Florence in Lauderdale County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

The Hawk Missile

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, October 22, 2013

1. The Hawk Missile Marker

Inscription. The Hawk Missile was the first mobile medium-range, guided, anti-aircraft missile deployed by the U.S. Army in August 1959. The Hawk is a surface-to-air missile powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor and controlled in flight by its large tail fins. The Hawk is 16’-8” long, weighs 1,400 lbs., and has a speed of Mach 2.5. The Hawk has a ceiling of 58,000 and carries a 163 lb. blast-fragmentation warhead.

The Hawk was deactivated in 1994 and replaced by the Patriot Missile.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1959.

Location. 34° 48.713′ N, 87° 37.432′ W. Marker is in Florence, Alabama, in Lauderdale County. It is on Veterans Park Drive 0.2 miles east of South Cox Creek Parkway (Route 133), on the left when traveling east. Marker is located south of the Veterans Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Florence AL 35630, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama

and in the Shoals.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The “Honest John” Rocket (a few steps from this marker); W.W. II Anchor (a few steps from this marker); AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile (a few steps from this marker); “Gooney Bird” Propeller (a few steps from this marker); Don Leslie Michael (a few

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steps from this marker); 16” Projectile (a few steps from this marker); Anti-Tank Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); 75mm Field Gun (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florence.

Also see . . . Wikipedia - MIM-23 Hawk. The Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk(Homing All the Way Killer)[2] is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. (Submitted on October 24, 2013, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, May 26, 2009

2. The Hawk Missile Marker

The Hawk Missile image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, October 22, 2013

3. The Hawk Missile

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2013, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 986 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 23, 2013, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.