Charlie Battery - Kleingartach
The Launching Area - 1959 - 1969
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Bravo Section With Alpha Section Just Above It
This is a good shot of Bravo Section, unfortunately it's a bit out of focus. There are some images that even Photoshop can't fix. However, it is still useful because it shows the Alpha Section and Bravo relationship.
After passing through the the inner perimeter security gate one would take an immediate left and go up the hill to Alpha, and to go to Bravo Section one go to the immediate right, down the hill. So the two sections were almost in a straight line from each other. And Charlie Section is to the right in this image.
Isn't that fascinating...!
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Launcher Two From Inside Revetment
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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Bravo Section - I Think It’s A Rocket
This is a great shot, and I discovered why while using the magnification tool. It's amazing how many little treasures I have found with this tool while working with all of these images. Visuals that are to small and get passed by, or just by not being observant enough.
What I discovered was something I stressed upon at the beginning of this section, but in the reverse. And that is the importance of “Line of Site” from the Launching Area and The IFC. I pointed out the notches in the tree line exposing the three sections, and in this detail it is illustrated perfectly, but from the opposite perspective. If you “Click Here”, you will see what I mean. It was a wonderful little discovery.
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Also in the detail on the back track to the launcher, on the far right is a “Yellow Safety Stop”. They prevent any movement along the tracks, and they are simply flipped either forward to be utilized, or backward to be cleared.
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Fill ’er up with Regular...?
Charlie Section.
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Close-up Of Green Nike Hercules -1967
Charlie Section.
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Nike Hercules After Painted Green -1967
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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...!
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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.
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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.
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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.