Rings of Supersonic Steel: Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950-1974 - An Introductory History and Site Guide (Paperback)

~ Mark L. Morgan (Author), Mark A. Berhow (Author) "From the time of the first European settlements on the North American continent through the Second World War, artillery has provided the first line of..." (more)
Key Phrases: perimeter acquisition radar, missile battalions, antiaircraft artillery battalions, Herc Launchers, Site Radars Magazines Convert Units, Fort Bliss (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Once upon a time, America's major cities were protected from surprise attack from the air by Rings of Supersonic Steel.

These supersonic sentinels are gone now, but you can rediscover this fascinating Cold War Era technology in the second edition of Rings of Supersonic Steel.

This is the only civilian book currently in print to list the locations of former NIKE missile sites.

Learn how the NIKE and other Cold War missile systems worked.

Locate former nuclear missile sites in your neighborhood.

A must have for your reference shelf and a great field guide when exploring those old underground bunkers.

About the Author

Mark A. Berhow is a research chemist with the United States Department of Agriculture Research Service. He is the author of more than 50 scientific articles, books and chapters. Mark has an avid intrest in military history, and has researched extensively on topics concerned with American Coast Defenses, antiaircraft defenses. He is the author of four books on American Military Defenses.

Mark L. Morgan has spent 30 years as a Naval Officer, aerospace operations research analyst, National Park Historian, journalist and writer. Mark developed an interest in Cold War systems in the 1980's and has written extensively on the topic in various military history journals and publications. Mark currently resides in the state of Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Hole in the Head Press; 2 edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615120121
• ISBN-13: 978-0615120126
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #984,938 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nukes in the back yard, December 11, 2004

By	Brian D. Ocallaghan (Sarasota, Fl.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Being a child of the '50's, this new edition really hits home. My buddies and I would spend hours hiding in the woods behind the local Nike Ajax base and marvel at the sleek white missles on their launch rails, wondering if they would ever have to be launched. Once in a great while, our dads would drive us past the Hercules base about 25 miles south. At the time we had no idea that they were carrying nuclear warheads! Most of us are still intrigued about these missile bases, and Morgan and Berhow have done remarkable research on EVERY single U.S. Nike site, even down to street names and current condition. A must-have for anyone even remotely interested in air defense in the cold-war era.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NIKE Business, December 24, 2004

By	Jim Young (Martinez, GA) - See all my reviews

Anyone who worked with the NIKE Ajax and NIKE Hercules air defense missile systems will enjoy this book. Also, anyone who is interested in this vital aspect of Cold War History will find much valuable information here. One of the best reference books on the subject that I know of.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best reference available on the subject, August 27, 2004

By	R. J. Morgan (St Louis MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First off, in the interest of full disclosure, I am the brother of one of the authors. Getting that by us, you will not find a better book out there on the subject of the Army's NIKE Ajax, Hercules and Zeus SAM systems. This one contains system descriptions, drawings, maps, unit specifics and the locations of every NIKE SAM site in the United States as well as discussions of other similar missiles, including BOMARC and Air Force TALOS. This book is a gold mine of information for those interested in Cold War history or for anyone who wants to know more about these nuclear-tipped missiles that used to surround our major cities.