This past summer I have been working as a Park Ranger out at Minuteman Missile NHS, the only National Park Service location that deals with the Cold War. This location is in the middle of nowhere in South Dakota, well there wasn't that many people here during the Cold War either.
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| Delta-09 Missile Silo |
The Delta-09 Missile silo is just one of the many locations throughout South Dakota that once housed a Minuteman Missile.
The Delta-01 Launch Control Center is where the Minuteman II missiles would have been launched from. This location controlled 10 missiles each containing a 1.2 Megaton Warhead on them. The Launch Control Center was guarded by an 8 Ton blast door that was supposed to be closed at all times.
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| Pizza Anyone? |
Just behind that door lies the LCC which once housed two missileers that could have launched the nuclear missile with the turn of key.
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| Commanders Console |
These two consoles where twelve feet apart so no one person could turn the key to launch the missiles.
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| Deputy Commander's Key Turn |
If anybody is headed to South Dakota, shame on you for not visiting while I was here but stop at Exit 131 off I-90 for the Visitor Center and tour tickets for the LCF and LCC given out on a first come first served basis. The missile silo is out at exit 116 and is a self-guided tour. Check out the website at www.nps.gov/mimi and make sure to take a look at the podcasts that I worked on this summer.
With the International Relations degree working at a site that was a major part of the Cold War has been interesting. I have learned so much about those who guarded and protected the United States by staffing the Launch Control Facilities (LCF) and Launch Control Centers (LCC). These sites were supposed to provide a deterrent against the Soviet Union from ever attacking with a nuclear missile because they knew that they would be destroyed as well, mutual assured destruction (MAD).
I have learned a lot this summer about myself and growing as a Park Ranger. While I don't know what will happen over the next couple of months or even next summer this summer working here at Minuteman Missile NHS had been a great experience.
