[Newspoetry] Your Tax Dollars at Work

[Mike Lehman]

ATLAS F (SM-65F/HGM-16F)

                             Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

                                 United States Air Force (USAF)

                                  Strategic Air Command (SAC)

                           Walker Air Force Base, Roswell, New Mexico

                      HQ 6th (Heavy) Bomb Wing/6th Strategic Aerospace
Wing

                           579th Strategic Missile Squadron (579th SMS)

Atlas Series F was designed and developed to counter the threat of
strategic and/or tactical threat signature(s) to the economic
(business/trade) interests of the United States of America. To be
maintained as emergency capable, and if required, be used as emergency
force against weak or undefended industrial and urban targets.
Further, as primary force-capable projection in
counter-economic/counter-value warfare towards destruction of hostile
industry or urban centers. Finally, for the execution of hostage
centers.

Squadron force configuration was 12 remote launch sites (minimum 7 mile
separation between complexes) located in a circular pattern around a
host airbase (remote site support facilities).

Missile silo was 179 ft deep (including 4 ft deep sump well) and 52 ft
in (inside) diameter. Launch control center was 40 ft in (inside)
diameer, with a floor-to-ceiling height of 27 ft, and a concrete support
column (4 ft in
diameter) in center of LCC structure. The launch control center had two
levels. Both floors were hung from the ceiling on an air suspension
system (4 cylinders) as shockmounting.

Missile Length: 82 ft, 6in (MK-IV RV & OW-38 M1 warhead or MK-III &
OW-49M4
warhead combinations)

Missile Range: Strategic Operational Requirements (SOR):

3,450 miles (minimum)

6,325 Miles (SOR Nominal) with MK-IV RV/OW-38M1 warhead or
alternate payload MK-III RV/OW-49M4 warhead

Missile Range; Maximums:

+8,760 miles maximum with MK-IV Mod-3A RV/OW-38M1
warhead with no penetration aids

+8,085 miles maximum with MK-IV Mod-5B-3 RV/OW-38M1/Mod-1A
Penetration Aid Mod

Yield Values (primary test): 3.50 - 3.75 Megatons

(alternate test): 1.40 - 2.50 Megatons

SOR/WR Yield Value: 2.35 Megatons (minimum value)

4.50 Megatons (nominal value)

6.70 Megatons (maximum value)

Emergency Yield Values: OW-38M1; 4.70 - 6.70 Megatons (select high)

OW-49M4; 2.35 - 3.35 Megatons (select low)

Target Selection: 2


Targets Allotted Per Force: 4 - 5 (2 - 3 missiles each target)

Detonation Points: 8,400 - 16,800 ft (airburst)

2,640 - 5,280 ft (near-surface burst0

0 ft (ground impact burst "failsafe")

Fuzing Options: 2 (airburst or near-surface burst)

Circle Error Probability (CEP) [area 50% of targetted warheads will
detonate in]:

2.2 miles from target (1963)

1.6 miles from target (1964, after upgrading)

Directive given, 6 January, 1960, from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACOE), Albuquerque District for establishing of a 12 - Atlas Series F
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) squadron around Walker AFB
(Roswell), New Mexico.

CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS

29 August, 1960 Laborer fatally electrocuted while guiding a corrugated
culvert section suspended from a crane boom, when crane boom made
contact with a power line.

16 February, 1961 Oil-driver of truck crane started truck engine as iron
workers removed outriggers and chocks. Truck gears in reverse. Truck
crane backs over
silo edge into silo, falling 174 ft to silo bottom, resulting in 6
fatalities, 1
permanent disability, and 18 temporary disabilities.

1 May, 1961 Ironworker, while attempting to tighten bolts (between Silo
Levels 4 and 5) leans over and grasps a tie rod which is loose at one
end. The spring action of the tie rod throws worker against silo wall
and worker falls 129 ft to silo bottom, fatally injuring.

During construction activity (3,971,189 manhours) there were 74
disabling injuries, and 8 fatalities.

The quality of construction by workers at Walker AFB (support sites) and
auxillary (remote) ICBM sites was rated as excellent by the U. S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the United States Air Force.

Site costs to maintain per year: $330,000 per year.


579th Strategic Missile Squadron Milestones

01 September, 1961: Organized/Acitvated

30 November, 1962: Turnover of final completed site to Strategic Air
Command. Atlas F ICBMs and Ready Crews declared fully operational.
Squadron at Defense Condition 2 (DEFCON 2), due to the Cuban Missile
Crisis. Retraction to DEFCON 5 was set by May 1963.

01 June, 1963 Site 579-1 silo destroyed by fire and explosion.

13 February, 1964: Site 579-5 silo destroyed by fire and explosions.

09 March, 1964: Site 579-2 silo destroyed by fire and explosions.

16 May, 1964: Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara declares Atlas F
to be phased-out by end of June 1968.

19 November, 1964: Accelerated phase-out of Atlas F system, sites and
squadrons announced by Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara to be
completed by end of 
June 1964.

THIS LAST SENTENCE MAKES NO SENSE PERHAPS, BUT NEITHER DOES MUCH OF THE
REST OF IT, IN RETROSPECT. DO WE REALLY WANT TO START ANOTHER ARMS RACE?
I, FOR ONE, AM DAMN GLAD THAT THE STARWARS TEST FAILED. SHOULD WE EVER
CHOOSE TO USE SUCH WEAPONS ON EACH OTHER, IT WOULD PERHAPS BE A GOOD
IDEA TO CALL AN END TO THE HUMAN RACE, SINCE IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS WE
DON'T HAVE SENSE ENOUGH TO LIVE WITH EACH OTHER IN PEACE. WE SHOULD BE
THANKFUL THE ONLY PEOPLE EVER KILLED BY THESE THINGS WERE SOME OF THE
WORKERS WHO BUILT THEM. LET US LAY DOWN OUR TOOLS, FOR PEACE.
<http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/4831/MISSILEP.HTM>
Mike