Atlas F Launch Site 4, U. S. Air Force, 577th Strategic Missile Squadron, Oklahoma, Comanche County
During the Cold War the United States deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) in sparsely populated areas of the United States to counter the Soviet Union's nuclear attack threat. The 577th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated in 1961 and assigned to the 11th Strategic Aerospace Wing, based at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Twelve Atlas F Missile launch sites were built near Altus Air Force Base between 1960 and 1962. Each of the sites were approximately 20 acres with 5 acres enclosed by a 7-foot chain link fence where the underground launch site and aboveground support facilities were located. The aboveground support facilities were primarily two 4,000-square-foot Quonset buildings. The launch site was capable of launching an Atlas F missile with a range of about 6,000 miles that would reach the Soviet Union in 43 minutes. The 577th Strategic Missile Squadron was on-line from July 1961 to March 1965. The introduction of the solid fuel missiles rendered the Atlas series of missiles obsolete. (Sources: Various, my compilation.)
The photograph is one of the Quonset support buildings at Launch Site 4.
Atlas F Launch Site 4, U. S. Air Force, 577th Strategic Missile Squadron, Oklahoma, Comanche County
During the Cold War the United States deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) in sparsely populated areas of the United States to counter the Soviet Union's nuclear attack threat. The 577th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated in 1961 and assigned to the 11th Strategic Aerospace Wing, based at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Twelve Atlas F Missile launch sites were built near Altus Air Force Base between 1960 and 1962. Each of the sites were approximately 20 acres with 5 acres enclosed by a 7-foot chain link fence where the underground launch site and aboveground support facilities were located. The aboveground support facilities were primarily two 4,000-square-foot Quonset buildings. The launch site was capable of launching an Atlas F missile with a range of about 6,000 miles that would reach the Soviet Union in 43 minutes. The 577th Strategic Missile Squadron was on-line from July 1961 to March 1965. The introduction of the solid fuel missiles rendered the Atlas series of missiles obsolete. (Sources: Various, my compilation.)
The photograph is one of the Quonset support buildings at Launch Site 4.