During my visit to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, I went to the Visitor Center to see the displays and a movie which provided an overview of the Cold War and the role of the Minuteman Missile. I then went on a ranger-led tour of Delta-01, Launch Control Facility and Center. I also took a self-guided, phone tour of Delta-09, Missile Silo.
Delta-01, Launch Control Facility and Center
Minuteman Missile Sites were established in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri in the early 1960s. Rotating teams of missileers, maintenance personnel, and security forces manned Delta-01 and all the other launch control facilities and centers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The maintenance personnel and security forces occupied the above-ground facility which contained offices, sleeping quarters, kitchen, bathrooms, and a combination eating area and lounge.
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| Above Ground Facility |
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Security Office
(you had to pass through here to go below ground) |
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| Facility Maintenance Office |
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| Sleeping Room |
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| Kitchen |
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| Dining Area & Rec Room |
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Antenna
(used to communicate with higher authority) |
The missileers stayed below ground in the Launch Control Center which contained two work areas, a bunk for resting, and a toilet.
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Elevator
(went 31 feet underground) |
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Wall Mural
(missile flies through Soviet flag) |
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| Mural on Blast Door |
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Blast Door & Entryway
(door weighs 8 tons) |
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| Launch Control Center |
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Commander's Position
(dark blue area contains all of the signal & alarm displays) |
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| Deputy Commander's Position |
Delta-09, Missile Silo
Delta-09 was 1 of 10 silos containing a Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile connected to Delta-01 by communication cables. The missile silo and launch facility are located 10 miles apart. The silos were unmanned except to perform maintenance or when responding to a security sensor alarm. Security forces and maintenance personnel had to both be present to access the silo.
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Above Ground at Delta-09
(silo flanked by two antennas) |
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| Access Hatch with Silo Behind |
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| Training Missile |
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