For

Fo
F or almost
alm
allm
mo
m ost fiffty
ty years
yea
y ears thethe
h United
Unitetedd States
S atte and the Union of Soviet Socialist
St
Republics
Reepu
R publlic
pub icss were
weere locked
loc
ocke keed in an ideological
id
deologi call conflict that defined the Cold War.
gica
gi ca
This
Thhiis era
erraa had
had itsts tense
its tten
een se moments,
nse moments ts,, onn the
the brink nuclear war episode and the
proliferation
pro
pr olif
olif
ifer
eratio
er on of weapons
ion wea eap pons
po ns beyond the he common
th com
co m imagination with the capability
to
o destroy
des
d estr
es tro
tr oy the
oy the world
wor
orld d in
ld in the
the blink
blin
bl nk of
in of an
an eye
ey many times over. Although proxy
wars
wa arss were
w raged
rage
ra ged
ge d in in the
the third
hird world,
third world ld, the
th two super powers avoided direct
confl
co
onfl ct that
fliict h t would
tha
ha woul
wo ulld test
uld tes their
the ir technological
heir tec
e hn
hno ologicalal advancements. The ever steady march
of technology was the battlefield of the Cold War and the Safeguard Missile
Program, perhaps more than any other technological development, was the
culmination of advancements made during this era.

Safeguard, like much of the Cold War technologies and events centered
on the protection of mainland US has received very little public attention
since its dismantling, much in contrast with the public and political attention
heaped on it at the time of its development and installation. The intent of this
publication is to capture some of the events leading up to the development of the
system, the system itself and its training program here on Ft Bliss. The facilities
on Ft Bliss that housed the Safeguard training program have great significance
not only in our Nation’s history but also for understanding global events of the
time. It has been determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register of
Historic Places in recognition of this significance. This public oriented publica-
tion offers a beginning point in understanding this period from which, hopefully,
further understanding may be built upon.

Center to preparing this publication were Chuck Angelo and Donsel Champ
who served on Ft Bliss as part of the Safeguard training program. Both men
hold key institutional knowledge of the program and were kind enough
to share their knowledge in preparing the following. Thank you for your
time and your depth of knowledge, it has added greatly to this publication.
I also like to acknowledge the outstanding work of Cherilyn Widell in the
research necessary in preparing this publication along with Shannon McCord,
Guy Garrett and Jamie Pritchett in the layout of it. Thank you all!

Russell Sackett
Historical Architect

I
 R
Richard
Rich M. Nixon announced the Program’s deployment.
Introduction The purpose of the Program was simple - to protect
T
America’s ability to strike back with nuclear arms
Am
A
During the 20th Century,
Ceent ury, The Cold War was one
ntury iif attacked.
at
of the most notable bl and
bl d memorablebl periods
d off
the era. For nearly a half-century the US and the Although the Safeguard Missile Program was
then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) extremely short-lived, a massive, concentrated
competed for world dominance through military effort went into the planning and preparation
initiatives, nuclear arms, espionage, space exploration for the Program. All of the technical training for
as well as industrial and technological advancement. Safeguard took place entirely at Fort Bliss, Texas;
some in special facilities constructed exclusively for
“In this atomic age no nation can survive to the program.
fight a global war unless it protects itself from
the rain of enemy atomic bombs.” The construction and manning of the site is credited
with beginning, the decline, and eventual end, of the
- General Stanley R. Mickelsen,
nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union.
November, 1957

Of all these arenas, the nuclear arms race was

one of the most pivotal in the political tug-of-war
between these two World powers. During this time,
The Safeguard Missile Program was at the
forefront of the US nuclear strategy.

The Safeguard Missile Program

Reached its zenith in 1975
with the construction and
activation of the Stanley
R. Mickelsen Safeguard
Missile Complex in
Nekoma, North Dakota.
The Safeguard Missile
site, which cost more
than $500 million to
construct, was fully
operational for less
than 24 hours and was
the only operating anti-
ballistic missile (ABM)
facility ever completed in
the US.

The Safeguard Missile Program

began in March of 1969 when
newly sworn-in US President

1
 when
w hen it established nuclear
The Beginning capabilities
ca
apa
pa and used atomic
bombs
b
boom to cause the surren-
Although the
hee “Cold
“Cold
Co War”
old W aarr” offi
offfic ia ly began
ficial
ccially begaann in
in 1947,
1947
1947
19 7, derr o
de
d of Japan in 1945. Short-
the US andd USSR
USSSR had
h d been
b at growing i ideological
id
i l i l ly after in 1949, the USSR
odds for some 30 years prior when a Russian Com- detonated its first atom-
munist regime led by Vladmir Lenin ousted Russian ic bomb and the nuclear
Tsar Nicholas II. The new government’s goal was to arms race between the two
overthrow capitalism countries began. Using the
which the US perceived existing technology of
as a threat to its national utilizing missile defense
security. Vladimir Lenin was the 1st
against bombers, American de facto leader of the USSR,
scientists and engineers be- and primary theorist of
In 1922, when Joseph gan searching for a way to Leninism.
Stalin became leader of protect the US against long
the USSR, the relationship range ballistic mis-
with the US worsened. siles. During these
Stalin continued to landmark technologi-
support Lenin’s theory cal developments, the
of “socialism in one world became polar-
Russian Tsar Nicholas II ruled country,” but his ultimate ized between the two
from 1894 until his forced goal was to promote super powers and their
abdication in 1917.
what he called indus- nuclear capabilities.
trialism and collectivization – two initiatives that led
to the deaths of what is estimated at millions of Rus- In addition to the
sian citizens. During his 29-year reign he continued to two country’s rapidly
dominate neighboring countries to continue building JJoseph
Josephh Stalin
Staali
lin
n became
beca
be came
ca me leader
lea
e ddeer off the
the
h growing nuclear hold-
USSR in 1922. ings, three significant
Communism - A political theory derived incidents occurred that contributed to the escalating
from Marxism (Communist Manifesto by threat of nuclear war between the two nations:
Karl Marx), advocating a society in which all
property is publicly owned and each person is 1. On May 1, 1960, an American U-2 spy plane
paid, and works, according to his or her needs piloted by Francis Gary Powers, gathering infor-
and abilities, ultimately creating an economic mation about Soviet missile capabilities on a high
system by which all means of production are altitude reconnaissance flight, was brought down
controlled by the government.
near Sverdlovsk, causing the capture of the pilot.

toward the demise of the capitalism of England and

the US. A key defense to his program was the contin-
ued expansion of military and weapons, an initiative Socialism - Another Marxist theory defining
that continually closed the USSR off to the world. an economic system based on public ownership
of all means of production as well as all
At the end of World War II the threat increased with distribution of goods and wealth.
the introduction of atomic weapons. The US had been
at the forefront of this technological breakthrough

2
2. In response to this event, Soviet Premier Nikita
Khrushchev stunned the world by hammering
his shoe on a desk during a speech at the
United Nations in New York on October 11, 1960.

Capitalism - An economic system in which

3. Those actions were an indicator of what was to
individuals have the ability to produce their
come in October 1960, when the USSR aimed own goods and income, encouraging private-
nuclear tipped missiles at the US from Cuba- ownership and competition.
just 150 km south of Florida. Known as the
Cuban Missile Crisis, a nuclear war between
the US and the USSR was barely averted
through skillful negotiation by President
John F. Kennedy. These events resulted in ABM
defense of nuclear weapons becoming a top
priority for the US overnight.

3
Nikita Khrushchev stunned the world by hammering his shoe on a desk during a speech at the United Nations

4
 were launched to reach the
w
The Cradle of Port area, and those caused
Po
only minimal damage.
on
American
Even with this landmark
E
Ev
Rocketry defensive success, the US War
de
Department determined that
D
Antiballistic missile (ABM) - A defensive
e the continued development
th
missile designed to intercept and destroy an of long-range missiles was an
in-flight ballistic missile. increasing threat and would
require the US to amass much
Ballistic missile - A missile that is guided in
the first part of its flight but falls freely as it more sophisticated defenses.
approaches a target. German V-2 rocket
The Germans continued to
develop their offense with the creation of the V-2
rocket. This was an early ballistic missile that weighed
The first pilotless aircrafts (PAC) to be used effective-
nearly 12 tons and traveled faster than the speed of
ly in warfare was the German V-1 rocket often called
sound. Traveling that fast you could not see it, and
the “flying bomb,” “buzz bomb,” or “doodle bug.”
would only know you had been hit when it exploded.
This warhead carried 1,660 pounds of high explosive
Ultimately, there was no defense against it and it was
mmaterial, had a
the ultimate technology at the end of World War II.
rrange of 250 miles
As a result, the US government began the conception
aand could travel
and development of “guided interceptor missiles” or
uup to 350 miles
what became know as ABMs.
aan hour.

The US Army organized the First Antiaircraft

Artillery and Guided Missile Battalion and School
German V-1 rocket
by September 1946 at Fort
Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Under
When the PAC reached its
what was called Operation
target, the fuel supply was
Paperclip, Fort Bliss became
cut off, and then it dove and
the center of research of the
exploded. Such long range
German V-2 rocket research led
missiles posed a real threat in
by, German Scientist Wernher
battle. During WWII there were
Von Braun as well as the devel-
V-1 attacks during the Defense
opment of the first ABMs.
of the Port of Antwerp. Dur-
ing these attacks, the Germans
averaged launching 160 V-1
bombs within a 24-hour
period. The US Army respond-
ed with an unprecedented
defense using antiaircraft
military units and allowed only
211 of the 4,883 total V-1s that German Scientist Wernher Von Braun

5
Operation t
that carried a conventional warhead and
had a range of 25-30 miles. The Nike Ajax
h

Paperclip was developed solely to replace the older

w
gun-based systems that were proving to be less
g
aand less able to effectively defend against the
Operation Paperclip was a US intelligence-led improving technology of the enemy’s manned-
initiative during the final stages of World War II in bombers and fighter aircrafts.
which the US removed German scientists from Nazi
Germany and brought them to the US to garner The Nike Ajax was deployed in 1953 at Fort Meade in
their scientific knowledge and expertise on missile Maryland and was then systematically placed around

Operation Paperclip Team

development. Although this was a controversial the US to protect strategic and tactical sites, cities and
scheme, as many of the scientists had Nazi ties, military installations, as well as serving as a last-line
this initiative single-handedly changed the course of defense from air attack.
of American missile
development and As the Cold War strengthened, so did the strength of
launched the US USSR missiles. The US Army became concerned that
into the rocket age. the Nike Ajax might not be enough to halt a massive
USSR air attack. As a result, a stealthier version of
One of the first the Nike Ajax was soon developed. Dubbed the Nike
missiles to be de- Hercules, this surface-to-air missile had a range three
veloped and tested times that of its predecessor. The new missile was
at the Fort Bliss designed to operate using the same framework
facility was the Nike as the Nike Ajax – just more of it. Nike Hercules
Ajax surface-to-air required four of the Nike Ajax liquid-fuel rockets for its
missile system. In- high-powered launch.
troduced in 1946,
this projectile was a Aside from bigger and faster, the Nike Hercules
Nike Ajax Missile liquid fuel missile was not much more advanced than the Nike Ajax.
6
The missile’s purpose was basically the same as the
Nike Ajax - designed to engage and destroy whole
formations of fixed-wing aircrafts. This missile’s
technology was not capable of effectively targeting
incoming missiles and could not be depended on for
this function. However, this advancement was still
a milestone in the missile defense technology that
would continue to improve over time.

Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)

- An intercontinental ballistic missile, or
ICBM, is a long-range ballistic missile that can
travel up to 3,500 miles and carries a highly
destructive amount of nuclear power. These are Nike
N
Nike Z
Zeus
eu
us Missile
Mis ile (Also known as
Miss
Mi as the Nike II)
the most destructive of all the ballistic missiles.

Nike Zeus (also known as the Nike II), which was

The Nike Hercules was not developed at Fort Bliss, the third generation development in the Nike Missile
but missile training was conducted at the Army Air project and the first US ABM ever developed. This
Defense School (AADS) on the base and testing of the long range missile could travel hundreds of miles and
missile took place at White Sands Missile Range in was capable of identifying and intercepting enemy
New Mexico. missiles. Its tests proved that Nike Zeus could inter-
cept a true ICBM, which it actually did nine times.
Nike
N Hercules It also destroyed a satellite in earth orbit.
was
w released for
deployment
d to The Nike Zeus was never deployed, however the
replace
r the Nike success of its technology served as a prototype for
Ajax
A in 1958. further ABM development, and defined the US ABM
system technology requirements and site policy for
As
A the USSR the next 25 years. As with any system of power, there
continued
c to was internal strife among the armed forces on who
increase
i their would control the missiles and their deployment.
nuclear
n capabili- The US Army, newly formed US Air Force, and the
ties,
t the US strat- US Marines all had opinions on how the operations
egized
e how to should be run and who should be in control. The
defend
d against it. disagreement between the armed forces was resolved
The
T fear of long- on November 25, 1956 by President Eisenhower’s’
range
r bombers Secretary of Defense, Charles E. Wilson, who assigned
The
Th
he Sprint
Sp t (left)
(le
left
ft)) and
a d Spartan
an Sp
S partaan (right)
( ig
(r ght
ht)) was
w replaced responsibility for the “development, procurement,
missiles
with those asso- and manning of land-based, surface-to-air missile
ciated with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). systems for point defense’ to the US Army. This deci-
sion provided the US Army with the responsibility of
Neither the Nike Ajax or Nike Hercules would be ground-air defense and a broader proactive offensive
effective in this type of attack and, as a result, by role for the brand new US Air Force. The US Navy
1958, the Nike project approved development of the was tasked with sea-air missile responsibilities.

7
On October 4, 1957, the USSR surprised the US and T
The Nike-X was not
the world when they launched Sputnik, the world’s a single missile, but a
first artificial satellite. With this launch, it was made ccombination of technol-
clear to the world that the Soviets were not only ogies for the ultimate
o
space pioneers, but also had the ability to launch an defense. The program
d
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could iincluded two types
reach a target within the continental US. As a re- of missiles, a phased-
o
sult, the US defense against the USSR ICBM became aarray radar (PAR) and a
a national military priority and obsession. By 1959, missile site radar (MSR).
m
the US AADS at Fort Bliss had begun training 2,500 One of the two missiles
O
future missile and electronic technicians to man Nike was the long-range
w
JJohn
Joh F
hn F.. Kennedy
Ken
enne
n dyy
ne
and Hawk missiles for guided missile defense. Nike Zeus continuing
to serve as the ICBM interceptor. In addition, a
short-range, nuclear-tipped interceptor was
Minuteman Missile – an interballistic guided
introduced called the Sprint. Highly-classified, this
missile that carries nuclear weapons to a
specific target. missile could travel at unparalleled speeds and
through exhaustive testing, had a strong record of
accuracy. The Nike-X hosted a PAR which would
In 1961, under the Kennedy Administration, the detect incoming warheads and within three
popularity of increasing missile sites in the US be- seconds determine their trajectory. It also had a MSR
gan to wane. The technological feasibility and stra- that, when alerted by
tegic advisability of building more missile sites was the PAR of incom-
constantly being questioned by both the public and ing missiles, would
politicians. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, target and launch the
who served in both Kennedy and Johnson admin- Nike Zeus (later to
istrations, believed that offensive weapons under become the Spartan)
the control of the US Air Force, like the Minuteman and Sprint missiles.
missile, were a more certain defense as well as more All of these compo-
cost effective than ABMs. He also believed that an nents were advanced
increase in the ABM system would cause an increase systems in regard to
in the number of offensive missiles the USSR would navigational systems,
develop. target accuracy and
control. With the de-
The
T
Thhee Ni
Nike-X
Nike k -X was
a aan
as n ad
advanced
dvanc
nccedd
As a result in January 1963, McNamara directed a velopment of this new version of the Nike Zeus
scaled-down development by dismantling the Nike program, the Nike-X
Zeus program and replacing it with the Nike-X. became the most advanced, and the only ABM in the
f ee world.
fr
free w It is this combination of radar and missiles
that
th at would
w
wouo ld become the Safeguard ABM Program.

In 1967,
196
967,77,, the US and USSR had another nuclear
competitor
co
omp
m in their midst. China had created
and
an d exploded its first nuclear weapon, instant-
ly making
ly m them a nuclear threat to the US.
Ass a result, President Lyndon Johnson
A
refocused
ref
re fo
fo the ABM program from the ICBM

8
missile threat of the USSR to the newly ew wly in which missile sites would additionally additionanaally
llly bee placed
place
ceed
emerging threats of China. This reprioritiza-
tiiza- around all major cities and would wooulld be be used
sed for
usse foor
tion became known as the Sentinel Program r
ram both offensive and defensive defensi s ve attacks.
atttac ks. Support
acks Supp
Su p ort
and was designed to protect the nation’s o
on’s for the Safeguard
Safegu uard d ABM M
urban and industrial areas from both China C Program m reflec eected
ted
te d the thhe
and the USSR as well as provide a defensee mis- national divisiondivvisioi n off
u
unch.
sile shield against an accidental missile launch. publicicc sentiment
sen
e timem nt over ove
verr
ABMM defense.
defeens nse.
e In
In
In 1969, Richard Nixon was elected into officee August
Auugugustt 1969,
196
969,9, it
it
amidst the escalating Vietnam War, an anti-war
tii-war was necessary
n ceess
ne ssarary
ar y for for
climate and depleting military budgets. As
A withwit
itth Vice-president
Vice
Vi c -p
ce pre
residedent
ent Sp Spir
Spiro
io
ir
any administration change, defense programs
o ram
ogr amss Agnew
Aggnenew w to o cast
cas
cas
astt a tie-
tiie-
would be reevaluated. On March 14, 1969,9,, only
n ya
onl breaking
brea
br eaki
ea king
ki ng vote
vot otee in
in the
the
he
few short months into his presidency, President
res
esidident
id Senate
Sena
Se natete to
to fund
fund thee
Nixon announced the end of the Sentinel nti
ntit neel Safeguard
Safe
Sa fegu
fe guar
gu ard
ar d Pr Pro-
ro- RichRichard
R
Riich
char
har
a d Nixon
N xo
Ni xon
n
Program and the deployment of the t e
th gram.
grramm. Senator
Sen
Se nato or
Safeguard ABM Program – essentially the the Henry
Henr
He nry
nr y Jackson
Jack
Ja kso
son n of Oregon
Orreego
Ore on was an n outspoken
out
utsspok
ok
ken
e
Sentinel System with a new name. critic
crit
cr itic
it ic of of the he program
th prog
pr ograramm and a d challenged
an challe
chal l n
ngged
e
Ambassador
Am mbabass
ssadadoror Gerard
Ger ard Smith
eraar Smiitth who
Sm wh
w ho waswas chief
chie
ch ief
The impetus behind Nixon’s decision was U n
US negotiator
eg got
otia tor with the
iaato
iato he USSR,
the USSS R with
SR, witth thet e
th
twofold: following
foll
llow
ll owin
ow ingg question
ques
qu essti o regarding
t on reg
egara di
ar ng the
ding he US
the US missile
miss
mi s ille
ss
defense
d
de fens
fe nsee strategy:
ns stra
st r teegy y:
1. The pressure to reduce or eliminatete
the escalating costs of the Sentinel System
Systeem hy did
“Why did we we propose
prropose such h a low
l w number
num
umberr
(of
of interceptors)
(o inte
in terc
terc
rceeptors)
ep when we know kn
kn or
or should
sho
sh ouldd
2. The pressure to reduce the numberr of USUS know
kn w that
h t it would be totally
tha toota lly inadequate
tall in
nadequate tee
missile sites and reduce the chancee of the
the
h forr the
fo he defense of Minuteman?
th Minut uttem a ? You
man Yoou see,
see,
e,
USSR to retaliate. I w would
wo oul
uld d have argued for for zero o ABM,
zeero ABM
BM,
iinstead
in stea
st eadd off an
an ineffective
inef
in effe
ef fect
fe ivee ABM.”
ctiv
ct iv ABM.
AB M.”
T Safeguard
The rdAB
rd A
AB
ABM
BM
Program was
P w s d de
de-
e-
ssigned to bee a USUS
Army monitored
A n or
nitor
o edd
defense of nucle-
d n
aar armed Sprint
S
aand Spartana
an
missiles to
m t
“safeguard”
America’s ability
A b lity
bi
tto strike back
back
ba ck
Lyndon
L
Ly ndoon
nd n B.
B. Johnson
JJoohn
hnso
son
so n
with Minuteman
tem man
a
missiles under the direction of thee US
Air Force if attacked by transpolar, r
r,
intercontinental ballistic missiles. Thiss
differed from the Sentinel Program

9
How the Balllist Missile Early Warning System located in
Ballistic
Alaask Greenland and Great Britain as a means of
Alaska,
Safeguard ABM dis
ssem
disseminating
thee Safeguard
Sa
command directives and controls to
site.
System Worked Thee Safeguard
S Program also accommodated for the
possib
possibility of an ICBM that accidentally re-entered
into the atmo-
The Safeguard ABM system was originally sphere. As part of
designed to protect the Minuteman Missile from the program, both
a pre-emptive strike across the North Pole. If an short-range Sprint
attack by an enemy ICBM was detected by the PAR, missiles along with
a radar that could scan for a threatening missile the long range
re-entering the earth’s atmosphere [also known Spartan missiles
as re-entry vehicles (RVS)]
within a 2,000 mile range, it
would provide initial track data
and alert the Safeguard firing
units to prepare the Spartan
at the missile site radar. The
missile site radar was a high
capacity, multi-phased array
radar (powered by the most
sophisticated computer system
available at that time) used for
defense missile tracking and
guidance. Once the missile site
radar was alerted, it then refined
the tracking data to control the
launch and flight path of the
Spartan missile(s) to intercept the Safeguard phased - array radar
incoming intercontinental ballistic
missile. The ICBM recognition to defense launch of the were strategically placed to work in tandem at the
Spartan only took six seconds. This immediate response Safeguard Missile site. If re-entry by the ICBM were
was critical for the process to successfully identify and to occur and it was too late to defend with the long-
intercept incoming missiles. range missile, the shorter range Sprint missiles would
be used for interception of the incoming threat.
The Safeguard System did not work alone. It
was commanded by the Ballistic Missile Defense “The Sprint Missile” was an in the atmosphere
Center (BMDC) located at the North American Air interceptor that, at that time, was the fastest thing
Defense (NORAD) Command headquarters within the ever built by man. The Spartan was the ICBM
Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado. The interceptor that we derived from the Nike missile
purpose of the BMDC was to integrate the Safeguard program.” Chuck Angelo – US Army staff sergeant
System into NORAD by providing a command and missile maintenance technician and Safeguard
interface with other military systems such as the training class member.
10
The precise effects of the detonation of an interconti-
nental ballistic missile over North America were nev-
er fully disclosed nor even determined, the possible
effects of such an event were described as “a flash”
and “a blast of radioactivity.”

*To date, speeds of the Sprint Missile are still

considered classified information and were
unavailable at the time of publication.

Sprint launch station diagram

THE OOZELFINCH

The order of the Oozelfinch was a

distinguished award given to
Nike Missilemen who demonstrated
special and unique qualities.

11
You say specialist.
speecia
standing
stan
nd
Other prequalifications included under-
fundamental communication procedures

Sentinel, within
wit
ability
abi
thin the tactical elements of the BMD system, the
lity to use drafting equipment and could work

I say Safeguard with

witth minimal
m supervision.

Chu Angelo, a staff sergeant and missile mainte-

Chuck
On August 5, 1970, shortly after Nixon suspended nance technician in the inaugural Safeguard training
the Sentinel Program, the Sentinel Central Training class reflected on his experience:
Facility plans were halted and redesignated as
the Safeguard Central Training Facility (SCTF). “Everyone selected by Department of the Army Air
As part of the US Army Air Defense School Defense branch was a veteran of training at Fort
(USAADS) at Fort Bliss, the SCTF’s mission was to Bliss, on either the Nike Hercules or Hawk Missile
educate select military personnel on the operation systems. There was no application process
and application of the Safeguard ABM system. to get into Safeguard [ABM Program].
Everyone was selected based on records. MOS test
The newly named ABM program was divided into scores, availability and performance appraisals all
three key departments: weighed in selection. It is safe to say that the
Army picked the best Air Defense soldiers
1. Tactical equipment – assembling and it had available to staff the Safeguard site.”
maintaining active and test missiles
In March 1972, the US AADS at Fort Bliss announced
2. Tactical support – operating and controlling the establishment of “extensive new training facilities
the missiles that will accommodate the resident training program
for Safeguard peculiar skills”. Peculiar skills were
3. Combined subjects – electronics, the specific skills needed to deploy the Safeguard
communications and other associated Missile Program. The training site included both new
subjects construction and renovation of existing Fort
Bliss
liss buildings.
Bl
Bli buil
bu ildi
dinngs.
ngs.
s
All military occupation specialties (MOS) within
ith
thin
in
n
the Safeguard Program would be categorized riz
izeed
ed
within one of these three groups provided att the
the
h
SCTF training facility.

There was no formal application process to o bebe

accepted into the ballistic missile defense (BMD) MD)
MD
training at the SCTF in Fort Bliss. However there re
were several prerequisite qualifications thatt
trainees must meet, including proven skills in
air defense artillery operations and intelligence,
specialization in one of six missile-related jobs, obs,
ob s,
including missile crewman, missile site radar fire re
crewman, Safeguard electro–mechanical repairman, man,
ma n,,
n
missile site radar crew chief, perimeter acquisitioniti
tion
on
on
radar crew chief and digital online maintenance nanc
na ncee
12
Understanding
Training Needs weapon
weap pon system in response to potential or actual
threat
threaat and
a monitoring all missile target direction,
identifi
ident cation,
c and engagement activities. It also
For thee Safeguard
Saafegu
uar
ard training
t aining program to effectively
tr required the understanding and support of three
succeed, the training program for the Safeguard different types of consoles and its logic support
Ballistic Missile Defense (SBMD) system had to be equipment, a wall status panel and its internal wiring
formulated to support the needs of the program. that provided operate/non-operate information on
To accomplish this, there were three main areas of the major elements of the system and the communi-
Safeguard training focus the US Army had to implement. cation system that communicated between the two.

Training program for the SBMD system

First was the need for US Army personnel to under- Third, a clear understanding of how to arm, maintain,
stand the major system components of the Safeguard and deploy the Sprint and Spartan missiles was an
Missile System. This meant understanding the two obvious critical need of the program. For both the
types of PAR technology, the digital data processing Spartan and Sprint missiles, trainees learned how
system, the power generation process, all project- the missile worked as well as how to operate the
related environmental equipment and the two underground operation station, how to prepare
interceptor missiles, Sprint and Spartan, and all other launch equipment, handling the test equipment
ground support-related equipment. as well as three special purpose vehicles used
specifically to arm the warheads. Trainees also
Second, US Army personnel needed to understand had to learn how to conduct routine maintenance
the man-machine interface in the command and on the missiles, including missile preparation and
control of the SBMD system. This included training installation and periodic testing on the launch station.
personnel on handling and maintenance of the Corrective maintenance training was also conducted

13
 reliability program and security clearance procedure
were very strict. Transporting the warhead from the
warhead prep facility to the silo was a very complex
job. The convoy was guarded on the ground and by
and
aan
nd cco consisted
con ns a helicopter in the air. If any accident had happened
of
of mmore
orre in
ore iinternal
te
maintenance
ma
maiin
ntte
tena nccee off tthe
enanc
nanc
na hee llaunch
a
station
sta
st on cabling
attio cabl
cabl
cablinng and
in
ing and maintenance
an main
ma nte
tena nce of
anc of the
the system
sysy tetemm in “Bottom of the Silo Society”
response to an alarm.
The whole missile was painted with an epoxy
The training was not always easy, and soldier trainees like coating that ablated from the heat as the
faced challenges everyday. Safeguard soldier trainee missile flew. That was important to us because
Chuck Angelo reflected specifically on the training if you entered the deep silo and somehow
that went on in the launch silo stating, “The train- dropped anything when the missile was
installed you had to climb down the ladder on
ing included the procedure of entering and exiting
the inside of the silo and inspect the missile
the silo. The process of setting the missile transport
for any sign of chipping or scratches that could
truck and the silo maintenance trucks up at the site
burn through during flight. Needless to say it
consumed a lot of the training. When entering a silo
was a big deal if you were unfortunate enough
you had to open the facility to enter the equipment to drop something in the silo.
room portion of the silo first, and then you opened the
silo entry enough to insert an air monitor to check for a We had a “bottom of the silo society” to
whole list of toxic gases before entering the actual silo. remind everyone of the unfortunate guys that
The missiles were armed with nuclear warheads, so a did drop something. One way of trying to keep
very strict ‘no lone rule’ was followed. Two personnel from losing anything was to tie it to your hand
had to be together at all times. The whole personnel with a string lanyard before taking it into the
silo. For big items like tools, wrenches and
what not it worked. I remember once when
we were placing the work platform grating
around the missile in the silo that one of the
guys managed to get his belt buckle caught in
the grate. When he pushed it out to place it,
it came lose from the black web belt that was
part of the Army uniform back then, and fell
all the way to the bottom of the silo, banging
along the missile as it went.

Welcome to the “Bottom of the silo society.”

-Chuck Angelo

we trained on a ‘Broken Arrow’ scenario to secure the

warhead and protect it from any further compromise.
Later as we began to install missiles at the remote
site launch facility a Chinook helicopter was used to
Safeguard Central Training Facility - Ft. Bliss move the warhead.”
14
Central
Training IIn n aaddition, Building 1094 was modified for Mis-
ssile Equipment Training. The new buildings that
Facility were constructed, included facilities for academics,
wer
w
classroom/instructors, multiple labs for electrical
cclas
Construction systems, power generation, essential mechanics,
ssyst
heavy duty diesel, environment systems, basic elec-
heav
h
In NNovember
ovem
mber
be 196
1967,
67 the Bigg
Biggs
gs Ar
Armyy AAir
i F
ir Field,
ield at a
ie tronics and PAR and MSR, and buildings for technical
tron
site located in the area of the old Biggs Air Force maintenance and repair, a warehouse, security and
Base trailer park, was chosen for use as the Sentinel sentry houses. Also included on the training campus
Central Training Facility- soon-to-be-Safeguard was a five-silo, mock launch station area for Sprint
Central Training Facility (SCTF). and Spartan missile subsystems.

Thirteen new buildings

and an existing ware-
house would become the
training facility. Con-
struction was to be based
on a 12-site tactical de-

Credit: Ron Plante

ployment of the ABM
system and the designs
were prepared by the US
Army Corps of Engineers Launch training area (Spartan and Sprint)
(USACE), Huntsville,
Alabama Division. The thirteenth building with A missile training facility was not included since it
more than 16,000 square feet of floor space would was determined that training could be accomplished
be built on Fort Bliss property. elsewhere on site. Because of the highly classified
nature of the Safeguard Program, special construction
As the cost for developing the training facilities requirements were required for any new structures
continued to climb, in 1970 the original plans for built on site. These included sound-proof classrooms
13 new buildings were reconsidered. Fort Bliss was with no windows and a combination lock for entry.
requested to determine what facilities could be made In addition, the air ducts had sound and security
available from existing Fort Bliss and Biggs resources baffling and there was special treatment of the attics
instead of new construction. to insure soundproofing. Special care was also taken
to assure that there were no back to back outlets which
In response to this request, in October 1970 the would permit the installation of listening devices.
construction of four new buildings were replaced
with the following Fort Bliss buildings: The design criteria for the SCTF prepared by the
- Building 503* - administration USACE Division, Huntsville, Alabama stated that
- Building 21* – SCTF headquarters “All training facilities for the Safeguard System must
- Buildings 1089* and 1090* - allied trades provide a pleasant atmosphere and one which will
and welding maintain high morale in the assigned personnel.

15
The new construction was planned to be semi-perma-
nent, light, non-combustible construction of modular
design. Development of the modules will consider
the possible future expansion of each building to the
extent practicable.

Notice to proceed with the construction was given

October, 1971. All the building construction, both
new and renovated, was near completion when

Credit: Ron Plante

Sprint silo (foreground) and Spartan silo (background) at the Safeguard Central Training
Facility. Part of the five silo mock launch station

announcement of the disestablishment

of the SCTF occurred in January 1973.

During the planning and construction

phases between 1969 and 1972, more
than $3.5 million was spent to construct
seven new buildings at Fort Bliss for
the SCTF.

Building
Buil
Bu ildddiing 11094
il 0944 - Sa
09 Safe
Safeguard
fegu
fe guar
gu ardd Ce
ar Central
ent
ntra
rraal Training
Traiinin
Tr
Trai ning F
Facility
accil
ilitty
ilit

16
Life at
Fort Bliss
As stressfull and
a intense
int
n ense
see as
as the
the Safeguard
Safegu
Sa guar
ardd Ballistic
Ball
Ba llis
ll isti
is ticc
ti Rabbits and
R
Missile Defense (SBMD) program could be, life at in season deer
err
Fort Bliss was similar to most bases at that time. Most was good hunt-
unt-
un t-
“work days” consisted of eight hours of training for ing. The young-
n -
ng
five days a week. However, if the threat of attack were er guys enjoyed
yed
ye d
the clubs around
und
n
Fort Bliss and
d inin
Juarez, Mexico.”
co.”
co .

Fort
Fo
ort Bliss,
Bliiss Texa
Texas
xaas

to increase, soldiers had to be ready to respond

ond
d
which would result in longer work hours.

During “downtime,” soldiers enjoyed a

movie theatre, bowling alley, and other
recreational amenities available at Fort Bliss.
Soldiers could also apply for a pass to go off
post on the weekends to take in the offerings
of downtown El Paso, including the Plaza
Theatre, restaurants, area hunting and
fishing, and other activities. Some ventured
south to Juarez, Mexico to soak up some off
the local flavor.

Chuck Angelo remembered, “Very few of the

soldiers involved were single. Most of us had
families and young children. Our off times were
eree
er
spent mainly with family. Many of us enjoyed d
hunting and fishing. At Fort Bliss, the hunting
g
on McGregor range and local area was good.

17
 main
m drivers to this excessive spending was the large
School of number
n of courses in the program - there were
99
9 courses in all lasting anywhere from two weeks to
Hard Knocks one
o year.

In
I order to conduct much of this training, hands-on
The management and operations of the SCTF learning was a must. Trainees needed access to real
was unique to the standard protocol of US Army tactical equipment like radars and data processors
training facilities. Although it was part of the prior to the Safeguard Missile site being
USAADS, three commands known as the Safeguard activated. However, because of the short (54 month)
Training Committee (STC) managed the program activation schedule, weapons contractors were
still designing and manufactur-
ing the system equipment at the
same time student and instruc-
tor training was supposed to be
taking place. As a result, tactical
equipment could not be delivered
in time for student or instructor
training and design and procurement
of equipment could not meet the
schedule for activation. The situation
became so dire that SCTF even risked
defining equipment for training
before the design of the equipment
was completed or even prior to the
development of the concepts!

US Army Air Defense School at Fort Bliss

Hinman Hall

rather than the traditional procedures of oversight

by the USAADS commandant. The committee was
chaired by the general officer from the Continental
Army Command (CONARC) and was divided into
three subcommittees for the purpose of focusing on
specific disciplines for training devices, documenta-
tion, on-site training and training aids. The committee
also included local electric company Western Electric
as a non-voting member. This structure proved very
limiting as it precluded the commandant of USAADS
from exercising his authority as primary advisor
to CONARC.

Safeguard Training Program radar

This structure proved to be costly to the program
in many ways. There was more than $150 million
spent to support the training program. One of the

18
According to Mr. David Eller, Training Specialist,
Tactical Equipment Department of the SCTF and
author of the History of SCTF written immedi-
ately following the end of the Safeguard Training
Program: “If this writer were to choose the major $150 million in 1975 is the equivalent of
lesson learned, it would be that the Army should
approximately $600 million in 2007.
maintain control of the development of weapon
systems, not the contractor, and that total control of
the training program remain the responsibility of
the Commandant, USAADS, Fort Bliss.”

Regardless of the outcome of the Salt I negotiations,

it became obvious that the SCTF assisted by the rest
of the Safeguard training community was as rapidly
costing themselves out of business with highly
hly expen-
sive training requirements. In the end $15050 million
dollars was spent to support the training program
and the US Army learned the hard way that hat it and
not the weapons contractor should maintain in control
of the development of the weapon systems.

“All the training was done in the ten

hundred [building] area and done by Western
estern
Electric and McDonnell Douglas. They gave
instructions for 138 hours on each system m and
they taught from tip to tail, and that included
cluded
the basic design of the framework, the blade
lade
line, materials that went onto the missile,
ile,
they taught guidance, hydraulics, everything
thing
in 30 days … The school was just to gett you
oriented with the system and familiarized
zed
[with the system].”

First sergeant Donsel Champ on the

Safeguard Training processes

First sergeant Donsel Champ working

ork
rkin
ingg at
in
the Safeguard Central Training Facility
Fac
aciil
ilit
ityy att
Fort Bliss

19
9
The Great Thaw
In 1969,
9669, spurred
9, spur
rred
d bby the
y th strengthening
he st
stre
reength g relationship
hening rela
re laati
t on
onsh
ship
between
weeen China na and
Chin
in a d the
an he US,
th US Brezhnev
US Brezhneev mmoved
oved
ov ed to
o
reopen negotiations with the US regarding strategic
arms limitations. After nearly two and a half years
of turbulent negotiations, on May 26, 1972 at the
Moscow Summit, the two clashing titans found
common ground and signed the treaty that would
mark the beginning of the de-escalation of a
half-decade long nuclear arms race.
The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Site in Nekoma, ND

Maintenance Technician/Specialist course and staff

officers’ course lasted until December 1975. A total of
133 students from 13 classes graduated and the SCTF
buildings were converted to new uses by USAADS.

Under the treaty, the US was permitted only two

100 ABM sites and prohibited nationwide missile
defense. As a result, only one ABM site, the
Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Site in Nekoma,
North Dakota was completed. It became fully
operational on October 1, 1975 with 70 Sprint and
US President Richard Nixon and Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev 30 Spartan missiles. Graduates of the Safeguard
at Moscow Summit May 26, 1972 Training Program were relocated from the Fort Bliss
training facility to operate this site.
Signed by US President Richard Nixon and
USSR Leader Leonid Brezhnev, the Strategic On October 2, 1975, US Congress deactivated the
Arms Limitation I ABM Treaty, also known as the Mickelsen Site and ended the Safeguard program
SALT I Treaty, was an and need for training
agreement focused on stating that the system
SALT I TREATY FACTS:
limiting strategic arms was too costly and
as well as relieving Who: US and USSR ineffective against new
tension to begin strength-
What: Landmark treaty regulating the USSR weapons. The
nuclear arms race was signed
ening the relationships Safeguard Site was fully
When: May 26, 1972
between the two countries. operational for less than
Where: Moscow Summit
24 hours.
Why: To limit strategic arms development
The US Government in the US and USSR
reacted by commanding
disestablishment of the
Safeguard Training Program m which
whi h begun
hich e un in
beg in
February 1973 although the Safeguard Missile

20
Significance of alized
alizeed solutions
better
s
betteer world
w
that was
was (sic)
-- led by the
(sic) to
(s
the
o make
ke a
mak

Safeguard architect
arch
ar chiiit
ch
bring
brin
br ing
in
ec -- did not
itec
g a new dawn.
It brought
brro
rougug an era off
At that time,
me theth
he Stanley
Stanley R.
R Mickelsen Safeguard
Saafeguard more
mo oree g gigantic prob-b-
Missile Site was the only intercontinental ABM lems in the nature of of
site ever constructed and operated in the US. life and survival than han
The experience gained in developing and deploying history has ever known.”wn.”
wn .”
Safeguard was invaluable to the development of major
technological breakthroughs in software development, Although The Cold War Waar
components and systems integration. is history, the legacy
cy of
of
rocketry and US defense
ensee still
sttilll continues
co
ont inuees through
n in th ro h the
hrough t e
th
continual development of the US nuclear defense
program. Even with the increase in the number of
countries with nuclear power increased to eight,
the US continues to review its nuclear strategy and
reduce the number of active nuclear warheads it has
in operation.
Credit: Ron Plante

Fort Bliss Facility

The strategy behind the ABM programs and associ-

ated training programs were also important factors
in the decline and eventual end of the Cold War.
Without the contributions of the
Fort Bliss facility and all of the
soldiers and their families that
were part of the program, the
climate between the US and other
world powers could have had a very
different story in history.

In the December 14, 1975 issue of the

“New York Times”, architectural
journalist Ada Louise Huxtable
summarized her thoughts of the impact
of the Safeguard facility and initiative:

“All of that engineering elegance and

efficiency born of rational, industri- Building 1094 - Safeguard Central Training Facility

21
 Articles
A
Selected H
Hotz, Robert Pitfalls of Salt I, Editorial, Aviation Week
aand Space Technology Magazine, November 24, 1975
Bibliography Safeguard: What US Got for $5.4 Billion, US News and
S
World Report, June 30, 1975
W

Books Nixon and Brezhnev sign treat establishing ceiling of 200

Cornell, Terri Early US Army Air Defense Missile ABMS, New York Times, May 27, 1972
Systems: US Army Air Defense Artillery Museum, 1995
Robinson, Clarence A. Soviets Push ABM Development,
Enscore, Susan I. Operation Paperclip at Fort Bliss Aviation Week and Space Technology Magazine,
1945-1950, Cultural Resources Research Center, US Army April 7, 1975
Construction Engineering Research Laboratories,
Champaign, Illinois; Conservation Division, United States Deputy Defense Sec. W.P. Clements appeals to Senate
Army Air Defense Artillery Center, Fort Bliss, Texas Appropriations Committee for restoration of 1.1 Billion
April 1998 December 4, 1973

Reports Safeguard Central Training Facility, US Army Air Defense

History of Safeguard Central Training Facility, United School Newsletter, Fort Bliss, Texas, March 1972
States Army Air Defense School, Fort Bliss, TX September
26, 1967- June 24, 1973 Fort Bliss, TX Department of the Journals
Army Headquarters, US Army Air Defense School Antiaircraft Journal
Coast Artillery Journal
Historic American Engineering Record Documentation Air Defense Trends
for the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Aviation Week and Space Technology
Volume 1, Historical Context ( HAER Number ND-9)
September 1996 Oral History Interviews
Widell, Cherilyn Interview with Chuck Angelo, April
Tentative Qualitative and Quantitative Personnel 2007 On file with Environmental Division - Conservation
Requirement Information for Ballistic Missile Defense Branch, Fort Bliss, Texas
System Services Department of the Army Headquarters,
US Army Air Defense School, Safeguard Central Training Widell, Cherilyn Interview with Donsel Champ, October
Facility, Ft. Bliss, Texas October 1967 2007 On file with Environmental Division - Conservation
Branch, Fort Bliss, Texas
Annual Historical Supplement 1964-1980 Photocopy on
file in the archives of the US Army Air Defense Websites
Artillery Museum, Fort Bliss, TX Annual Summaries http://srmsc.org
of major activities at the US Army Air Defense School http://www.paineless.id.au/missiles
http://.asuwlink.uwyo.edu/_jim kirk/abm.htm
To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States http.//www. brookings.edu/fp/projects/nucwcost/
Cold War Missile Program by John C. Lonnquest and safeguard.htm
David F. Winkler, Department of defense Legacy http://www.bls.gov/cpi
Resource Management Program Project 94-1264 1996
Designed and Produced by HNTB Corporation
Training to Fight: Training and Education during the Cold http://www.hntb.com/
War by David F. Winkler, Department of Defense Legacy
Resource Management Program Project 95-10092 1997

Coming in from the Cold: Military Heritage in the Cold

War Legacy Resource Management Program Project
92-TA0010 1993
22