AMERICAN MILITARY UNIVERSITYCharles Town, West Virginia

Final Research Report

Submitted ByJonathan Wood

4227250HIST634

22 Jun 2014

In the early 1960s, Abilene, TX became the home of an Atlas F missile silo complex

housing 12 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The 12 sites were positioned in six

different counties in a 35 mile radius around Abilene and operated by nearby Dyess Air Force

Base (AFB). During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, all 12 ICBMs were raised to their launch

pads as missile crews nervously awaited their next order. Fortunately, the crisis was solved

diplomatically and no missiles were ever launched. The costly Atlas F program was short lived

as the ICBMs were phased-out, with the final one leaving the Abilene area in 1965. Today, there

is little noticeable evidence of the missile program, except for what remains of the 12 silos. Only

two of the silos are inhabitable as one has been completely renovated into an underground home.

The other is the Lawn silo, which is a potential site for preservation. If this site were preserved

for public access, it could educate the Abilene community and the nation about its unique Cold

War history for generations to come.

In the early 1950s, German scientists repatriated from the Soviet Union told American

intelligence personnel that the Soviets were working hard to develop a long range ballistic

missile. Shortly after, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) began monitoring Soviet ballistic

missile tests from a radar station in Turkey. Adding to America’s fears, the Soviet Union

launched Sputnik I into orbit in October of 1957, placing the world’s first artificial satellite into

space.1 Several years later, American satellite reconnaissance photographs provided

confirmation of Soviet ballistic missile deployment sites. Suddenly, America’s Intercontinental

Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program was thrust into the national spotlight, with the Air Force’s

acceleration of the Atlas program being at the forefront.2

In January of 1960, State Representative Omar Burleson and Senator Lyndon Johnson

announced that the Abilene, TX area had been selected as the only Texas location for

construction of an Atlas F ICBM complex.3 The Air Force determined where the exact locations

of the missile launch facilities would be based on missile range and distance to the target. The

missile facilities were also located far enough inland to be out of Soviet submarine-launch

missile range.4

The original missile announcement mentioned the construction of nine firing sites.

However, 90 days later the Department of Defense (DoD) expanded the Abilene complex to 12

firing sites.5 The launch facilities were to be spaced far enough apart to ensure that each

constituted a separate target. At a minimum, the sites were to be separated such that a nuclear

1. U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL), To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program, by John Lonnquest and David Winkler, N-97/01 (Champaign, IL: Defense Publishing Service 1996), 66-67.

2. Raymond Garthoff, A Journey Through the Cold War: A Memoir of Containment and Coexistence (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2001), EBSCO Publishing e-book.

3. Larry Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’ In West Texas in ‘60s?,” The Abilene Reporter News, May 29, 1981.

4. USACERL, To Defend and Deter, 77-78. 5. Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’,” May 29, 1981.

burst would not destroy the neighboring facilities.6 This put the sites in six different counties in

a 35 mile radius surrounding Abilene. The 12 locations chosen for the sites were Phantom Lake,

Albany, Clyde, Denton Valley, Oplin, Lawn, Bradshaw, Winters, Shep, Nolan, Anson and

Corinth West.7

The work was managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Corps of

Engineers Ballistic Missile Construction Office (CEBMCO). The expenditures were credited to

CEBMCO, keeping it off Air Force budgets and helping to deflect concern about the already

high cost of the ICBM program.8 In May of 1960, Zachry-Brown of San Antonio won the

construction contract to build the 12 hardened underground silos with a total cost of $60 million

set by the DoD.9

Building the silos to house the massive Atlas missiles was an enormous undertaking.

Each site was started with the removal of 37,500 cubic yards of earth before construction could

begin. This allowed for the building of the circular silo, measuring down to a depth of 174 feet.10

Additionally, the site would contain all refueling and maintenance equipment needed to sustain

the missile and an adjacent underground Launch Control Center (LCC).11 Each mega structure

required 7,847 cubic yards of concrete and 1,388 tons of steel to withstand a 5-megaton nuclear

blast within four miles of the silo.12 In case of such a blast, a metal structure held the Atlas

6. USACERL, To Defend and Deter, 78. 7. Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’,” May 29, 1981. 8. Stephen Schwartz, Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940

(Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1998), EBSCO Publishing e-book. 9. Gayle McNutt, “Atlas Base Ups Abilene’s Defense Role: Bids Due Thursday on Huge AF Project,” The

Abilene Reporter News, May 20, 1960. 10. USACERL, To Defend and Deter, 83. 11. McNutt, Atlas Base Ups Abilene,” May 20, 1960. 12. USACERL, To Defend and Deter, 83.

missile, which was cradled between huge shock struts suspended from giant springs to absorb

vibrations.13

Each Atlas F facility consisted of the main missile silo with an underground tunnel

connecting to the (LCC), both of which were only accessible through an above ground entry

way.14 The circular shaped LCC, which was 25 feet underground, remained fully stocked with

food and water, which would sustain a missile crew for up to 30 days in case of nuclear war.15

The silo was covered by two doors, each 5 feet thick and weighing more than 70 tons. The doors

were attached to a slab of concrete, which was 9 feet thick. Huge hydraulic pistons could open

the doors to vertical positions within 30 seconds to allow the missile to be elevated and

launched.16

Local communities expressed mixed feelings about construction of the missile sites in the

immediate area. Most were content with the influx of dollars that the missile complexes brought

into the local community. With the installation of 12 Atlas missile silos, most of the

government’s allotted construction money went directly to area contractors, support services and

workers. Also, Air Force public relations efforts and the public’s deep sense of patriotism

combined to promote a positive atmosphere. For many, there was a sense of pride in the feeling

that they were contributing to America’s stand against the Soviets. Others were more

apprehensive as they viewed the missile sites as making their community a target for the Soviets’

rockets.17

13. Billy Harris, “Underground Silo Chosen as Site of National Atlas Museum,” TexNews, http://www.texnews.com/1998/1999/local/atlas0618.html (accessed June 19, 2014).

14. “Atlas F Complexes,” Atlas Missile Silo, http://www.atlasmissilesilo.com/atlas_f.htm (accessed June 16, 2014).

15. Tiffany Walden, “Dyess Vets Recall Cuban Missile Crisis and How Close Their Fingers Were to the Launch Buttons,” Reporter-News, http://www.reporternews.com/news/2012/oct/14/dyess-vets-recall-cuban-missile-crisis-151-and/ (accessed June 17, 2014).

16. Harris, “Underground Silo Chosen,” 17. USACERL, To Defend and Deter, 95-96.

On 21 June 1961, Oplin became the first of 12 sites to be finished. It was also the first

Atlas F site in America to be completed on schedule. It would remain in the checkout phase

until April of the following year as technical work and inspections had to be conducted by

General Dynamic Astronautics personnel, the company which manufactured the Atlas.18 In the

meantime, the first of the 92 million dollar Atlas missiles19 was delivered to Dyess AFB by

aircraft on 5 December 1961. It remained in Dyess’ Missile Assembly Building until the Oplin

site cleared the appropriate phase of checkout. In April of 1962, the Oplin silo received the 1st

Dyess Atlas F ICBM. A special convoy escorted the Atlas to the site, which took 90 minutes to

travel 24 miles. The missile was appropriately named “Spirit of Oplin.”20 Once in its silo, a W-

38 Y1 warhead was attached, which measured 32 feet wide and 82.5 feet tall, weighing 3,080

lbs.21 The remaining 11 sites were finished soon after and equipped with ICBMs.

Dyess AFB, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation, would have control over the

sites. During ceremonies in November 1962, Col William McDowell Jr., commander of the 96th

Strategic Aerospace Wing at Dyess, accepted the sites from Col Hugh Manson, commander of

the Site Activation Task Force. Col Ray Cole was commander of the 578th Strategic Missile

Squadron (SMS), which was the unit with operational control over the complex.22

Each silo was manned by a five man launch crew led by the Missile Combat Crew

Commander (MCCC), who was also responsible for one of the two keys necessary for missile

launch. Second in in command was the Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander (DMCCC),

who was responsible for the other key required to launch the missile. The Ballistic Missile

Analyst Technician (BMAT), who was an enlisted person, was in charge of various electronic 18. Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’,” May 29, 1981. 19. Schwartz, Atomic Audit, e-book. 20. Tom Decola, “Oplin Silo Now Holds 1st Dyess Atlas ICBM,” Dyess Peacemaker, May 3, 1962. 21. Schwartz, Atomic Audit, e-book. 22. “New Weapon Scheduled for Dyess Arsenal,” Abilene Salutes Dyess/1962, 1962.

systems involved with the missile, such as the extensive electronic wiring and numerous sensors.

Another enlisted person on the crew was the Missile Facilities Technician (MFT), who was

responsible for the various physical systems involved with the missile, such as hydraulics, liquid

oxygen (LOX), propellants and air conditioning. The final member of the team was the

Electrical Power Production Technician (EPPT), who was in charge of the on-site power

production equipment, mostly produced by diesel generators.23

On 25 Oct 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy increased

the military readiness to DEFCON 2, one level below missile launch action. All Dyess missiles

were raised 185 feet to their launch pads as missile crews awaited their next order. On 28 Oct,

the crisis was solved diplomatically without nuclear or conventional war.24

In November 1964, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara directed the phase-out of the

Abilene Atlas F missile complex with a deadline of 31 March 1965. This was probably done for

several reasons, but mostly due to the liquid propellants used by the Atlas requiring cryogenic

storage. These propellants could not be kept inside the missiles except for a very brief period

before launch; otherwise it posed a risk of serious damage to the missiles. The Abilene sites

never had any accidental explosions, but similar systems at a New Mexico site had several,

which were all related to the liquid propellants. The situation essentially limited the missiles

utility and prompted the search for less volatile, storable fuels.25

The missiles were transported via highway to Norton AFB in San Bernardino, California,

with the final one departing Abilene on 10 February 1965. Many of them were re-used as launch

vehicles; some were even used for the Mercury manned space program. As the missiles were

phased out, so was the 578 SMS, which was officially deactivated on 25 March 1965. The Air 23. “Atlas F Complexes,” Atlas Missile Silo, http://www.atlasmissilesilo.com/atlas_f.htm (accessed June

16, 2014).24. Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’,” May 29, 1981.25. Schwartz, Atomic Audit, e-book.

Force’s ICBM mission would be carried out by more modern and powerful ICBMs at other

locations.26

The silos are the only remnants of Abilene’s ICBM days and are only visible to those

searching for or familiar with the locations. If one silo was preserved and made accessible to the

public, more of the population would be aware of the unique history of Abilene and Dyess AFB.

Out of the 12 Abilene silos, only two are worth restoring, which are the Oplin and Lawn sites.

The rest of the sites are beyond repair, such as the Winters location, which was declared an

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site after years of Class I solid waste

dumping.27 The Oplin site is owned by Mr. Bruce Townsley and has already been renovated into

a private residence. However, the city of Lawn has leased their site to Mr. Larry Sounders who

would like to restore it to its original state and turn it into a museum, with help from the Abilene

Preservation League (APL).28

Impact

26. Lawrence, “Remember ‘Atlas Age’,” May 29, 1981. 27. “Materials Recovery Enterprises,” Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,

http://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/superfund/state/mre.html (accessed June 20, 2014). 28. Bill Whitaker, “Deep Insights: Missile Silo Open House Will Let Visitors Descend Into the Area’s

Past,” TexNews, http://www.texnews.com/1998/2000/brazos/bill0622.html (accessed June 17, 2014).

There were a total of 72 Atlas F intercontinental ballistic missile sites adjacent to other

Air Force installations across the country. Additionally, there were also approximately 100 E

and B model sites, which differed from the F by launching techniques. None of these locations

have a museum reflecting the contributions of the missile sites and crews to national security;

this is why a well-maintained missile silo museum has the potential to become a popular

attraction.29 The Lawn silo could be the nation’s first and only Atlas museum.

It would be an outdoor museum that consists of its original buildings on their original

sites as the two Quonset huts are still in place above ground as well.30 The silo and surrounding

facilities are definitely historic resources that would attract travelers from all over the world.

This would ultimately equate to an influx in heritage tourism which helps make preservation

economically viable and looked at as a revitalization strategy. According to the National Trust

for Historic Preservation, “Studies have consistently shown that heritage travelers stay longer

and spend more money than other kinds of travelers.”31

Some of the framework is already in place, such as the events that transpired in 2001 as

FM (Farm to Market) 604 road was declared ICBM Highway. The 51 mile stretch of farm road

goes by five of the dozen Atlas ICBM silos. The project was taken on by the Atlas ICBM

Historical Society as they were trying to increase community awareness of their role in the Cold

War.32

There are a number of different audience types for the Atlas Museum. It can be used as

an educational tool for Abilene’s five universities and three high schools. Furthermore, Dyess 29. Billy Harris, “Underground Silo Chosen as Site of National Atlas Museum,” TexNews,

http://www.texnews.com/1998/1999/local/atlas0618.html (accessed June 19, 2014). 30. William Murtagh, Keeping Time, 3rd ed. (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2006), 75. 31. “Heritage Tourism,” National Trust for Historic Preservation,

http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/economics-of-revitalization/heritage-tourism/ (accessed June 22, 2014).

32. Bill Whitaker, “Blacktop in Lawn Gets Credit for Cold War Victory,” Reporter-News Archives, http://www.texnews.com/1998/2001/local/road0906.html (accessed June 17, 2014).

AFB, is close by with its 13,000 Airmen and civilian employees who may have an interest in the

silo. The site may also draw Airmen from Goodfellow AFB, which is merely a 1 hour and 30

minute drive from the south. The universities and Air Force bases have a consistent turnover of

personnel with new students and Airmen arriving annually.

Since restoration may require approximately five years or more to accomplish, the

bottom floor of the LCC will be completed first. Utilizing the silo’s Cold War mystique, the

plan is to allow the site to generate revenue by being a rentable banquet hall for veterans, Air

Force groups, college and high school clubs and anyone else brave enough to hold a gathering

deep underground.33

This preservation effort will have to be a communal effort with volunteers and

individuals with expertise. Some of the partners in this effort will come from the APL, Atlas

ICBM Historical Society, ACU, Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University and Dyess

AFB.

A few of the challenges in preserving the site is that it is 25 miles away from the closest

major city, Abilene. This makes work on the site more pain staking in coordinating deliveries

and supply runs. Another challenge is the significant number of stairs in the silo, which makes

hauling out garbage or bringing items in more labor intensive.34 It also makes visiting the silo

difficult or impossible for someone with disabilities or walking problems.

Major Costs

33. Bill Whitaker, “Deep Insights: Missile Silo Open House Will Let Visitors Descend Into the Area’s Past,” TexNews, http://www.texnews.com/1998/2000/brazos/bill0622.html (accessed June 17, 2014).

34. Greg Kendall-Ball, “Silo Sweet Silo: Old Missile Station Now Called Home,” Reporter News, http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/nov/21/silo-sweet-silo-n-old-missile-station-now-called/ (accessed June 18, 2014).

The first financial hurdle is to purchase the silo from the city of Lawn as it is currently

being leased. The most ideal scenario would be for the APL to purchase the site as they are very

familiar with purchasing and preserving historic properties. Once purchased, the quarter mile

road which leads to the silo is in need of repaving. The vegetation on both sides of the road is

overgrown and needs to be trimmed back. Once this is complete, work can be started on

converting one of the Quonset huts into an air-conditioned dining area, which will also contain

restrooms for visitors. To make this rural area functional, it will require a communal effort to

acquire electricity, plumbing, telephone service, running water and a septic tank.

Repairs inside the silo include removing ground water that has made its way into the

ventilation shafts that run deep into the facility. The infiltration of ground water has also caused

a foul smell,35 which will take some time to dissipate after the water is drained. The moisture has

also caused layers of rust, which after removed will require the surfaces to be painted with white

paint, except for the thick blast doors, which are red.36

One important aspect will be to make the 75 ton silo blast doors operable as only one of

the 72 Atlas F sites currently has them operational, which is Bruce Townsend’s home.37 It will

require a powerful hydraulic ram, which may take up to 15 minutes to open. The purpose is

twofold, it will allow natural light into the silo to allow visitors to view the facility and also

allow the saturated silo to air out.

As the interior is restored and finances become available, the APL and Atlas ICBM

Historical Society can began looking into purchasing many of the old items that originally made

35. Bill Whitaker, “Deep Insights: Missile Silo Open House Will Let Visitors Descend Into the Area’s Past,” TexNews, http://www.texnews.com/1998/2000/brazos/bill0622.html (accessed June 17, 2014).

36. Zeke Campfield, “Hobart Man Fixing Up Old Missile Silo as a Home,” Journal Record, Dec 24, 2009.37. Greg Kendall-Ball, “Silo Sweet Silo: Old Missile Station Now Called Home,” Reporter News,

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/nov/21/silo-sweet-silo-n-old-missile-station-now-called/ (accessed June 18, 2014).

up the LCC. The idea isn’t for the items to be fully functional, but allow visitors to get a sense

how the silo functioned in the 60s. Since a significant amount of time has passed and technology

has changed greatly, some of the equipment will have to be reproduced.

To assist with funding, The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offers two

grants that the museum will apply for. The first is the Museums, Libraries and Cultural

Organization: Planning Grant and the second is the Museums, Libraries, and Cultural

Organization: Implementation Grant.38 The partnerships for this project will be the Abilene

Preservation League (APL), Atlas ICBM Historical Society and Dyess AFB Historian. The APL

has experience in fundraising and working with local businesses.

In conclusion, the Lawn missile silo is one of the few remnants of the Cold War that

serves as a reminder of Abilene’s contribution to the security of our nation. Although it has been

neglected for decades, with community support and funding, it has the potential to be preserved.

With only two inhabitable sites left in the Abilene area, this is a rare opportunity that should be

acted on. If this site were preserved for public access, such a museum, it could educate the

Abilene community and the nation about its unique Cold War history for generations to come.

Construction of the Clyde site

38. “Grant Opportunities, Application Guidelines, and Resources for Managing Your Grant,” National Endowment for the Humanities, http://www.neh.gov/grants (accessed June 22, 2014).

Rendering of an Atlas F silo composition

Atlas F LCC

First Atlas delivered to Dyess AFB

Spirit of Oplin

Entrance to the Lawn site in 2013

Atlas ICBM Highway

View from inside the Oplin silo in 2013

View looking into the Oplin silo in 2013

Bibliography:

“Atlas F Complexes.” Atlas Missile Silo. http://www.atlasmissilesilo.com/atlas_f.htm (accessed June 16, 2014).

Campfield, Zeke. “Hobart Man Fixing Up Old Missile Silo as a Home.” Journal Record. Dec 24, 2009.

Decola, Tom, “Oplin Silo Now Holds 1st Dyess Atlas ICBM.” Dyess Peacemaker, May 3, 1962.

Garthoff, Raymond. A Journey Through the Cold War: A Memoir of Containment and Coexistence. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2001. EBSCO Publishing e-book.

“Grant Opportunities, Application Guidelines, and Resources for Managing Your Grant,” National Endowment for the Humanities, http://www.neh.gov/grants (accessed June 22, 2014).

Harris, Billy. “Underground Silo Chosen as Site of National Atlas Museum.” TexNews. http://www.texnews.com/1998/1999/local/atlas0618.html (accessed 19 June, 2014).

“Heritage Tourism.” National Trust for Historic Preservation. http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/economics-of-revitalization/heritage-tourism/ (accessed June 22, 2014).

Kendall-Ball, Greg. “Silo Sweet Silo: Old Missile Station Now Called Home.” Reporter News. http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/nov/21/silo-sweet-silo-n-old-missile-station-now-called/ (accessed June 18, 2014).

Kendall, Jennifer. “Fifty Years After Cuban Missile Crisis, Local Veterans Look Back at Their Involvement.” KTXS, http://www.ktxs.com/news/Fifty-years-after-Cuban-Missile-Crisis-local-veterans-look-back-at-their-involvement/16985680 (accessed June 16, 2014).

Lawrence, Larry. “Remember ‘Atlas Age’ In West Texas in ‘60s?.” The Abilene Reporter News. May 29, 1981.

“Materials Recovery Enterprises.” Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/superfund/state/mre.html (accessed June 20, 2014).

McNutt, Gayle. “Atlas Base Ups Abilene’s Defense Role: Bids Due Thursday On Huge AF Project.” The Abilene Reporter News. May 20, 1960.

Murtagh, William. Keeping Time. 3rd ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2006.

“New Weapon Scheduled for Dyess Arsenal,” Abilene Salutes Dyess/1962, 1962.

Schwartz, Stephen. Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1998. EBSCO Publishing e-book.

U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program. By John Lonnquest and David Winkler. N-97/01. Champaign, IL: Defense Publishing Service, 1996.

Walden, Tiffany. “Dyess Vets Recall Cuban Missile Crisis and How Close Their Fingers Were to the Launch Buttons.” Reporter-News. http://www.reporternews.com/news/2012/oct/14/dyess-vets-recall-cuban-missile-crisis-151-and/ (accessed 17 June, 2014).

Whitaker, Bill. “Blacktop in Lawn Gets Credit for Cold War Victory.” Reporter-News Archives. http://www.texnews.com/1998/2001/local/road0906.html (accessed June 17, 2014).

Whitaker, Bill. “Deep Insights: Missile Silo Open House Will Let Visitors Descend Into the Area’s Past.” TexNews. http://www.texnews.com/1998/2000/brazos/bill0622.html (accessed June 17, 2014).