Blazing Skies: Boston’s Nike Missiles (episodes 226)

HUB History - Our Favorite Stories from Boston History

For almost 20 years, Nike missile batteries formed a suburban ring around Boston that ushered the city into the 1950s and the atomic age. The Ajax missile and its successor, the Hercules, were intended to defend Boston and its many military assets from Soviet bombers flying over the North Pole to rain nuclear destruction on the Hub. The ring of bases stretched from the South Shore to the North Shore and far inland, always ready to fire in 15 minutes or less. The Nike program was an open secret, with base gates sometimes thrown open for the public and reporters alike. But there were more closely guarded secrets, as well. Like the fact that the Ajax missile wasn’t really equipped to engage modern jet bombers. Or the fact that a successful interception by the later Hercules would result in a nuclear detonation in our own backyards, with tens of thousands of Americans killed or injured.

Full show notes: http://HUBhistory.com/226/

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Blazing Skies

The underground magazine and elevator with an Ajax at Bedford

An Ajax on the erector at Bedford

Hercules in the foreground, Ajax in the rear during a public demonstration at the Weymouth launch area

Fueling an Ajax at Bedford

Two views of the Long Island launch site in 1955

Long Island launch area, 1959

The Squantum IFC site in 1955

Hull Integrated Fire Control at Hog Island

Cohasset launch area, 1959

Probably a bad place to stand during launch, Lincoln site, Globe photo

Lincoln radar during an open house, Globe photo

Our cover image, taken during a public drill at Bedford

Early Nike test against B-17 bomber, Globe photo

Ajax erector

Ajax launch area

Boston Globe diagram of Nike radars

Hercules launch area

Hercules avionics

Missile Master

• This list has fairly accurate map coordinates for each integrated fire control area and launch area, EXCEPT it misplaces the launch area for B-36 at Hog Island, rather than Webb State Park
• Helpful description of Nike Ajax facilities from a Defense Technical Information Center assessment of the Hull site
• Descriptions of US guided missiles from the Defense Department in 1963
• 1995 article in Air Defense Artillery magazine
• 1987 article in Air Defense Artillery magazine
• 1952 article in the journal Military Engineer
• 1995 article in Archaeology magazine
• Description of an Ajax launch area from a 1957 Defense Technical Information Center analysis of Ajax maintenance jobs
• Assessing tourist potential of Beverly Nike site
• Unless noted, photos above are via Digital Commonwealth
• Boston Globe stories (paywalled)
  • May 1953, Nikes may protect Boston soon
  • Dec 1953 pictures of Nike shooting down drone B-17
  • Dec 1953 Nikes to protect Boston
  • Apr 1954 seven Nike sites for Mass
  • Sep 1954 diagram and photos of 12 nike sites for Boston
  • Sep 1954 Twelve Nike sites to ring boston
  • Feb 1955 Nike site constructed at Squantum
  • Feb 1955 cities protest nike sites
  • Mar 1955 last nike sites around boston approved
  • May 1955 nike unit displayed publicly at armed forces day
  • Jun 1955 nike on channel 2
  • Jul 1955 Nike at museum of science
  • Jul 1955 soldiers injured by acid in Quincy
  • Oct 1955 nike site opens in lincoln
  • Nov 1955 pics of lincoln site
  • May 1956 tour and description of Lincoln site during a drill
  • Feb 1957 local sites to be converted from ajax to hercules
  • May 1958 nuclear tipped hercules coming to Hull and Lincoln
  • May 1958 nuclear hercules pose no danger to residents
  • Nov 1958 Hull ready for hercules
  • Feb 1959 Winthrop base to double strength
  • Apr 1959 air raid drill shows 51k dead, including 15k killed in collateral damage from successful nuclear Hercules interception
  • Jul 1959 new army recruits promised local service with Nike in operation hometown
  • Jan 1960 Missile Master control system coming to Winthrop
  • May 1960 National guard taking over local nike sites
  • Jun 1960 Charlestown youths steal Nike during Bunker Hill Day parade
  • May 1974 removing nukes from remaining hercules bases
  • July 1974 removal complete