Deactivated Minuteman II ICBM Launch Facility (K-10)

USA / South Dakota / Belle Fourche /
 military, Minuteman, missile silo
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The former LF for a LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Nicknamed "Bane of Our Existence" by its crews, K-10 was manned by elements of the 68th Strategic Missile Squadron, 44th Missile Wing, formerly based at Ellsworth AFB outside Rapid City, South Dakota. Though it originally housed an LGM-30A Minuteman I ICBM in 1963, these were replaced with the Minuteman II between 1971 and 1973. It stood at the ready until the Air Force began retiring the LGM-30F from service starting in December of 1991 and wrapping up in April of 1994, in line with international arms-reduction treaties. The vacant Launch Facilities were left to be imploded and filled in.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellsworth_Air_Force_Base
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Coordinates:   44°38'11"N   104°0'39"W
This article was last modified 17 years ago