A Battery

On October 28, 1962, A Battery left Fort Bliss, Texas. The battery arrived at Homestead AFB on October 31st. Designated as HM-65, the administration and IFC areas were approximately 1 mile west of SR 9336 (Ingraham Highway) in a tomato field. The launch area was also located on the west side of along the canal just before the Everglades National Park boundry.

The men lived in tents until they relocated to a permenant location in June 1965 inside Everglades national Park.

Perhaps because of this need for highly honed vigilance, south Florida troops frequently outperformed other ARADCOM missile batteries.

For a time, south Florida missile troops were some of the best in ARADCOM. The soldiers of A Battery Everglades National Park performed their jobs very well in the mid-to late 1960s. They performed so well on major inspections like the Operational Readiness Inspection (ORE), Command Maintenance Management Inspection (CMMI), Short Notice Annual Practice (SNAP), and Technical Proficiency Inspection (TPI) that they won the ARADCOM “E” award for four years in a row from 1966 to 1969.

In recognition of their accomplishments, the soldiers of A Battery were allowed to attach the “E” award streamer permanently to the Battery A guidon. This “E” award streamer illustrated the fact that the Nike soldiers of A Battery managed to sustain a high level of performance over a very long period of time despite the inherent hardships presented by duty in the Everglades.

A Battery - A Battery IFC area in Everglades National Park now serves as a research center for the park’s scientific staff.  The three missile storage barns at HM- 69 are currently used by the National Park Service to shelter NPS boats and equipment when hurricanes threaten the area. The eye of Hurricane Andrew passed directly over the facility in 1992, and the missile storage barns suffered almost no damage from that storm.