Check Six – Late 1950s: Nike Hercules Missiles in Hawaii

This photograph shows a Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) Nike Hercules missile battery at Bellows Field, Waimanalo.

This Nike Hercules defense area was manned solely by Hawaii Army National Guard personnel. Early plans called for six individual batteries, this was changed to six batteries at four locations – Bellows, Kahuku, Mokuleia, Makakilo – ringing the island. Site construction began in the late 1950s. Command of the defense area came under US Army, Pacific (USARPAC).

Units and installations defended included Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Naval Submarine Base and Naval Shipyard, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Wheeler AFB, and Hickam AFB.

The Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) was located at Wahiawa, the early warning radar site was Mount Kaala AFS and was operated jointly by Pacific Air Forces, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG).

Nike Hercules operation in Hawaii ended in 1970. Many HIARNG technicians transferred to the HIANG positions to continue their full time employment.

More about the Nike Hercules