Atlas F Site 577-11
This missile site was manned by the 577th Strategic Missile Squadron from Altus AFB. The 577th was activated June 1, 1961. It was part the 11th Strategic Air Wing. There were 12 sites built in a ring around Altus. Eleven of the silo complexes were in Oklahoma and one was located in Texas.
These sites were manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year during the time the Squadron was active. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, all operational 577th sites were at a high level of alert and were ready to launch the Atlas missile should it have become necessary.
The squadron was armed with the SM-65 weapon system, more commonly known as the Atlas. The 577th was an Atlas F unit which meant the missile was housed in a "silo launcher" style complex. The missile was kept in a vertical position at all times. In order to launch, two 75-ton overhead doors were opened and the "bird" was lifted out of the silo. The Atlas ICBM required RP1 and Liquid Oxygen for powering the rocket engines. The RP1 fuel was kept on board the missile at all times during alert. Before the missile was lifted to the launch position, it was filled with the Liquid Oxygen fuel.
The Atlas F used a General Electric Mark IV re-entry vehicle which carried a type W-38 warhead with a nuclear yield of approximately 4 megatons of TNT. The Atlas had a range of about 6,000 miles.
The squadron started going off alert on December 30, 1964 and was inactivated March 25. Missile sites were later sold off to private ownership after demilitarization. At least 3 of the sites are used by local schools as FFA barns, truly beating swords into plowshares.
Congratulation to 2Morre on the FTF.
Another Quality Clan Hide