Presque Isle
AFB
Plattsburgh AFB
Presque Isle,
Maine
Plattsburgh, New York
Snark
SM-62
Atlas
F SM-65
1959-
1961
1962 - 1965
Welcome
to the home web site for the
556th Strategic Missile Squadron. The 556th SMS was activated at two
different times using two different missile systems. The SM-65 or Atlas F weapon
system was based at
Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, New York from 1962 thru 1965. There were
12 sites built in a ring around Plattsburgh. Ten of the silo complexes
were in New York and two were located in Vermont. These sites were manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year during the time the Squadron was active. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, all
556th sites were at a high level of alert and were ready to launch the Atlas missile should it have become necessary. The squadron was armed with the SM-65 weapon system, more commonly know as the Atlas. The
556th was an Atlas F unit which meant the missile was housed in a "silo launcher" style complex. The missile was kept in a
vertical position at all times. In order to launch, two 75-ton overhead doors
were opened and the "bird" was
lifted out of the silo. The Atlas ICBM
required RP1 and Liquid Oxygen for powering the rocket engines. The RP1
fuel was kept on board the missile at all times during alert. As the missile was
lifted out of the silo the Liquid Oxygen fuel was added after which it would then be made ready for launch.
This is one reason that the response time of the Atlas F system was quicker than
that of the Atlas D and E systems. The picture to the left shows an Atlas F during the lift process.
The picture on the right is a missile in the
ready to launch position. The Atlas F used an Avco Mark
IV re-entry vehicle which carried a type W-38 warhead with a nuclear yield of approximately 4
megatons of TNT. The Atlas had a range of about 6,000 miles. Developed by General Dynamics, the Atlas weapons system became a national priority during which no expense was spared in the development, testing and implementation of this first generation ICBM system. The Atlas rocket was also used by NASA during the early days of manned space travel and was the booster used to put John Glenn into Earth orbit.
556th
Strategic Missile Squadron
Welcome
to the home web site for the
556th Strategic Missile Squadron. The 556th SMS was activated at two
different times using two different missile systems. The SM-65 or Atlas F weapon
system was based at
Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, New York from 1962 thru 1965. There were
12 sites built in a ring around Plattsburgh. Ten of the silo complexes
were in New York and two were located in Vermont. These sites were manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year during the time the Squadron was active. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, all
556th sites were at a high level of alert and were ready to launch the Atlas missile should it have become necessary. The squadron was armed with the SM-65 weapon system, more commonly know as the Atlas. The
556th was an Atlas F unit which meant the missile was housed in a "silo launcher" style complex. The missile was kept in a
vertical position at all times. In order to launch, two 75-ton overhead doors
were opened and the "bird" was
lifted out of the silo. The Atlas ICBM
required RP1 and Liquid Oxygen for powering the rocket engines. The RP1
fuel was kept on board the missile at all times during alert. As the missile was
lifted out of the silo the Liquid Oxygen fuel was added after which it would then be made ready for launch.
This is one reason that the response time of the Atlas F system was quicker than
that of the Atlas D and E systems. The picture to the left shows an Atlas F during the lift process.
The picture on the right is a missile in the
ready to launch position. The Atlas F used an Avco Mark
IV re-entry vehicle which carried a type W-38 warhead with a nuclear yield of approximately 4
megatons of TNT. The Atlas had a range of about 6,000 miles. Developed by General Dynamics, the Atlas weapons system became a national priority during which no expense was spared in the development, testing and implementation of this first generation ICBM system. The Atlas rocket was also used by NASA during the early days of manned space travel and was the booster used to put John Glenn into Earth orbit.