![]() ![]() The Washington sites had a high incidence of accidents, but no deaths. Missile site construction was dangerous work. Solid fuel could be stored in the missile, so prelaunch fueling was not required, saving 15 minutes. By the mid-1960s solid-fuel Minuteman missiles replaced the liquid-fueled missiles. ![]() The Titan I had fueling advantages over the Atlas with its stiffer shell that reduced the explosion risks. A Fairchild site experienced a fueling accident during a launch test. Also, the liquid fuel volatility made the fueling procedure very dangerous. For the Atlas the fueling was done with the missile on the surface, which exposed it and made it vulnerable. This required 15-minutes for the Titan I, delaying reaction time. It required that the missile be stored empty and fueled for flight. The liquid fuel, a mixture of liquid oxygen and kerosene, which propelled both the Atlas E and Titan missiles, was a major problem. It was a liquid-fueled missile that delivered a nuclear warhead more than 100 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped at Nagasaki in 1945. A self-contained, automatic inertial guidance system was accurate to within one-and-one-half miles. The 82-foot-tall missile had a speed reaching nearly 16,000 miles per hour. The Atlas E was the first intercontinental ballistic missile developed and then deployed in the United States. The Titan was developed in case the Atlas encountered developmental problems and it also created competition between the programs. Both the Atlas and the Titan I missiles had been rushed into development in 1959. The Titan I, named for its power (in Greek mythology Titan was the father of Zeus), was placed at three bases in the vicinity of Larson Air Force Base at Moses Lake. The Atlas E, named for the Atlas of Greek mythology, was placed at nine sites around Fairchild Air Force Base, located near Spokane. Two types of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles were installed in Washington state. Available for the missile sites were large open areas in the vicinity of existing air force bases. This basing was close to the Soviet Union while also being inland of the more vulnerable coast. The intercontinental ballistic missiles were located in the central and eastern areas of the state. Military basing included radars, fighter-interceptors, long-range bombers, submarines, Nike missiles, and intercontinental ballistic missiles. ![]() All but one of the missile complexes were sold to private individuals and today they remain in private ownership.ĭuring the Cold War, Washington state became an important military defensive and deterrence location. By 1965 these missiles were outmoded and the bases closed. The Atlas E and Titan I missiles were installed, and during 1961-1962, the ICBM bases became operational. The intercontinental ballistic missiles served as a warning to the Soviet Union that any attack on the United States would bring about its destruction. Eighteen intercontinental ballistic missiles installed near Moses Lake and Spokane were a significant deterrence element. See how many you can find.During the Cold War Washington state served an important role in defending the United States and in deterring attacks. When I needed a break from writing the series, I found myself scrolling around Nebraska and Colorado, looking for silos and bunkers. The missile base I visited, Foxtrot-01, is right there on Google Maps. missile silos to make sure America is adhering to international arms-control treaties. Moreover, as other commenters noted, the sites are already visited by foreign militaries. You need security clearances to access the sites however, it would be hard to 'hide' such facilities." "They are near county and state roads that are public access to people. Edith Sakura of the 90th Missile Wing Office of Public Affairs wrote in an email. The missiles and their command bunkers have been in the same place "for decades," Air Force Capt. In truth, the location of these weapons is no secret. Ken Albertson summed up what several of our readers were thinking: "Thanks for the map. Source: Historic American Engineering Record ![]()
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