Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site | |
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Part of Syracuse Air Defense Sector | |
Location E of Tuscarora Rd, W of drainage ditch along Niagara Falls Air Force Base, 5.1 mi (8.2 km) ENE of Niagara Falls, New York | |
Coordinates | 43°07′04″N078°56′50″W / 43.11778°N 78.94722°W [1] |
Type | surface-to-air missile base |
Site information | |
Controlled by |
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Garrison information | |
Garrison | 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron |
The Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site [3] was a Cold War USAF launch complex for Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missiles. It was operated by the 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron. Equipped only IM-99Bs (46 missiles: solid-state, solid-fuel booster), [5] the site had 48 [6] Model IV "coffin" shelters, [7] after an initial design with a secure area of ~20 acres (8.1 ha) to have 28 shelters (the planned site had additional area for 84 "future shelters"). [8] Launch control for the site's missiles was by central NY's "Hancock Field combined direction-combat center" (CC-01/DC-03) at Syracuse, New York. DC-03 was operational on December 1, 1958; [9] (CC-01 was the "first SAGE regional battle post", beginning operations "in early 1959".) [10]
Construction began in 1959. [11] The missile site and squadron were activated on 1 June 1960, and missiles were operational on 1 December 1961. In January 1962 the RF-62E gap filler radar site at Brookfield Air Force Station in Ohio became a "major off-base…installation" of the Niagara Falls site, transferred from Wright-Patterson AFB. [3] In 1962, command of the BOMARC base transferred from Col. John A. Sarosy [12] to Col James L. Livingston. [13]
The site was the first BOMARC B launch complex to close, on 31 December 1969. [14] [15] The closure was part of a realignment of "307 military bases". [16] The missile site was vacant until turned over to the Niagara Falls Municipal Airport. [17] [ failed verification ] The 1959 "Access Road" is now Johnson Street of the "Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) Fuel Depot", built over the area of the BOMARC shelters, which are still visible. The former northwest corner of the missile site is the current Tuscarora Road military gate. [6]
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The 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC) was constituted on 17 December 1959 and activated on 1 June 1960 in the Syracuse Air Defense Sector. It was transferred to the Detroit Air Defense Sector on 4 September 1963, the 34th Air Division on 1 April 1966, the 35th Air Division on 15 September 1969, and the 21st Air Division on 19 November 1969. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969.[ citation needed ]
The Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC was a supersonic ramjet powered long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) used during the Cold War for the air defense of North America. In addition to being the first operational long-range SAM and the first operational pulse doppler aviation radar, it was the only SAM deployed by the United States Air Force.
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The 35th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, at Hancock Field, New York. It was inactivated on 19 November 1969.
The 35th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated in January 1940 as the United States built up its armed forces prior to World War II. In the fall of 1941, it deployed to the Caribbean and, following the attack on Pearl Harbor engaged in antisubmarine patrols. Following the transfer of the land based antisubmarine mission to the Navy, and with the lessening of threats to the Panama Canal, the squadron returned to the United States, where it was disbanded in June 1944.
The 26th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated in 1959 as the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron to provide missile air defense for New England and was stationed at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated on 30 April 1972. It received its current name in 1985. when it was consolidated with the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, a World War II unit that provided reconnaissance support for ground units in training until it was disbanded in 1943.
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The Syracuse Air Defense Sector (SADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at Hancock Field, New York.
The Duluth Air Defense Sector (DUADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Duluth Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 1 April 1969.
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The 6th Air Defense Missile Squadron was an air defense unit of the United States Air Force. It was assigned to the New York Air Defense Sector of Aerospace Defense Command, at Suffolk County Air Force Base, New York, where it was inactivated on 15 December 1964. The squadron had its headquarters at Suffolk County Air Force Base, while the firing batteries of the squadron were at the nearby Suffolk County Air Force Base Missile Annex.
The 30th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. In 1985 the squadron was formed by combining three United States Air Force and Army Air Forces units that had served in World War II and the Cold War into a single unit with a common heritage. However, the combined unit has not since been active.
The 3215th Drone Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the 3205th Drone Group at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, where it was discontinued on 22 December 1958.
The Suffolk County Air Force Base Missile Annex is a Formerly Used Defense Site (NY29799F12240/C02NY0714) on Long Island that was a CIM-10 Bomarc missile complex during the Cold War, 2 mi (3.2 km) west of Suffolk County Air Force Base. Planned in 1955 for completion in February 1960 and activated as the 2nd operational BOMARC complex on 1 December 1959, the annex was part of the New York Air Defense Sector defenses. The annex included a Launch Area with 56 Mode II Launcher Shelters in 2 flights
The Otis Air Force Base BOMARC site was a Cold War USAF launch complex for Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missiles. Equipped with IM-99Bs, the site had 28 Model IV "coffin" shelters, on 60 acres (24 ha).
Brookfield GF Site (RF-62E), Brookfield, OH, Apr 1952 (opl)-Jan 1963 (tsfrd to Niagara Falls AF Msl Site, NY)
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