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Charlie Battery - 1959 - 1969

The Launching Area

- Click Here For Larger Image -Fill ’er up with Regular...?


Image by Ken Nendick - Chicago - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Bob Collis At Gerszewski Barracks

Bob Collis, SP-5
Section Chief, Missile/Launcher Electro-Mechanical Section
195th Ordnance Detachment, 3rd Missile Battalion, 71st Artillery

Bob was in the 195th Ordnance Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 71st Artillery from 2/61-8/62 stationed in Kneilingen (Karlsruhe), Germany, providing Ordnance services to the four Nike sites of 3rd 71st.

It's been great to have contact with Bob, he has expressed good experiences of Charlie Battery, and has become a welcomed supporter of the web site and of the project overall.

Thank you Bob...!

Image by Bob Collis - Arkansas - 1959

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Ride’em Cowboy...!

PFC Wheat breaking in a wild new Nike Ajax. Stay with'em pardner, Hee Haw....!He shipped out before mid 1960.

This shot taken by Jerry Merrick in Assembly at Charlie Battery, at Gerszewski Barracks. I'd say this is a pretty rare photo, as most of our images are, but we don't have much of a photo record of our time at "The Zoo".

Especially of that mosquito infested Launching Area.

Image by Gearld Merrick - New Mexico - 1959

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Don And Ken’s GI Auto Body

Sure is a pretty paint job...!

And who's that on the phone in the window of the "Ready Room" on Ken's left?

The doors they are in front of are to the Assembly Building.

Image by Ken Nendick - Chicago - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Niederhofen Valley Overlook From The Ready Room

If one was to turn around 180 degrees, you would be looking right at the sections Security Gate, with the Ready Room and LCT on the left and the Assembly Building on the Right.


Image by Ken Nendick - Chicago - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Launching Area Buildings Overview

This is a great perspective of the Launching Area's physical Buildings. It was taken from Alpha Section's high berm that separates the launchers and missile hanger from the main buildings in the event of an explosion.

A reverse view of the berm can be seen in the next image. It is taken from the rear corner of the Ready Room, which is the low building on the far right in this image.

The key is the far right curve of that large black fuel tank next to the Ready Room, because it helps define the smaller berm around the tank in relation to the larger berm of Alpha Section. So look for that.

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Area Behind LCT W/Alpha Section Revetment In The Distance

The revetment you see in the far distance is Alpha Section. As discussed in the previous image the black curve of the fuel tank to the far right of the image helps define the two berms.

As the outline of the tank curves around from top to bottom you will see the top of the spill berm defined. If you follow the line horizontally to the left you will see the Alpha Section berm in the distance, and the top of that berm is defined by the tree line in the background. It is from the top left of the Alpha Section berm that I took the previous image.


Image by Jim Fitzpatrick - Pennsylvania - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Launching Area Buildings Overview


Image by Jim Fitzpatrick - Pennsylvania - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Launching Area Buildings Detail

Left to right: The Ready Room, The LCT (with the Star), The Generator Building Area, and Assembly (Missile Maintenance)


Image by Jim Fitzpatrick - Pennsylvania - 1960

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- Click Here For Larger Image -Ready Room Detail


Image by Jim Fitzpatrick - Pennsylvania - 1960

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