Readers of my trip reports know that I consider this book to be THE guide to Nike sites ... the only Nike reference book I carry with me in the field -- Scott
August 19, 2002
The second edition of Rings of Supersonic Steel is now available!
Rings of Supersonic Steel
Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950-1979
An Introductory History and Site Guide
By Mark Morgan and Mark Berhow
Published by Fort MacArthur Military Press, 2002
Rings of Supersonic Steel is a short history of the United States' continental
air defense missile network. The backbone of this defense, from 1954 to 1974, was the
Armyıs Nike surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
This book provides a brief overview of the Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) and the
major United States air defense systems‹the Nike Ajax and Nike Hercules SAM systems
of the U.S. Army; the BOMARC interceptor missile system of the US Air Force; and the U.S.
Army Sentinel/Safeguard ABM systems. It is
194 pages long, with more than 150 illustrations, revised text and site guide, and a
completely updated bibliography. This publication contains a complete survey of all Nike,
BOMARC, and Safeguard sites in the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada.
The illustrations for this second edition have been substantially upgraded with a more
extensive selection of photographs. Both the introductory text and the site survey have
been expanded upon and corrected with information from new resources cited in the
bibliography and from fellow enthusiasts.
The book is available directly from the publisher/distributor. The price is $19.95 per
copy plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. Discounts are available for bulk orders over 5
copies.
Hole in the Head Press
PO Box 807
Bogeda Bay, CA 94923
sestokes@sonic.net
http://www.rings-of-supersonic-steel.com
More specific information on the book and other information on the Nike missile program
can be obtained from author Mark Berhow at berhowma@insightbb.com. He also has a
supplemental CD ROM of Nike source
material for those that are interested. Contact him for more details.