Haven't been there in years but the Nike facility in Marin is well worth a visit if you're there when it's open. The control stations were originally on a higher ridge but they have one of the (basically) containers next to the missile sites now. The idea at the time is that they would explode ordinance (originally conventional, later nuclear) above incoming bombers causing a pressure wave that would make them crash.
Was also a Nike base on Angel Island but there's nothing left there but some old concrete pads.
We actually had one of the Nike bases defending Philadelphia literally next to where I grew up. Don't remember personally--was very young--but there were apparently troop manoeuvres on our property from time to time.
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Haven't been there in years but the Nike facility in Marin is well worth a visit if you're there when it's open. The control stations were originally on a higher ridge but they have one of the (basically) containers next to the missile sites now. The idea at the time is that they would explode ordinance (originally conventional, later nuclear) above incoming bombers causing a pressure wave that would make them crash.
Was also a Nike base on Angel Island but there's nothing left there but some old concrete pads.
We actually had one of the Nike bases defending Philadelphia literally next to where I grew up. Don't remember personally--was very young--but there were apparently troop manoeuvres on our property from time to time.
There were fourteen Nike sites in the Bay Area.
We may see large numbers of local defense sites again, against drones and medium-range missiles. Israel and Iraq already have that.