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Would M37's have been assigned to 1950's era Nike batteries?

Is there a source for Army TOE's online?

Rick

It's more than likely, yes. They were great "grocery getters" for the guys in the field. They held way more than a Jeep and fit into places where you couldn't get a bigger truck through. Hauled everything from ammo to toilet paper.

On the TO question, Steel Soldiers (www.steelsoldiers.com) has a good collection of TOs available for download.

I can't say for shure, but I can remember as a kid going past the Nikie sight near my house and seeing M37s and M211s and M38A1s.... So I would have to agree with Lifer that it's probably a yes. Being a 3/4 ton I would think the units station there would have had them as part of their TO&Es.

My Uncle was in one of those units. I'll see if I can get a hold of him and ask.

Matt

This is an excellent topic. I grew up near BU-52, a double launcher Nike base near Buffalo, NY. I always wanted to mark my truck for the unit that manned the battery. I found info saying the battery was designated "D/465th or D/2/62nd" AAMBs. I really have not figured out how they would have marked the truck as photo evidence seems non existant.

Here is a large website about Nikes...

http://ed-thelen.org/


TJM

Sent an e mail and received a reply from my Uncle. He was stationed at a (Nike then Ajax) missle base in Rhode Island. What he told me is that they had 2.5 tons and jeeps but no M37s.
Matt

K8ICU, Yes, I remember driving past that old missle sight on a field trip as a kid, where was it again? Westlake, Fairview Park, or closer? Those would be some neat unit markings to use on my truck.

M42Dodge,

I am thinking with my limited know age of military markings your truck would be marked:

D-truck number, Like D-26 on one side of the front bumper or on the rear.

2 / 2162 – letters , 2 is for second battalion, 2161 unit number, and a letter like “I” for Infantry. I do not know what the letter call out is for on a Nike battery. This would be on
side of the front bumper or on the rear.

Paddyofurniture

Back then they were still "AA" Anti Aircraft and "AD" Air Defence units.

HingsingM37 wrote:K8ICU, Yes, I remember driving past that old missle sight on a field trip as a kid, where was it again? Westlake, Fairview Park, or closer? Those would be some neat unit markings to use on my truck.

They were in Fairview Park but close to the Westlake boarder. You entered the site off of Westwood Rd. There was a long drive with a gate guard. You could see the radar dome but that was about it. It was turned into a housing development in the late 80s early 90s. No sign that it was ever even there. They should put a plackard up by the road as a historic site or something.....

Funny thing my oldest brother had to go there one summer as part of his ROTC training in the late 60s....

M42Dodge wrote:This is an excellent topic. I grew up near BU-52, a double launcher Nike base near Buffalo, NY. I always wanted to mark my truck for the unit that manned the battery. I found info saying the battery was designated "D/465th or D/2/62nd" AAMBs. I really have not figured out how they would have marked the truck as photo evidence seems non existant.
Here is a large website about Nikes...
http://ed-thelen.org/
TJM

Thanks for including the NIKE link, I see that several of these were located just north of my location.

I just looked but I cant seem to find it. A local library here had a photo of a M37 at a atlas site here in Nebraska. I know the unit that manned these sites had a few M37's.... these same units also managed the Nike sites in latter years i do believe.


NoRM

NebM37 wrote:I just looked but I cant seem to find it. A local library here had a photo of a M37 at a atlas site here in Nebraska. I know the unit that manned these sites had a few M37's.... these same units also managed the Nike sites in latter years i do believe.


NoRM

Keep in mind that Nike bases were US Army while ICMBs were US Airforce, I think...

There is a book put out called "Rings Of Supersonic Steel" that is all about the Nike systems and locations. The Ed Thalen site is pretty much all inclusive as is the book.

I reserched the base near my boyhood home and I located aerial photos of the base being built, and in later years in it`s "up and running" situation. I wasnt able to pick out any M37s in the photos. Many M211s and M35s though.

Here is a photo of the 91st AAA AW Battalion, In Germany and a "Skysweeper Unit (Artillery)I think...



TJM

...and here is an M51 Skysweeper to go with it.