Charlie Battery Annual Service Practice - Crete 1978
by Randal Myers
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Crete Firing Team Group Photo
This is a group photo of the Hercules Assembly, checkout and firing team. The picture was taken in front of the Hardheim barracks.
Randal Myers was the only one not in the picture since he was the one taking the photo.
For an even larger view of this image please “Click Here”.
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Bus Ride To Ramstein AFB
Bus ride from Hardheim to Ramstein Air Force Base for our flight to Crete.
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Assembly Crew
CW-2 Guthrie and SFC Navarize headed to the Assembly site.
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Firing Crew
Firing crew assembling missile.
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Launcher And Rail
Initial inspection of the launcher and rail.
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Missile Prep
Final preperation and inspection of the missile befor firing.
The man in blue dress uniform is an Italian officer. He was present during all operations.
The missile seen in these photos is not the one assembled by our assembly crew. This one was assembled the week prior to our arrival by another battery.
It would take too long to assemble and fire the same Herc while under inspection.
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Missile Prep
All equipment in the bunker needed to be checked out along with the connection to the missile and the IFC prior to firing.
Remember at this time there wasn't any wireless connection. Every connection was hard wired. That's a lot of checking.
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Missile Prep
Testing the jumper plug used to allow activation of all of the motors on the missile.
In the event the signal was sent to fire the motors and they didn't fire my job was to remove the jumper.
During a checkout in the USA, stray voltage caused the booster motors to fire, killing two soldiers and seriously injuring one.
Not sure if I got the job because it was so important or I was expendable.
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Saying Goodbye
Saying goodbye to our Nike Herc.
The only time we got to something non-military to one.
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