US Army Nike AA Missile Base
  Bristol, Rhode Island

 Every year we flew to El Paso, TX and were taken by bus either to Red Canyon Range Camp in New Mexico for the Ajax practice firings or McGregor Range for the Hercules practice firings. Called Annual Service Practice (ASP) we fired three missiles at radio controlled target drones called a RCATS.  Two were fired in the daylight and one at night. The shot at night was a very impressive sight! Our crew used the existing equipment that was at these locations but had to thoroughly calibrate, align and check the system out before actual firing of the missiles. The equipment was maintained by the permanent party there and usually in very good shape when we arrived. Here are a few pictures of our crew after a good day's work. The new propeller is what they gave us after a good "kill" if nothing was left of the RCAT.


1962
McGregor Range

L to R:  back row: CWO Thomas Schultz, Sgt Ken Mort,
SFC Charles Armstrong, Unknown LA officer

front row:  Roy Lichte, Ken McDermott, Jerry Daugherty
holding propeller, Charles Smith, Adams, Joe Barker


1962
McGregor Range .. This propeller was all that was left of one RCAT we hit.

L to R:  Joe Barker, Jerry Daugherty, CWO Thomas Schultz, Ken McDermott
Charles Smith, Roy Lichte, Adams


1958

Red Canyon .. This is the RCAT that is used for our targets.This display one is minus the propeller because they seemed to "disappear" if left on the display models too long. Notice the rough terrain of this area compared to McGregor Range. For many more pictures of Red Canyon go to the link to JP's website on the Links page.

Left side standing possibly is SFC Charles Armstrong. Kneeling is SP4 Leroy Cox, others unknown


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