Nike Missile Base History –LA88 Chatsworth

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•This presentation was first shown in November 2011. In addition to the

history of the Nike Missile Base LA88 at Oat Mountain, Chatsworth, it

featured two videos, “The Nike Hercules Story” (1960, 27 min.), and

“Duck and Cover” (1951, 9 min.).

•In 2019, we showed the presentation with some new history provided to

us by Greg Brown, Nike Hercules Crewman LA 88, from 1968-1971. It

featured a new video that Greg also told us about, a 1961 “Lassie” TV

episode (1961, 21 min.)

•Tonight, we will share the same history, but include excerpts from a

newly discovered video, 1959 "Nike-Hercules, a Reality" the 30-minute

documentary movie filmed at the Chatsworth Nike Missile Base that

includes interviews with Chatsworth Citizens.

Introduction

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•The Cold War, between the Communist World (the Soviet Union and

its allies) and the Western World (the United States and its allies),

lasted from 1946 to 1991. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

•During this time of political, military and economic conflict, various

strategies were undertaken by the United States to defend against a

nuclear attack.

•Nike Missile bases provided that defense. They were initially equipped

with anti-aircraft missiles (Nike-Ajax in 1953), followed by the Nike-

Hercules in 1958, which was armed with nuclear warheads and could

intercept ballistic missiles.

•The Nike Missile Base LA88 at Oat Mountain, Chatsworth was the

First Missile Base in the Nation to go operational with Nike-Hercules

Missiles.

Background –The Cold War

Nike Missile Bases

By 1958, the Army had established 200 Nike missile bases within the United

States (including Alaska and Hawaii). 16 bases surrounded Los Angeles.

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•Los Angeles was defended by a

ring of 16 Nike sites, referred to

as a "Ring of Steel”

•The Chatsworth Site on Oat

Mountain was known as LA88.

•To protect its aerospace

industries, Los Angeles

received extensive air

defenses.

Nike Sites of

Los Angeles

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•Oat Mountain, the location of Site LA88, towers over the San

Fernando Valley and provides visibility in all four directions and far

out into the Pacific Ocean.

•It was the last of the scheduled 16 Los Angeles Nike sites to be

completed due to the rugged terrain and only one usable road

through Browns Canyon. Construction difficulties leveling a

mountain peak and also digging deep into the ground for the three

underground launchers caused delays.

•The site was completed and operational as of August 26, 1956.

•It was decommissioned in 1974 as one of the last sites covering the

Los Angeles area.

Nike Missile Site LA88 - Chatsworth

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•2018 Google

Earth 3D view of

the three LA88

Sites, in relation to

the 118 fwy and

De Soto to

Browns Canyon

Road.

•The Launch and

Admin areas are

in the Michael D.

Antonovich

Regional Park.

•Parking is

available 1 mile

south on Browns

Canyon Road.

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•2018 Google

Earth 3D view of

the three LA88

Sites.

•The Radar

Control Area

was 1.5 miles

from the Launch

Area (as the

crow flies), via

today's Palo

Sola Truck

Road.

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•The LA88 launch site had three parts.

•One part contained the radar control systems to detect

incoming targets and direct the missiles, along with the

computer systems to plot and direct the intercept. It was

on the ridge of Oat Mountain.

•The second part held three underground missile

magazines, each serving a group of four missiles, for a

total of 12 missiles. The site had a crew of 109 officers

and men who ran the site continuously.

•The third part was the administrative area, which

contained the battery headquarters, barracks, mess,

recreation hall, and motor pool.

Nike Missile Site LA88 - Chatsworth

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The August 30, 1958 photo

caption from the LAPL Valley

Times collection reads:

Dignitaries attending ceremony

which marked first Nike-

Hercules base to go

operational in nation are

dwarfed by huge weapon which

can destroy entire enemy

squadron of bombers with

atomic warhead.

In foreground at Oat Mountain

Base in Chatsworth are, left to

right, Maj. Gen W. A. Perry,

Donald Douglas Jr., Don

Belding and Sheriff Eugene

Biscailuz.

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The August 30, 1958 photo

caption from the LA Times

reads:

FIRST SHOWING -- A Nike

Hercules missile, left, capable

of carrying an atomic warhead,

rests on a mountainside near

Chatsworth beside an older

Ajax missile.

Circled is a radar center that

controls the launchings.

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Photograph caption from the LAPL

Valley Times collection dated

December 19, 1958 reads:

Killer dogs guard Valley's only

Nike-Hercules Base

Fierce sentries - M/Sgt. Ben Mullins

excites his team of sentry dogs at

Oat Mountain guided missile center

near Chatsworth.

Missile in background is Nike-

Hercules which has the capability of

destroying an entire squadron of

enemy bombers with one atomic

burst.

Dogs are used to guard the base

from possible night time intruders.

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A description of LA88 from crewman

Greg Brown, 1968-1971

•In 2019, Greg reached out to us, as he noticed that we had posted an article on LA88

on our website.

•Greg was stationed at LA88 from 1968 to 1971 as a Nike Hercules Fire Control

Crewman, and shared with us what life was like at the site. LA88 was part of our Air

Defense system for the Los Angeles area from 1956-1974.

•Greg lives in the SF Bay area and interprets for the National Park Service, Historical

Nike Site SF88, at the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate Park, along with many other

Nike Missile Veterans from the Bay Area.

•Tours are offered periodically, visit https://www.nps.gov/goga/nike-missile-site.htm

•SF88 is the only historic Nike Missile Site in the US that is complete and functional.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•On arrival in October 1968 to Chatsworth LA88, there were no open Nike crewmen positions, so I

worked as a dining room orderly and a cook. When positions became available, I worked as an

elevation tracking radar operator, acquisition radar operator and generator operator. During that

time, the site experienced floods in 69, The Clampitt fire, that burned completely over our Nike Site,

on Sept 25, 1970, and the Sylmar earthquake in 71.

•There were approximately 100 individual soldiers assigned to a Nike site. There were two main

classifications, Radar Crewman, MOS 16C, referred to as a “Scope Dope” or if you were a

Launcher Crewman, you were a “Pit Rat” MOS 16B. There are 3 main areas to a Nike Missile Site.

The Launcher Area, which is the most secure, because the missiles were stored there. With armed

guard roving sentry dog handler’s. The IFC (Integrated Fire Control Area), Where the Search and

Tracking Radars were, usually on top of a Hill. The other main area was the Administration area,

where the Barracks (Living Quarters) were, the Mess Hall, Supply room, Administrative offices, and

telephone switchboard operator room.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•The daily routine was to do maintenance on the system, either radars or missiles, depending on

where you worked. Other duties were Guard duty, which was done around the clock, Kitchen

Police (KP). Mowing weeds, cleaning, painting, and other duties as required. The Army’s job was

to keep you busy.

• There were regular “drills” called ORE (Organizational Readiness Evaluation) that were simulated

nuclear attacks and drills with the Air Force called RBS (Radar Bomber Scores) where Air Force

aircraft attempted to penetrate our air defense area. They would try to jam our radars but we

usually prevailed.

•In this type of warfare, there is a lot of electronic jamming known as ECM (Electronic

Countermeasures).

•We are always testing our systems to be better than the Soviets.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•Although we were Army, we were part of Air Force NORAD, (North American Aerospace Defense

Command), Headquartered at Cheyenne Mountain Colorado. Then the regional Air Force SAGE

(Semi Automatic Ground Environment) Headquarters at Norton AFB, then the Army Air Defense

Command Post (ADDCAP) at Fort Mac Arthur. All of the above listed locations were part of the

NORAD computerized surveillance network that watched the skies and tracked aircraft in our air

space. The network consisted of the DEW line radar rings across the Arctic Circle and Canada,

along with Air Force ground based Radar Stations and radar planes along with Navy radar picket

ships.

•There were 8 Nike Hercules sites in the LA defense area during 68-71. Four were regular Army,

four were National Guard. There were always 25 per cent or 2 sites that were on “Hot Battery”

status, which is a condition of, all equipment was 100% operational with all personnel in place

ready to fire a missile in 15 minutes.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•The missiles were on the launcher ready to fire, it was 24 Hour duty and you could not leave the

site. Hot status could last from 1 to 2 weeks at a time. If another site was the Hot Battery and

their equipment failed, your Battery would be called to become the Hot Battery. You had 2 hours

to do so.

•The security concerns at the time were domestic terrorists and Viet Nam war protestors at the

time. Groups like the Weather Underground were attacking or sabotaging military installations.

•We also had to be on guard for Army security personnel who made attempts to breach our

security.

•Our radars had a 150-mile view of Southern California. We also had a video feed from an Air

Force Radar at Mt. Laguna that was near the town of Julian, in northern San Diego County. That

radar had a 200-mile range, so we could see past Catalina, the Mexican Border, and up to Santa

Barbara.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•Our job was to protect the military installations, and military and aerospace manufacturing in

Southern California from Airborne Attacks. Our Missile Battery was near the Rocketdyne facility in

Chatsworth.

•I was standing in the ready room when the Sylmar quake hit on February 9 1971. I saw waves go

across the floor. We checked to see if any missiles had fallen off of their launchers in the

magazine. All 18 missiles were intact.

• The most exciting time on the site was being on the “SNAP” (Short Notice Annual Practice) Crew.

I was picked for a position as a Generator Operator on the Launcher crew for the 1971 trip to Mc

Gregor Range, Ft. Bliss Texas, to fire several live missiles at a live drone and be evaluated in the

process.

• All Nike sites were required to do a yearly “live fire” or SNAP, to show their proficiency and be

evaluated by the Army Air Defense Command. The Ideal score was 100%. This also showed the

Russians that we knew how to use our missile system.

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Excerpts from Greg Brown’s Nike Biography,

LA88 crewman, 1968-1971

•Those of us who served in the Army Air Defense Command considered ourselves fortunate to be

distant from the war in Viet Nam. Many of our peers had been there and none wanted to return.

•The Nike Missile system was not used in Viet Nam, as its intended targets were high altitude

Russian bombers. The Nike Missile System was in service worldwide, in Germany and throughout

Europe, Greenland, Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan and other countries including 40 cities the

continental U.S. Alaska and Hawaii.

•By 1974 most of the Nike Hercules Sites were closed due to the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation

Treaty) with Russia, and obsolescence because of the reduced ICBM threat. Sites in Alaska and

Florida remained in service until 1989. NATO Allies Taiwan and Italy kept their systems until 2003

& 2006. The successor to the Nike Hercules is the Patriot Missile system.

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1959, Making the movie

"Nike-Hercules - A Reality"

in Chatsworth

•Lt Col. Robert Fowler with Rev.

Charles Hughes and church

members Mr. & Mrs. John S.

Whitmer shoot a scene for the Nike

Hercules Missile Film at the newly

completed First Baptist Church on

De Soto.

•The film will be part of a video series

called “Big Picture” with a world

premiere to be held in Chatsworth,

site of the missile base.

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Nike Hercules Missile Film

being made in Chatsworth

Van Nuys News April 5, 1959

•Honorary Mayor Roy Rogers was host to the film

company and Army officers for scenes taken at his

Chatsworth ranch. Participants are Rogers, his

daughters Dodie and Debbie, and dog Bullet Jr.

•Mrs. LaVerne Lee, long-time principal of

Chatsworth Park Elementary School and pupils

Ray Vincent and Nancy Ferrell were chosen for

scenes at the school.

•Scenes also were filmed with Al Brain, Ben

Boydsten, Gaston Coke and George Schoell.

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Van Nuys News Article continued…

April 5, 1959

•Project P91 16916

•Signed by Lt Col. Robert

Fowler

•Release for Ray Vincent,

initialed CTV by Charlene

Vincent, Ray’s mother

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Military Motion Picture Film

General Release Form C

April 6th, 1959

•The newspaper article at left describes

the Nike- Hercules Missile Base movie

as a part of the Army series, "The Big

Picture.

•It will be shown to the stars and

members of the Chatsworth PTA groups

tonight.

•It was shown earlier in the day to the

pupils at the school.

•Featured in the film are Chatsworth's

main streets, homes and schools, and

the Roy Rogers ranch.

•Roy has a leading role with his two

adopted daughters, Debbie and Dodie.

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The Valley Times

Wednesday, September 30, 1959

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Chatsworth Introduction in the 1959 movie

The sign above was created for the movie,

that duplicated the words on the greeting

sign that was on the northwest corner of

Topanga and Devonshire, in front of

Chatsworth Park Elementary School.

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Chatsworth Citizens in the 1959 movie

Ben Boydsten, Chatsworth Lumber

northeast corner of Topanga and Marilla

Chatsworth Elementary School Principal

Mrs. LaVerne Lee

Ray Vincent, Nancy Ferrell

Devonshire entrance looking west

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Chatsworth Citizens in the 1959 movie

Al Brain's Horn In Restaurant with George Schoell

northeast corner of Devonshire and Owensmouth

Reverend Charles Hughes - First Baptist Church

DeSoto south of Devonshire

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Chatsworth Citizens in the 1959 movie

Honorary Mayor Roy Rogers

and Debbie and Dodie, with

Bullet in the back.

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Next up excerpts from the

1959 "Nike-Hercules, a Reality"

28-minute documentary

•The first 4 minutes introduces Nike-Hercules, and the town of Chatsworth

•The next 10 minutes take us to Colorado Air Defense Headquarters, assembly in

North Carolina, test firing in Texas and New Mexico, and training in Texas.

•The final 14 minutes are filmed at the Chatsworth Missile Base, and ends with

interviews with local residents in the community of Chatsworth.

•Tonight, we will watch the first and last sections of the documentary, filmed in

Chatsworth (18 minutes)

•The complete video is available on YouTube, https://youtu.be/UYUevSxGTec

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