Near Cottonwood in Jackson County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
"At War Every Day"
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 19, 2026
1. "At War Every Day" Marker
Peacekeepers used in this missile field served in two primary roles: providing armed response in an 'Area Security' (backup) role, and serving as armed convoy escort vehicles.
In the first role, Fire Teams in Peacekeeper vehicles patrolled rural roads near/between one or more of this Wing's 150 LFs (like Delta-01) while they were undergoing more involved maintenance. They kept constant radio contact with the parent LCF (i.e. Delta-01) of the 50-missile flight in which the work was being performed. When needed, they could provide immediate back-up to the Security Police personnel who were escorting maintenance teams on that affected site. Such a response would only be required in cases of elevated threats or actual attacks to the site, but Fire Teams were ready to respond at all times. Several Fire Teams in Peacekeepers performed area-security duties throughout the missile field every day there was active underground maintenance on any LF. They also provided additional backup assistance to any of the 15 LCFs in this wing, should the 44 MSS Flight Security Controller/Alarm Response Team and Security
this page online
Peacekeepers became very high-mileage vehicles as they routinely traversed the 13,500 square miles of this missile field. In later years, to reduce the miles they logged driving back and forth from Ellsworth, Fire Teams conducted their changeovers in the field, rather than on base. After long days of patrol duties, the field Fire Team would often park their Peacekeeper at an LCF and overnight there. A new base Fire Team would drive out to that LCF early the next morning in a standard utility vehicle, trading places with the off-going crew who would then return to base. The new Fire Team would then assume Field security duties, driving the shorter distance from the LCF to the patrol area for the next LF(s) that required their services that day.
In their second role, a total of five Fire Teams (up to four of them using Peacekeepers or other dedicated security vehicles on the ground, with one Fire Team providing overwatch and back-up coverage aboard a helicopter) made up the convoys that escorted the highest-priority assets transported throughout this missile field. Those heavily
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 19, 2026
2. "At War Every Day" Marker
Left marker
[Multiple photos of Peacekeepers and their Security Forces operators]
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • Roads & Vehicles • War, Cold.
Location. 43° 50.663′ N, 101° 54.072′ W. Memorial is near Cottonwood, South Dakota, in Jackson County. Marker and Peacekeeper are adjacent to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Visitor Center. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 24545 CottonWood Road, Philip SD 57567, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, in West River, and in the Badlands. It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Peacekeeper (here, next to this marker); Sun Tzu's Nuclear Missile Prophecy (a few steps from this marker); A Landscape Lost to Time (a few steps from this marker); Civilian Conservation Corps Camps (approx. 1.3 miles away); Typical Sod House Homesteader (approx. 1.6 miles away); Invisible Warriors (approx. 3.8 miles away); The Badlands Wall (approx. 4 miles away); The Big Badlands (approx. 4.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cottonwood.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Closer than You Imagined (was approx. ¾ mile away but has been confirmed missing).
Also see . . . Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. (Submitted on October 19, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 19, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
