Remember the Cold War? For almost 20 years, Nike missile batteries formed a ring around Boston. We are now standing in front of what was Nike Missile Site B-63.
This site in Needham was part of that ring. These sites ushered the city into the 1950s and the atomic age. The Ajax missile was intended to defend Boston from Soviet bombers. These bombers would have flown over the North Pole. They would have rained nuclear destruction on the Hub.
The Nike program was an open secret. Base gates were sometimes open to the public. Reporters were also welcome. However, there were closely guarded secrets too. The Ajax missile wasn’t really equipped to engage modern jet bombers. A successful interception by the later Hercules missile would result in a nuclear detonation. This would occur in our own backyards. Tens of thousands of Americans would be killed or injured.
Nike Site B-63 was located on two hills. It sat in the western Boston suburb of Needham. This site was only used during the Ajax era. The IFC or Integrated Fire Control area was located 1.2 miles northwest of the town center. It was off Central Avenue on East Militia Heights Street. Nike-Ajax site B-63 was active from October 1955 to January 1964. Active Army manned it from October 1955 to August 1960. The Massachusetts Army National Guard may have manned it from February 1958 to January 1964.
This Nike Ajax site had 30 missiles. There were ten missiles per launcher section. Twelve missiles were mounted on launchers. This was four per launcher section. The site had three magazines. One was a type “B”. Two were Ajax.
Each Nike site had two separate areas. These were the battery control area and the launching area. The battery control area had radar and communication equipment. This coordinated a Nike engagement. The launching area was several miles away. It had facilities for preparing missiles. It also stored and launched missiles. The launching area had an assembly area and a launcher area.
The assembly area converted newly received missiles into ready rounds. These rounds could be quickly prepared for firing. The assembly building housed equipment for assembling and checking missiles. Fueling, oxidizing, and warhead installation were done outdoors. The launcher areas provided facilities for storing and launching missiles. These facilities included up to four firing sections. Each had an underground storage area. They also had a firing panel and above ground launcher loader assemblies. A launcher control trailer contained the control console.
The Nike Ajax missile system had a solid fuel rocket booster. This booster catapulted the missile into the air. It reached up to 60000 feet at almost 1200 mph. The booster would then be dropped. The liquid fueled main engine would kick on. Back on the ground, a radar guidance system broadcast signals to the missile. This directed it to its target. It detonated at the enemy plane’s closest approach.
Nike Site B-63 was closed. This occurred after the deployment of longer-ranged Nike Hercules missiles. Site B-63 replaced the last of the big guns. The Stratosphere gun had a range of up to 60000 feet. Its muzzle velocity was 3000 feet per second. It also replaced the smaller Skysweeper AA gun. The more powerful Nike Hercules missiles replaced the Nike Ajax. The Nike Battalion HQ was on Speen Street in Natick.
Like many other NIKE sites, B-63 may disappear due to local development.
Today, the ruins of Nike Site B-63 can be found off Charles River Road and Pine Street in Needham. It is just over the Natick town line. This is called Dover Road on the South Natick side.