Nike Missile New York Defense Area
Nike defenses were placed during the mid-1950s to defend the nation's most
populous city. Site designations and locations of Nike batteries defending
New York include:
(NY-03/04) Orangeburg/Mt. Nebo (double site) NY-03 IFC - NY-03 Launch Area
(NY-24) Amityville/Farmingdale NY-24 IFC - NY-24 Launch Area
(NY-09) Kensico/White Plains NY-09 IFC - NY-09 Launch Area
(NY-25) Rocky Point/Brookhaven NY-25 IFC - NY-25 Launch Area
(NY-15) Fort Slocum NY-15 IFC - NY-15 Launch Area
(NY29/30), Lido Beach (double site) NY-29 IFC - NY-29 Launch Area
(NY-20) Lloyd Harbor/Huntington NY-20 IFC - NY-20 Launch Area
(NY-49) Fort Tilden NY-49 IFC - NY-49 Launch Area
(NY-23) Hicksville/Oyster Bay NY-23 IFC - NY-23 Launch Area
(NY-99) Spring Valley/Ramapo NY-99 IFC - NY-99 Launch Area
(NY-53) Leonardo/Belford NY-53 IFC - NY-53 Launch Area
(NY-73) Summit/Watchung NY-73 IFC - NY-73 Launch Area
(NY-54) Holmdel/Hazlet NY-54 IFC - NY-54 Launch Area
(NY-80) Livingston (double site) NY-80 IFC - NY-80 Launch Area
(NY-56) Fort Hancock/Sandy Hook NY-56 IFC - NY-56 Launch Area
(NY-88) Mountain View/Wayne NY-88 IFC - NY-88 Launch Area
(NY-58/60) South Amboy NY-58 IFC - NY-58 Launch Area
(NY-93/94) Ramsey/Darlington NY-93 IFC - NY-93 Launch Area
(NY-65) South Plainfield Mahwah/Franklin Lakes (double site) NY-65 IFC - NY-65 Launch Area
Headquarters facilities were located at Tappan, Fort Totten, Fort Wadsworth, and Roslyn.
Combined with the sites located in New Jersey, the New York sites composed one of the largest defensive nets in the nation. Sites NY-03/04, NY-24, NY-25, and NY-49 received upgrades to accept Nike Hercules. Beginning in June 1960, command and control was coordinated by a "Missile Master" facility located at Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Earlier, New York's air defenses had been manually coordinated from Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.
Perhaps to even a greater extent than elsewhere, New York site locations in proximity to major population centers made good public relations vital, especially in the wake of a highly publicized disaster at a New Jersey Nike site in 1958. During the following year a Nike missile exhibit participated in 40 major public events ranging from the State Fair to Boy Scout Camporees. Nike sites also were occasionally opened to the public.
As in several other states, during the 1960s the National Guard assumed a greater role in operating the sites.
Other New York Nike Sites
Other U.S. Nike Sites