Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Nike "Ajax" Missile
The Nike Ajax, known as the "MIM-3A" Identification, was armed with three individual high-explosive, fragmentation type warheads located at the front, center and rear of the missile body. Although consideration was given to arming the Ajax with nuclear warheads, this project was cancelled in favor of developing a new type of missile. While the Ajax was being deployed across the nation, the new missile know as "Nike-B" and later as Nike "Hercules" had already begun to be developed.
The basic statistics of the Ajax Missile are as follows:
Length: 21 feet (body), 13 feet (booster), 33 feet (total)
Weight: 1,050 pounds (body), 1,200 pounds (booster), 2,260 pounds (total)
Speed: 2.3 Mach (1,900 mph)
Range: 26 miles
Payload: 300 pounds
Cost: $20,000 in 1958.
Erected by Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • War, Cold. A significant historical year for this entry is 1958.
Location. 40° 25.862′ N, 76° 34.168′ W. Marker is in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, in Lebanon County. Marker is at the intersection of Fisher Avenue and Stahr Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Fisher Avenue. Located on the Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Facility. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Annville PA 17003, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. F-102 Jet Fighter (within shouting distance of this marker); Fallen Warrior Memorial - 2nd BCT (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Nike "Hercules" Missile (about 300 feet away); EC-130E "Commando Solo" (about 400 feet away); Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (about 400 feet away); 40 & 8 Boxcar (about 400 feet away); Saint-Avold Tribute to 3rd American Army (about 400 feet away); EC-130E Commando Solo I (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Indiantown Gap.
Also see . . . Overview of the Nike Missile System. Note that during the Cold War, Nike sites were placed around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. (Submitted on October 16, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 16, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,170 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 16, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.