Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Missiles Of Oklahoma: Southwest Oklahoma's Role In The American Cold War Nuclear Arsenal, 1960-65, Landry Brewer

Faculty Articles & Research

To counter the Soviet Union’s Cold War nuclear threat, the United States government enhanced its offensive nuclear capability in the 1950s by creating intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the Soviet Union. The first American ICBM was the Atlas missile. Southwest Oklahoma near Altus Air Force Base (AFB) played a crucial role in the nation’s nuclear arsenal from 1960 through 1965 by building several missile launch sites that housed Atlas F missiles. The state was rewarded with jobs, massive amounts of federal dollars spent here, and the satisfaction of deterring Soviet aggression while defending the nation against possible attack.

Oklahoma Missile Site: Aiming For The Historic Marker, Landry Brewer

Faculty Articles & Research

Goal: Place a historic marker at the site near Willow, Oklahoma, that housed an Atlas F intercontinental Ballistic Missile 1962-1965.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University issued a press release about my historic marker fundraising endeavor and partnership with the Old Greer County Museum. In addition to the story being broadcast by local radio stations and printed by local newspapers. KFOR NewsChannel 4 in Oklahoma City broadcast a segment during a Wednesday evening newscast that was rebroadcast multiple times through the following weekend. Also, the Old Greer County Museum included the release in its emailed newsletter, and one of the newsletter's readers …