Deactivated Minuteman II ICBM Launch Facility (N-3)

USA / South Dakota / Newell /
 military, Minuteman, historical layer / disappeared object, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
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The former LF for a LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Nicknamed "Small is Beautiful" by its crews, N-3 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/68th_Missile_Squadron
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Coordinates:   44°47'9"N   103°25'24"W
This article was last modified 12 years ago