Sites. Paul Diebold,
Indiana Department of Historic Sites and Archeology, confirmed recently that
the National Park Service listed the site on the 21st of January
2000. “This is wonderful news for the
NPG and Northwest Indiana”, said Bob Peterson, President and Co-founder of the
Nike Preservation Group. The NPG is a Non-profit corporation organized in 1997
with the goals of saving the aging Nike site from demolition and of raising
public awareness about the importance of American Cold War history. “ Now that the site is on the National
Register, our work becomes a little easier,” continued Peterson. “With the National Park Service and the
State of Indiana in agreement over the integrity of C47 as an important
historic site, it should add the creditability needed by the NPG to continue
our work to see the site protected and eventually restored as a Cold War
memorial and museum.” Peterson
believes the groups main focus needs to be on securing the land at the C47
Launcher Area. He thinks the land
should be safeguarded through private or state ownership. In the past the NPG has offered to purchase
the land from the federal government only to meet opposition from the grumpy
folks at the General Services Administration.
To date, no reasonable explanation has been provided for the GSA’s reluctance
to act on some of these issues. “I
believe that without the assistance of Senator Lugar’s office we would have
seen the National Registry Nomination stalled indefinitely at the GSA,” said
Peterson. For more information contact
the NPG at dspeterson@musa.org (Photo by Tom
Vaughn, C47 IFC Area)
NPG Headquarters moves to West Lafayette, Indiana
As most NPG members know, Don and Susan Peterson
run the daily activities of the NPG out of their home. Don recently accepted a new position in the
Lafayette area. The move began in late
December, but Don had been commuting for quite some time. The additional travel time really minimized
the amount of time Don had to spend on NPG issues. “We regret that we had to skip the November-December newsletter,
but we just didn’t have the resources to get it out,” explained Susan, “Soon all will return to normal and the
information flow will resume. It worked out well that the activity was minimal
with the site at this particular time.”
The listing of C47 on the National Register is expected to have a real
positive effect on the NPG and its membership.
Bob Peterson, President of the NPG, anticipates increased public
interest in C47 and as a result, a surge in membership. “We hope to see membership double over the
next year”, explained Peterson. The NPG
has seen constant membership growth since the group began. For membership information see the
membership application in this newsletter.
NPG Board of Directors Meet
The
annual meeting of the Board of Directors for the Nike Preservation Group was
opened at 14:00 hrs, 18 December 1999, at the Pub restaurant in Lafayette,
Indiana. The following are the minutes
of the meeting.
Present:
Robert T. Peterson,
President/Chairman
Donald J. Peterson, Board
Member
Casey M. Criswell, Board
Member
John R. Braun, Board Member
Not Present:
Wayne A. Heimberg, Vice
President
Susan C. Peterson, Treas.
& Secretary
Tom Vaughn, Board Member
Old business was
discussed.
Don Peterson gave a brief
update of the status of the C47 nomination to the National Register. The GSA has still not acted on the
nomination.
Casey Criswell presented a
follow up on the reproduction of the construction blue prints of C47. Currently the prints exist on microfiche
only and he has been unable to locate a firm that can reprint them in the
original traditional format.
John Braun inquired on the
status of fund raising activities. A suggestion, from earlier in the year, involved
a potential raffle. No raffles have
been conducted.
John Braun commented on the
status of the NPG Newsletter. Don
Peterson, co-editor for the newsletter, explained that the November-December
issue has been indefinitely postponed.
Due to the lack of activity on the nomination of C47 to the National
Register and the pending move of the NPG office to Lafayette, Indiana the
Nov-Dec issue will be skipped with the next issue being the January-February
issue.
The floor was opened for
new business.
Don
Peterson presented the Treasures Report for 1999. No comments where made.
Treasurer's Report
The Nike Preservation Group is officially a tax-exempt organization
with both the IRS and the State of Indiana. A report must be filed with the IRS
in three years to confirm that estimates of the NPG’s income were correct.
At this time, the NPG has one
physical asset: a color printer purchased for $345.00.
The NPG's only regular expense
continues to be the publication of the newsletter, which requires postage and
office products.
NPG Income
for 1999 YTD = $1522.37
$1145.00
from membership dues
$377.37
from donations (video and map sales)
NPG
Expenses for 1999 YTD:
Postage $312.82
Corporate 160.00
Office 704.86
Don Peterson presented the
NPG Mission Statement for review. After
a short discussion, a motion was made to make no changes to the mission
statement, the motion passed.
Mission Statement
Who: The Nike
Preservation Group is a not-for-profit corporation formed by military veterans,
historians and other interested citizens.
What: To preserve
a portion of Indiana’s Cold War History by promoting the preservation of the
Nike Missile Launcher Area known as C47 (Wheeler).
Where: The Launcher Area is located in Porter County, near the town of
Wheeler, Indiana. The site is located
on county road 700 North, west of county road 500 west.
When: C47 served
as part of the Chicago / Gary defense network from 1956 through 1971 and
remains intact although abandoned by the Department of Defense in 1972.
Why: The Cold
War was the longest war ever waged by the United States. The facility stands as a constant reminder
of the dark threat of nuclear war, which haunted the American way of life for
more than four decades. The site
deserves to be preserved as reminder to future generations of that dark period
of American history.
Don Peterson presented the
current dues schedule for review and comment.
The motion was made to make no changes, the motion carried. The current membership list and newsletter
mailing list was also reviewed.
Don Peterson presented
the NPG Bylaws for review. After a
brief discussion a motion was passed to adopt the Bylaws as amended and as they
appear as an attachment to these minutes.
Changes are indicated by the use of italics.
Corporation Bylaws
1)
The Name of this Corporation is The Nike Preservation Group, Incorporated (hereby known as the NPG).
2)
The Type of Corporation is a Not-For-Profit Corporation.
3)
The Purpose of NPG is to act as a historic preservation entity.
4)
The NPG will be supported by:
A.
Private membership.
B.
Corporate sponsorship.
C.
State and federal grants.
D.
Sale of products with organizational logos.
1)
Membership dues:
A.
New Membership, $15 a year.
B.
Renewal Membership, $15 a year or $40 for 3 years.
C.
Family Membership, $20 a year or $50 for 3 years.
D.
NPG lifetime membership, $150.
E.
NPG family lifetime membership, $200.
F.
Corporate Sponsorship, $1000 or More.
6) Membership Benefits:
A.
All members
receive the NPG newsletter.
B.
Lifetime members receive a free gift and their names enter
on the C47 Wall of Fame.
C.
Corporate sponsors receive a wall plaque of appreciation and
their corporate logo on our Sponsorship
Board.
7) Board of Directors:
A. The Board
of Directors shall be maintained to administer authority and responsibility to
this Corporation.
B. The Board
shall number no more than six people at any time.
C. Nomination
to the Board must be done by an original incorporator and confirmed by majority
vote of the Board.
D. Removal or
resignation from the board must be done by written notice.
E. Removal
from the board requires majority vote of the board.
F. Voluntary
resignation will be effective immediately following the receipt of a letter of
resignation.
G. The Board
will meet at least once a year, on the date chosen by the Board.
H. The Board members
will be notified of an upcoming board meeting at least 30 days prior to the
actual meeting date.
I.
A majority of the Board must be present to form a quorum.
J.
The President of the corporation will direct the location of
the annual board meeting.
K. The Board will determine the frequency of the
newsletter publication.
8) Corporate Officers:
A. The NPG shall maintain four officers.
B. The term of
office for each is one year.
C.
The
officers may be board members, but are not required to sit on the Board of
Directors.
D. Elections
are to be held at each annual meeting.
E. The
President of the NPG shall:
1.
Be responsible for the day-to-day activities of the NPG.
2.
Administer the policies and practices of the NPG.
3.
Represent the NPG as an official spokesperson.
F. The Vice President of the NPG shall:
1.
Assist the President with the administration of daily
activities.
2.
Represent the NPG as an official spokesperson.
G. The Secretary of the NPG shall:
1.
Maintain a record of each meeting of the Board of Directors.
2.
Maintain membership records.
H. The Treasurer of the NPG shall:
1.
Maintain the Corporation's financial records.
2.
Make available financial reports of the Corporation.
Don Peterson reviewed the
appointments of board members and officers.
A motion was made to elect Casey Criswell as Secretary and leave Susan
Peterson as Treasurer only. The motion
passed. A second motion was made to
re-elect all remaining officers and re-confirm all board members in their
current positions, this motion also passed.
Casey Criswell inquired on
the availability of the Across Indiana
video concerning C47 and the NPG’s efforts to save it. Don Peterson noted that the NPG has a copy
available for viewing and anyone interested should contact the NPG office.
Don Peterson announced the
move date for the NPG office as 1 January 2000. The new address will be 475 Maple St., West Lafayette, Indiana
47906, Phone 765-743-9333. As an added
note: The office will remain in the home of Don and Susan Peterson who have
relocated to West Lafayette.
Don Peterson reported on the
need for the NPG to purchase a scanner for the use of the NPG office and
newsletter. Casey Criswell made a
motion to purchase a medium quality Hewlett Packard scanner, this motion
passed.
Don Peterson closed the
annual meeting at 15:25 Local Time.
“The Nike Hercules Story” Video
as
told by the United States Army
This
historic footage tells the public affairs version of the Nike Hercules
development and deployment. 30 minutes of family entertainment. Yours free when you make a donation
to the Nike Preservation Group of $18.00 or more.
Send your donation to: The Nike Preservation Group, Inc.
475
Maple Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Available in VHS
only. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
The
Nike Hercules Story - produced in 1958/59 by Herbert Kerkow, Inc. N.Y
THE COLD WAR By John Braun
The
Greek Goddess of Victory (NIKE) defended cities all across the U.S. for 25
years during the Cold War. 1999 was the 45th anniversary of the activation of
the 1st Nike Ajax Missile Site in the U.S. and the 25th anniversary
of the deactivation of the last Nike Hercules Missile Site (except for FL &
AK). November 9th, 1999 was the 10-year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin
Wall. The Soviet Union fell apart about two years later, December 26th, 1991; a
final VICTORY in the Cold War day. The new millennium is encouraging a broader
look back at the century, and the Cold War is one of the defining events. The
men and women who won this war are heroes. Thank God, we never had to use our
missiles in anger, so the Cold War is the war that never was. It ended with a
resounding sigh of relief, not a ticker tape parade. Cool heads and expertise
prevailed in our service to this great Country.
In
recognition of your service during the Cold War era, September 2nd, 1945 to
December 26th, 1991, in accordance with section 1084 of the Fiscal Year 1998
National Defense Authorization Act, the Secretary of Defense, William Cohen,
approved awarding "Cold War Recognition Certificates” to all members of
the armed forces and qualified federal government civilian personnel who
faithfully and honorably served the United States during the "Cold War
Era". Issuance of this certificate began April 1st, 1999. This certificate
is multicolored on 8.5" x 11" parchment paper stock, signed by the
Secretary of Defense, and suitable for framing. You will want to have it.
Who is Eligible?
All
members of the armed forces and federal government civilian personnel who
faithfully and honorably served during the time period shown above. If you
request a certificate, you must certify that your character of service was
honorable.
Acceptable documents for proof
of service. Any
official government or military document with recipient's name, Social Security
Number/Military Service Number/Foreign Service Number and date of service is
acceptable. I would recommend attaching a copy of your discharge form DD-214.
That document contains all the necessary
Information
needed for acceptance.
Sample Letter
John Doe
P.O. Box 000
Pleasantville, VA 00000
Date
Cold War Recognition
Suite #400
4035 Ridge Top Road
Fairfax, VA 22030-7445
Please send me a Cold War Recognition
Certificate for my service to the United States government during the
authorized period of September 2nd, 1945 to December 26th, 1991.
Enclosed is a source document copy with my Social Security Number/Military Service Number/Foreign Service Number, which verifies my service during the Cold War Era. I understand that the enclosed document will not be returned.
Please mail my Cold War Recognition
Certificate to the following address:
John Doe
PO Box 000
Pleasantville, VA 00000
Submission of this request confirms my
faithful service to the nation during the Cold War Era. If my service was in
the Armed Forces, I further certify that my discharge was honorable or general
under honorable conditions. If I served as a federal civilian employee, I
further certify that the character of my service was honorable.
Sincerely,
John Doe
For
those of you with access to the web, see http://coldwar.army.mil/
to view a sample certificate and instructions. Others can telephone
703-275-6279 if you seek additional information. For purposes of certificate
eligibility, the Cold War spanned the period of September 2nd, 1945, the date
Japan surrendered to end WW II, to December 26th, 1991, when Mikhail Gorbachev
resigned as Soviet president and the Soviet Union fell apart. The certificate
is symbolic, and no financial reward is involved.
Having
already received my certificate (2 - 3 month wait), I would highly recommend
that you get yours. Honor for our service in ARADCOM was a little short on
rewards for the devotion and long hours given. Besides your NDSM and your Good
Conduct Medal, here's an opportunity that you will be proud to frame and hang
on your wall.
You can e-mail John at jjbraun@juno.com
JOIN
THE NIKE PRESERVATION GROUP!
Date____________
Last Name
___________________ First
____________________MI _____
Street Address:
_____________________________________________________________
City_________________________State
___________Zip Code__________
Home Phone ( )___________Work Phone ( )__________________
E-mail
Address_______________________________________________________
Are you a Veteran?
(Yes) (No)
Did you work with Nike
Systems or where you stationed at a Nike Base?
(Yes) (No)
If so, Where and When?
_________________________________________________________
Are you interested in
volunteering labor at C47? (Yes) (No)
What do you think you could
help with? ____________________________________________
Mail to: The Nike Preservation Group, Inc.
475
Maple Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Membership fees:
Individual Membership, $15 a year $150 NPG life time membership*
or $40 for 3 years. $200 NPG family life time membership*
Family Membership, $20 a year $1000 or More - Corporate Sponsorship**
or $50 for 3 years.
All members receive the NPG newsletter. *
Lifetime members receive a free gift and their names on the C47 Wall of
Fame. ** Corporate sponsors receive a
wall plaque of appreciation and their corporate logo placed on our sponsorship
board.
The Nike Preservation Group, Inc. is a
not-for-profit corporation.
Aerial photo of C47 available!
The Nike Preservation Group, Inc.
has an aerial photo of C47, (Wheeler, Indiana) from 1975. It clearly shows all the buildings, roads
and structures of both the Launcher Area, the IFC Area and the town of Wheeler. A great tool for anyone doing research on
C47 or any Nike site. You can get a
copy by sending $6.00 to the NPG to cover reproduction, shipping and
handling. Any profit goes to support
the NPG.
Recent Photo of the C47 Mess Hall
Tom just added 2 additional pages of pictures of the C-47 IFC area to his
Nike
Bases Picture Home Page.
You can find his page at:
http://www.pcpages.com/phoneman/picturepage.html