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I used to live near Sandy Hook in NJ. There was a Nike base there, but also several decades of various gun emplacements. They even secretly had nuclear warheads
by hnbear 3y ago
I used to live near Sandy Hook in NJ. There was a Nike base there, but also several decades of various gun emplacements. They even secretly had nuclear warheads on the Nike Atlas missiles there to take out incoming bombers where the missiles were less accurate. No one in the towns around was told.
It’s an interesting historical place to walk around Fort Hancock as you see the batteries (no guns, sadly), and the Nike station.
The fortifications date from the civil war.
They have tours of the guns and missiles from time to time.
https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/sandyhookniketours.htm https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/sandyhookniketours.ht...
https://home.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/sandyhookpeople.htm https://home.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/sandyhookpeop...
- mcpackieh 3y ago> They even secretly had nuclear warheads on the Nike Atlas missiles there to take out incoming bombers where the missiles were less accurate. I think you mean Nike Ajax, although Ajax missiles adapted for nuclear warheads were actually called Nike Hercules.
- hnbear 3y agoYes, sorry, going from memory, and just had that it was another A-something god in mind. You’re right, Ajax, not Atlas.
- Apreche 3y agoA few years back when I was at sandy hook the missile system gate was open. Some veterans who used to operate it gave us a free tour of the equipment and explained all about it.
- rrdharan 3y agoI live near it now and can highly recommend a visit. I’m still surprised how many New Yorkers are unaware of this half of the Gateway area and the summer accessibility via the ferry.. though of course it’s plenty popular nonetheless.
- hnbear 3y agoThe trip down 36 can get brutal, but it’s a great bit of land all year round. Especially right up at the north end walking around the dunes. The inner beaches are beautiful and calm for young kids too. It’s a soft warm calm puddle in the summer, where the outer side gets rougher. The toddlers loved the inside and teens the outside. Taught my wife and one of the kids to drive down there too. Up at the end are really good, mostly empty roads and parking lots for beginner drivers to practice on.
- dyerjohn 3y agoHave you toured the Battleship NJ? The firing computer is a mechanical analog computer. It's wild to see what can be done with some precision ground gears.
- hnbear 3y agoNever made it, but they have some great YouTube explanations I’ve seen.