Saint Louis Defense Area (original) (raw)

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Saint Louis Defense Area

Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Three sites guarded St. Louis on the east side of the Mississippi River. The designations and locations of these sites were SL-10 at Marine, SL-40 at Hecker, and SL-90 at Alton/Pere Marquette.

Along with a Missouri site, these Nike Hercules installations, active from 1960 until 1968, were manned by Regular Army units. The Chicago District of the Corps of Engineers oversaw design and construction of these sites. Command and control was handled from a "Birdie" facility located in Belleville. Headquarters facilities were located at Scott AFB.

Site SL-60, located 5 miles south of Pacific, was the lone Nike Hercules battery defending St. Louis on the Missouri side of the Mississippi. The Chicago District of the Corps of Engineers oversaw the design and construction. The battery was active from May 1960 until December 1968.

Subtopics

Nike SL-10 12 Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational May 1960 - Dec 1968 . Control site private ownership, abondoned. Launch site private ownership, abandoned.

Nike SL-40 12 Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational May 1960 - Dec 1968 . Control site Beck VoTech School. Launch site Transferred from DoD control to another party.

Nike SL-60 12 Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational May 1960 - Dec 1968 . Control site private ownership. Launch site Nike School.

Nike SL-90 12 Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational May 1960 - Dec 1968 . Control site intact; abandoned Pere Marquette State Park. Launch site abandoned Pere Marquette State Park.

Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Nike Hercules. Bibliography: 13403.

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