America's Air Defense of South Florida
During and After the Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962-1979


3rd Army Support Group
Princeton, Florida


See photos and battery rosters on Links Page

Without the 3rd Army Support Group, the 52nd ADA couldn't have accomplished its mission. We salute the men who served in the south Florida Nike Hercules support shop in Princeton. These dedicated professionals were on "Hot Status" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year. When a Nike site was non-operational, they were there around the clock until it was operational again.

The men from the Ordinance Corps were trained at the Ordinance Guided Missile Center and School at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Support Units consisted of Guided Missile Direct Support (GMDS), Guided Missile General Support (GMGS), and a combination of both as GSDS operations. Additionally, there were Special Weapons Ordinance Support Units/Shops which supported the Nuclear warheads.

Part of each Direct Support Unit (later Direct Support Platoon [DSP]) was a Direct Support Supply Activity (DSSA). The DSSA was operated by personnel with training by the Quartermaster Corps.

For support of the Identification Friend or For (IFF) systems, as well as the Radar and Control systems at the Battalion Operations Center, personnel with Signal Corps training carried the load.

Part of the equipment supported included the tactical power generation equipment. The tactical generators were supported by those with Corps of Engineers training.
Name Dates Rank MOS-Title E-Mail
Dennis J. Hill 08/67 - 09/69 SP5 Nuclear Weapons Electronics Specialist, 35F2N res06suc@yahoo.com
Daniel D. Christopherson 04/68 - 02/69 SP4 22L20 Nike Hercules Test Equip Repair danield@dtgnet.com
Larry Lynum 12/70 - 06/71 SP4 22L20 LLynum@dcmdw.dcma.mil
David D.R. Hernandez 11/71 - 01/73 SP-4 M.P. 95B-P5 K-9 Handler ddrh@pacbell.net
Gregory Robins 04/72 - 04/74 E6 35F40 sailbadd@aol.com
Ed Jones 03/55 - 06/57   Missile Guidance Repairman Edjjo1@aol.com
Dominic Dominello 05/59 - 09/61 SP5 Radar Repairman (MOS 253.1) ddominel@aol.com
Robert J O'Leary 07/62 - 05/65 SP5 252 Computer & Acquisition Radar Repairman olearyde@msn.com
Michael Gomula 01/63 - 12/63 PFC Nike Mechanical Repair Mipa44@aol.com