2009 Burlington County Amphitheater Summer Concert Season
Pioneer Boulevard off Woodlane Road, adjacent to Library (609) 265-5068
4 - July - Saturday - Tom Sadge
10 - July - Friday - Zydeco-A-Go-Go
11 - July - Saturday - The Brockington Ensemble
17 - July - Friday - BCC 88.9 Night w/ Kyle McGill
18 - July - Saturday - The Reference Point Band
24 - July - Friday - The Bronx Wanderers
25 - July - Saturday - Sugar Ray's Down-Home Blues w/ Andy Aaron & the Mean Machine
31 - July - Friday - Randy Becker
1 - Aug - Saturday - Wind Symphony of Southern New Jersey
2 - Aug - Sunday - The Lightyears
7 - Aug - Friday - Steve Green & the Elevators
8 - Aug - Saturday - Seven Nations
14 - Aug - Friday - Friends
15 - Aug - Saturday - The '70s Soul Jam w/ Jean Reed
21 - Aug - Friday - The Whiskey Girls
22 - Aug - Saturday - Kid's Night at the Amphitheater
28 - Aug - Friday - Todd's Porch
29 - Aug - Saturday - Gene Tirpak's '60's thru '70's "Throwback" Band
4 - Sept - Friday - Anton Del Forno & Friend
5 - Sept - Saturday - Crawdaddies
12 - Sept - Saturday (3pm) Services Latinos Hispanic Heritage Celebration
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Flashback 1979 - Alexanders
From Atlantic City Sun newspaper (September 28, 1979)
Rockin' in the Pines
By William E. Kelly
The quiet hamlet near Mirror Lake is known as Browns Mills "in the Pines," but today it is better known as the rock music capitol of South Jersey.
Alexander's Sunset Inn has put Browns Mills on the map as the area's only showcase of traveling rock bands.
Some years ago, the old Sunset Inn was refurbished and renamed Alexander's. The large dance hall was closed off from the side bar by a sliding wall. With the wall closed, Alexander's has the appearance of a typical small, local tavern, complete with electronic games, pool table and a small stage for go-go dancers.
The dancers were the club's biggest attraction as they gyrated before lonely soldiers on leave from nearby Fort Dix.
Then, last January, owner Butch Lupinetti let Steve Benson produce a few shows in the huge back room dance hall. The sliding doors were folded back, another bar opened, and a traveling rock show performed on stage. It was such a success that they are now doing it as regularly as a couple a nights a week. The acts that perform aren't local talents but rather top recording acts.
The popular acts from the Tower Theater and the Bijou Cafe in Philadelphia were persuaded to come to Browns Mills for a one night stand at Alexander's - just far enough outside Philadelphia not to bother the Electric Factory concert promoters, yet close enough to attract the 18 - 20 year olds who are not old enough to drink legally at home, but are old enough to drive to Browns Mills.
Alexanders and Browns Mills became Philadelphia household names when Steve Benson and Lee Stulman placed radio ads on the popular FM rock stations that beckoned you to go out of your way to see and hear a great show. The ads gave directions from Philadelphia: take the Ben Franklin Bridge to Rt. 38 east to Pemberton, then Rt. 530 past Burlington County College to Browns Mills. If you got lost you were instructed to call 893-6174. Browns Mills is only 40 miles from center city Philadelphia and 60 miles from Atlantic City.
By sunset, the large parking lot is full of cars, most with out-of-state plates - Pennsylvania, Delaware and even New York.
It's not the club, but the music that packs them in. The bands that play Alexander's are top recording acts usually out on the road promoting a new album. The cover charge is typical for a concert, with tickets available from Ticketron, and a dollar more at the door.
Last summer Johnny Winter, Steve Forbert, George Thoroughgood and the Delaware Destroyers, the Average White Band, James Cotton Blues Band, John Lee Hooker and Jorma Kaukonen all made their first South Jersey appearance. Those who follow Jorma's entourage to New York say that his three-hour Alexander show, which he did solo, was by far the best performance of the tour. But the best act last summer had to be by the late Lowell George.
Last June 26, two days before he died of a heart attack, the former leader of Little Feat put on one of his last concerts at Alexander's. Although he was popular for the album, "Feat Don't Fail Me Now," and the song, "Dixie Chicken," Lowell George was more respected by his peers. After he died, the largest benefit since Bangladesh took place at the LA Forum, with Jackson Brown, Linda Ronstadt, Ricki Lee Jones and the rest of the California rock fraternity. Lowell was more influential than popular. His Alexander's concert was a classic.
The lineup of shows for this fall is even better. Edgar Winter and the Nighthawks were at Alexander's on September 21, followed the next night by the Greatful Dead ofshoot, the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Steve Forbert did a one-night engagement on September 26. Tonight, the Philadelphia area's own Nan Mancini and Johnny's Dance Band take the stage.
The big name attractions slated for the fall include Hall and Oats on Saturday, October 13, and Arlo Gunthrie on Sunday, November 11.
Alexander's is not really that hard to find from Atlantic City. To get to Browns Mills take the White Horse Pike to Rt. 206 towards Trenton. From 206 take Rt. 38 east to Pemberton and Rt. 530 to Alexander's. And remember, if you get lost, call Steve at 893-6174 and ask for directions.
Rockin' in the Pines
By William E. Kelly
The quiet hamlet near Mirror Lake is known as Browns Mills "in the Pines," but today it is better known as the rock music capitol of South Jersey.
Alexander's Sunset Inn has put Browns Mills on the map as the area's only showcase of traveling rock bands.
Some years ago, the old Sunset Inn was refurbished and renamed Alexander's. The large dance hall was closed off from the side bar by a sliding wall. With the wall closed, Alexander's has the appearance of a typical small, local tavern, complete with electronic games, pool table and a small stage for go-go dancers.
The dancers were the club's biggest attraction as they gyrated before lonely soldiers on leave from nearby Fort Dix.
Then, last January, owner Butch Lupinetti let Steve Benson produce a few shows in the huge back room dance hall. The sliding doors were folded back, another bar opened, and a traveling rock show performed on stage. It was such a success that they are now doing it as regularly as a couple a nights a week. The acts that perform aren't local talents but rather top recording acts.
The popular acts from the Tower Theater and the Bijou Cafe in Philadelphia were persuaded to come to Browns Mills for a one night stand at Alexander's - just far enough outside Philadelphia not to bother the Electric Factory concert promoters, yet close enough to attract the 18 - 20 year olds who are not old enough to drink legally at home, but are old enough to drive to Browns Mills.
Alexanders and Browns Mills became Philadelphia household names when Steve Benson and Lee Stulman placed radio ads on the popular FM rock stations that beckoned you to go out of your way to see and hear a great show. The ads gave directions from Philadelphia: take the Ben Franklin Bridge to Rt. 38 east to Pemberton, then Rt. 530 past Burlington County College to Browns Mills. If you got lost you were instructed to call 893-6174. Browns Mills is only 40 miles from center city Philadelphia and 60 miles from Atlantic City.
By sunset, the large parking lot is full of cars, most with out-of-state plates - Pennsylvania, Delaware and even New York.
It's not the club, but the music that packs them in. The bands that play Alexander's are top recording acts usually out on the road promoting a new album. The cover charge is typical for a concert, with tickets available from Ticketron, and a dollar more at the door.
Last summer Johnny Winter, Steve Forbert, George Thoroughgood and the Delaware Destroyers, the Average White Band, James Cotton Blues Band, John Lee Hooker and Jorma Kaukonen all made their first South Jersey appearance. Those who follow Jorma's entourage to New York say that his three-hour Alexander show, which he did solo, was by far the best performance of the tour. But the best act last summer had to be by the late Lowell George.
Last June 26, two days before he died of a heart attack, the former leader of Little Feat put on one of his last concerts at Alexander's. Although he was popular for the album, "Feat Don't Fail Me Now," and the song, "Dixie Chicken," Lowell George was more respected by his peers. After he died, the largest benefit since Bangladesh took place at the LA Forum, with Jackson Brown, Linda Ronstadt, Ricki Lee Jones and the rest of the California rock fraternity. Lowell was more influential than popular. His Alexander's concert was a classic.
The lineup of shows for this fall is even better. Edgar Winter and the Nighthawks were at Alexander's on September 21, followed the next night by the Greatful Dead ofshoot, the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Steve Forbert did a one-night engagement on September 26. Tonight, the Philadelphia area's own Nan Mancini and Johnny's Dance Band take the stage.
The big name attractions slated for the fall include Hall and Oats on Saturday, October 13, and Arlo Gunthrie on Sunday, November 11.
Alexander's is not really that hard to find from Atlantic City. To get to Browns Mills take the White Horse Pike to Rt. 206 towards Trenton. From 206 take Rt. 38 east to Pemberton and Rt. 530 to Alexander's. And remember, if you get lost, call Steve at 893-6174 and ask for directions.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Michael Tearson
Michael Tearson, who does a terrific show on Friday nights on the local Burlington College radio station, used to be a DJ at WMMR, where AOR - Album Oriented Rock was first introduced by Dave Herman(?) in the mid-60s.
I met Michael through Bill Vitka, the News Director at MMR when it was the Number 1 radio station in the country, as well as Philadelphia. I worked with Vitka on a number of stories - the biggest being the use of prisoners for testing of drugs by the Army and University of Penn professors, including Dr. Kligman, who tested dioxin.
I sat next to Michael at Vitka's wedding and got Michael to be the Master of Ceremonies at the 75th anniversary of the Flanders on the Ocean City boardwalk, when the late Robert Hazard, the Original Comets and Mike Pedicin, Sr. also performed.
When I was sitting with Tierson at Vitka's wedding, I was surprised to learn that he is a frustrated actor who wanted to be a character actor in movies and TV, with Harry Morgan (MASH) being his Hollywood idol.
His shows on BBC - the Pulse of Burlington County - always have a theme and are always great, full of nostalgia and great tunes.
Vitka moved to California where I hooked up with him in San Francisco when I was on the road with Brian in the late 70s, and then again in New York City where Bill is still working as an announcer/reporter with CBS Radio News.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Ed forms Ed Gillespie Strategies
ON THE BEAT
Beltway experience validates the increasing importance of strategic comms.
Ed Gillespie June 01, 2009
http://www.prweekus.com/Beltway-experience-validates-the-increasing-importance-of-strategic-comms/article/137456/
After leaving the White House as counselor to President George W. Bush at the end of his term this past January, many were surprised I didn't return to lobbying, but instead opened a new strategic planning and communications firm. Given the rapid changes in public affairs, they shouldn't have been.
Lobbying remains a vital means of conveying information to a target audience of policy-makers. However, other ways of shaping the broader environment in which policy decisions are made have mushroomed and gained in both importance and influence.
I've lobbied and been lobbied. I have advocated policies and participated in the policy-making process at various levels of Congress, as well as at the White House. As such, I understand what has an impact from all perspectives.
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, my old boss, has a saying that on the floor of the House of Representatives, “Votes beat money every time.” Helping to shape the public perceptions surrounding an issue has a much greater impact than individual lobbying and endless fundraisers.
The strongest impact of smart communications and public affairs is not so much in how policies are shaped, but what policies end up being considered at all. In Washington, the urgent drives out the important. Making sure policy-makers understand why action on a certain issue is urgent – or why it's not – falls under the purview of broader public affairs.
Any lobbyist worth his or her retainer can explain why a member of Congress should vote a certain way, or why a cabinet secretary should adopt a certain position. The greater challenge is not about explaining why, but why now.
Elevating “why” to “why now” involves a broad array of tools, including grassroots organization, Internet mobilization, and more. In an era when people instinctively reach for their Blackberrys upon first waking up, it involves texting, Tweeting, and e-mailing.
In my last year in the White House, public pressure over high gas prices spurred action by both the President and the Democratic Congress to allow offshore US drilling for the first time in three decades. There was genuine outcry for more domestic energy, but there was also a coordinated public affairs effort that helped policy-makers understand not only why lifting the longtime offshore drilling ban made sense, but why now.
Throughout 25 years in politics, government, and business, I've always enjoyed strategic communications most. And it's never been more important than now.
Ed Gillespie, former counselor to President George W. Bush, recently founded Ed Gillespie Strategies. He was RNC chair from 2003-2004 and a principal at Quinn Gillespie and Associates from 2000-2007.
THE GUY IN THE BLACK SUIT
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=32091
There Goes Ed
Even discounting his tall stature, it's not difficult to spot President Bush's former counselor, Ed Gillespie, on the touristy streets of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington. He's one of the few pedestrians who dresses in a dark suit every day.
Mr. Gillespie, a one-time chairman of the Republican National Committee, recently crossed the Potomac to launch Ed Gillespie Strategies on Prince Street, having previously partnered at one of K Street's more prominent lobby shops, Quinn Gillespie & Associates, with former Clinton White House counsel Jack Quinn.
Mr. Gillespie has made it clear his lobbying days are over. He's now concentrating on strategic planning, communications and, of course, politics, including helping to run the campaign of Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell.
Ed Gillespie Strategies
http://edgillespiestrategies.com/
The arches that formed the foundations for Ancient Rome’s buildings, bridges and aqueducts relied on a single keystone. The wedge-shaped piece at the summit of an arch is the central, cohesive source of support and stability. Without a well crafted and properly set keystone, the entire structure would crumble.
The keystone is at the center of the graphic for Ed Gillespie Strategies because a well conceived strategy is the central, cohesive element of any successful effort to achieve an important objective. If the strategy is not well conceived, the effort will likely fail.
A well conceived strategy is the centerpiece for the personnel decisions, project assignments and tactics necessary to win in the marketplace of ideas. The number of people who have the experience, vision and insight necessary to craft an overarching strategy--who can craft a keystone for success-- is limited.
Ed Gillespie is widely recognized as one of those people.
Strategic Planning
CEOs, trade association heads, and coalition members know where they want to be, and where they are now. It’s not always clear how to get from one to the other, however.
Having the right strategic plan is critical to success. Ed Gillespie has mapped winning strategies for candidates for the U.S. House, Senate and governorships, CEOs seeking shareholder approval of controversial mergers, and the President of the United States in battles with congress. He knows the right questions to ask and the right advice to give to develop an effective strategy.
Message Development and Communications Strategy
Identifying target audiences, crafting a communications calendar, plotting the right mix and timing of various tactics, knowing when to be proactive versus reactive, gauging the optimal blend of traditional, new and paid media are all important elements of an effective communications strategy.
In 25 years in politics, government and business, Ed Gillespie has emerged as one of the premier communications strategists in America. He knows what it takes to effectively convey information and image in today’s cluttered and constantly churning media environment.
A fundamental element of effective communications is smart message development. This requires a unique ability to compellingly describe ideas, analyze demographic data, weigh focus group feedback and take into account competing audiences (i.e., financial markets, consumers, regulators) and synthesize a wide array of factors into a simple message. Ed Gillespie is famous for his ability to coin a phrase, label an issue and capture public sentiment.
Reputation and Crisis Management
In today’s economic and media environments upstanding individuals, outstanding companies and important industries can suddenly find themselves at risk of reputational damage.
The ability to react quickly without panicking and to respond forcefully yet thoughtfully can mean the difference between saving a reputation and losing it.
From the collapse of the financial markets, to handling congressional investigations, to issues involving sensitive diplomatic and national security implications, Ed Gillespie has counseled numerous high-profile people and companies through a wide variety of media, legal and congressional firestorms.
Hearing and Interview Preparation
Honing opening statements, anticipating hard-to-guess questions, shaping responses and coaching demeanor are skills developed through years of experience. Ed Gillespie has advised committee chairs what questions they should ask at hearings, and advised witnesses what questions to expect and how to best answer them.
Perhaps Gillespie’s best known role in preparing a witness for congressional hearings was in 2005, when President Bush asked him to lead the confirmation efforts for Chief Justice John Roberts. “A little bit like coaching Michael Jordan on his jump shot,” Gillespie said at the time.
When it comes to high-stakes press interviews, few have prepared at the level Ed Gillespie has. Network news shows, one-on-one interviews, major magazine profiles and even microphone-in-the-face ambushes are all experiences he has guided people through.
And unlike most other consultants, Ed Gillespie brings the unique perspective of someone who has actually been in the hot seat himself, appearing on major network news programs, participating in debates and testifying before congress.
Coalition Organization and Management
When an issue arises that affects a diverse group of companies and industries, organizing them into a unified entity that can speak with one voice and work in a coordinated fashion toward a common objective takes experience and gravitas.
In two decades of public and private sector work, Ed Gillespie has successfully organized and managed coalitions focused on policies ranging from excise taxes to encryption reform to energy regulation. He has the management ability it takes to create the infrastructure, run the meetings, coordinate strong personalities, circulate information and implement agreed upon strategy and tactics.
Beltway experience validates the increasing importance of strategic comms.
Ed Gillespie June 01, 2009
http://www.prweekus.com/Beltway-experience-validates-the-increasing-importance-of-strategic-comms/article/137456/
After leaving the White House as counselor to President George W. Bush at the end of his term this past January, many were surprised I didn't return to lobbying, but instead opened a new strategic planning and communications firm. Given the rapid changes in public affairs, they shouldn't have been.
Lobbying remains a vital means of conveying information to a target audience of policy-makers. However, other ways of shaping the broader environment in which policy decisions are made have mushroomed and gained in both importance and influence.
I've lobbied and been lobbied. I have advocated policies and participated in the policy-making process at various levels of Congress, as well as at the White House. As such, I understand what has an impact from all perspectives.
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, my old boss, has a saying that on the floor of the House of Representatives, “Votes beat money every time.” Helping to shape the public perceptions surrounding an issue has a much greater impact than individual lobbying and endless fundraisers.
The strongest impact of smart communications and public affairs is not so much in how policies are shaped, but what policies end up being considered at all. In Washington, the urgent drives out the important. Making sure policy-makers understand why action on a certain issue is urgent – or why it's not – falls under the purview of broader public affairs.
Any lobbyist worth his or her retainer can explain why a member of Congress should vote a certain way, or why a cabinet secretary should adopt a certain position. The greater challenge is not about explaining why, but why now.
Elevating “why” to “why now” involves a broad array of tools, including grassroots organization, Internet mobilization, and more. In an era when people instinctively reach for their Blackberrys upon first waking up, it involves texting, Tweeting, and e-mailing.
In my last year in the White House, public pressure over high gas prices spurred action by both the President and the Democratic Congress to allow offshore US drilling for the first time in three decades. There was genuine outcry for more domestic energy, but there was also a coordinated public affairs effort that helped policy-makers understand not only why lifting the longtime offshore drilling ban made sense, but why now.
Throughout 25 years in politics, government, and business, I've always enjoyed strategic communications most. And it's never been more important than now.
Ed Gillespie, former counselor to President George W. Bush, recently founded Ed Gillespie Strategies. He was RNC chair from 2003-2004 and a principal at Quinn Gillespie and Associates from 2000-2007.
THE GUY IN THE BLACK SUIT
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=32091
There Goes Ed
Even discounting his tall stature, it's not difficult to spot President Bush's former counselor, Ed Gillespie, on the touristy streets of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington. He's one of the few pedestrians who dresses in a dark suit every day.
Mr. Gillespie, a one-time chairman of the Republican National Committee, recently crossed the Potomac to launch Ed Gillespie Strategies on Prince Street, having previously partnered at one of K Street's more prominent lobby shops, Quinn Gillespie & Associates, with former Clinton White House counsel Jack Quinn.
Mr. Gillespie has made it clear his lobbying days are over. He's now concentrating on strategic planning, communications and, of course, politics, including helping to run the campaign of Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell.
Ed Gillespie Strategies
http://edgillespiestrategies.com/
The arches that formed the foundations for Ancient Rome’s buildings, bridges and aqueducts relied on a single keystone. The wedge-shaped piece at the summit of an arch is the central, cohesive source of support and stability. Without a well crafted and properly set keystone, the entire structure would crumble.
The keystone is at the center of the graphic for Ed Gillespie Strategies because a well conceived strategy is the central, cohesive element of any successful effort to achieve an important objective. If the strategy is not well conceived, the effort will likely fail.
A well conceived strategy is the centerpiece for the personnel decisions, project assignments and tactics necessary to win in the marketplace of ideas. The number of people who have the experience, vision and insight necessary to craft an overarching strategy--who can craft a keystone for success-- is limited.
Ed Gillespie is widely recognized as one of those people.
Strategic Planning
CEOs, trade association heads, and coalition members know where they want to be, and where they are now. It’s not always clear how to get from one to the other, however.
Having the right strategic plan is critical to success. Ed Gillespie has mapped winning strategies for candidates for the U.S. House, Senate and governorships, CEOs seeking shareholder approval of controversial mergers, and the President of the United States in battles with congress. He knows the right questions to ask and the right advice to give to develop an effective strategy.
Message Development and Communications Strategy
Identifying target audiences, crafting a communications calendar, plotting the right mix and timing of various tactics, knowing when to be proactive versus reactive, gauging the optimal blend of traditional, new and paid media are all important elements of an effective communications strategy.
In 25 years in politics, government and business, Ed Gillespie has emerged as one of the premier communications strategists in America. He knows what it takes to effectively convey information and image in today’s cluttered and constantly churning media environment.
A fundamental element of effective communications is smart message development. This requires a unique ability to compellingly describe ideas, analyze demographic data, weigh focus group feedback and take into account competing audiences (i.e., financial markets, consumers, regulators) and synthesize a wide array of factors into a simple message. Ed Gillespie is famous for his ability to coin a phrase, label an issue and capture public sentiment.
Reputation and Crisis Management
In today’s economic and media environments upstanding individuals, outstanding companies and important industries can suddenly find themselves at risk of reputational damage.
The ability to react quickly without panicking and to respond forcefully yet thoughtfully can mean the difference between saving a reputation and losing it.
From the collapse of the financial markets, to handling congressional investigations, to issues involving sensitive diplomatic and national security implications, Ed Gillespie has counseled numerous high-profile people and companies through a wide variety of media, legal and congressional firestorms.
Hearing and Interview Preparation
Honing opening statements, anticipating hard-to-guess questions, shaping responses and coaching demeanor are skills developed through years of experience. Ed Gillespie has advised committee chairs what questions they should ask at hearings, and advised witnesses what questions to expect and how to best answer them.
Perhaps Gillespie’s best known role in preparing a witness for congressional hearings was in 2005, when President Bush asked him to lead the confirmation efforts for Chief Justice John Roberts. “A little bit like coaching Michael Jordan on his jump shot,” Gillespie said at the time.
When it comes to high-stakes press interviews, few have prepared at the level Ed Gillespie has. Network news shows, one-on-one interviews, major magazine profiles and even microphone-in-the-face ambushes are all experiences he has guided people through.
And unlike most other consultants, Ed Gillespie brings the unique perspective of someone who has actually been in the hot seat himself, appearing on major network news programs, participating in debates and testifying before congress.
Coalition Organization and Management
When an issue arises that affects a diverse group of companies and industries, organizing them into a unified entity that can speak with one voice and work in a coordinated fashion toward a common objective takes experience and gravitas.
In two decades of public and private sector work, Ed Gillespie has successfully organized and managed coalitions focused on policies ranging from excise taxes to encryption reform to energy regulation. He has the management ability it takes to create the infrastructure, run the meetings, coordinate strong personalities, circulate information and implement agreed upon strategy and tactics.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Muscovy Ducks Enter the Lagoon
Muscovy Ducks Enter the Lagoon from South Lakeshore Drive, Browns Mills, New Jersey
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Musc/BRKScobies.html
http://www.avianweb.com/muscovyduck.html
Obama Honors Black Civil War Vets
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090525/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_memorial_day
Here's a link to my article on black civil war veteran Noah Cherry in Cape May, N.J.
http://whitedeercafe.blogspot.com/2008/04/salute-to-noah-cherry-and-judge-ron.html
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press Writer – 5 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Barack Obama marked his first Memorial Day as president on Monday, saluting the men and women of America's fighting forces, both living and dead, as "the best of America."
The president spoke after participating in a solemn holiday tradition, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, the burial ground for American veterans dating to the Revolutionary War.
In brief remarks after laying the wreath and observing a moment of silence, Obama said he wondered why the country's fallen warriors felt a sense of duty and answered the call to serve, knowing they might have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
"Why in an age when so many have acted only in pursuit of narrowest self-interest have the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of this generation volunteered all that they have on behalf of others," he said. "Why have they been willing to bear the heaviest burden?"
"Whatever it is, they felt some tug. They answered a call. They said 'I'll go.' That is why they are the best of America," Obama said. "That is what separates them from those who have not served in uniform, their extraordinary willingness to risk their lives for people they never met."
The president also sought to dodge a racial controversy on the holiday, sending wreaths to a monument for Confederate soldiers and a memorial honoring more than 200,000 blacks who fought for the Union during the Civil War.
The nation's first black president continued tradition and had wreaths delivered to the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, the 600-acre site across the Potomac River in Virginia that once was Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's estate. The White House also sent a wreath to the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington's historically black U Street neighborhood.
Presidents traditionally visit Arlington to personally leave a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, a marble structure with the remains of unidentified U.S. military members who died during war. Presidents then have aides deliver wreaths to other memorials or monuments, generally including the Confederate memorial.
A group of about 60 professors last week sent a petition to the White House asking Obama to avoid a memorial for Confederate military members who died during the war between the North and the South.
The White House ignored the plea. Wreaths also were left at the mast of the USS Maine and at the Spanish American War Memorial, a White House aide said.
"The Arlington Confederate Monument is a denial of the wrong committed against African-Americans by slave owners, Confederates and neo-Confederates, through the monument's denial of slavery as the cause of secession and its holding up of Confederates as heroes," the petition said. "This implies that the humanity of Africans and African-Americans is of no significance."
Among those who signed the letter is 1960s radical William Ayers, a University of Chicago education professor who helped found the radical group the Weather Underground that carried out bombings at the Pentagon and the Capitol. Republicans tried to link Obama with Ayers during the presidential campaign; the two lived in the same neighborhood and served on a charity board together.
The African American Civil War Memorial had been discussed as a compromise in recent days.
"President Obama, why not send two wreaths?" Kirk Savage, an art history professor at the University of Pittsburgh, wrote in an opinion piece in The Washington Post. "One to the Confederate Memorial in Arlington Cemetery and another to the African American Civil War Memorial in the District, which commemorates the 200,000 black soldiers who fought for liberation from slavery in the Union armed forces."
Men and women in uniform saluted the president's motorcade as it made its way into the hallowed burial ground that is Arlington. As Obama stepped to the microphone, some in the audience waved American flags.
Before the ceremony, the president had a private breakfast at the White House with people who have lost loved ones in war.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, have made veterans and military families a priority during his administration. His budget proposal includes the largest, single-year funding increase in the last three decades to revamp the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Here's a link to my article on black civil war veteran Noah Cherry in Cape May, N.J.
http://whitedeercafe.blogspot.com/2008/04/salute-to-noah-cherry-and-judge-ron.html
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press Writer – 5 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Barack Obama marked his first Memorial Day as president on Monday, saluting the men and women of America's fighting forces, both living and dead, as "the best of America."
The president spoke after participating in a solemn holiday tradition, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, the burial ground for American veterans dating to the Revolutionary War.
In brief remarks after laying the wreath and observing a moment of silence, Obama said he wondered why the country's fallen warriors felt a sense of duty and answered the call to serve, knowing they might have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
"Why in an age when so many have acted only in pursuit of narrowest self-interest have the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of this generation volunteered all that they have on behalf of others," he said. "Why have they been willing to bear the heaviest burden?"
"Whatever it is, they felt some tug. They answered a call. They said 'I'll go.' That is why they are the best of America," Obama said. "That is what separates them from those who have not served in uniform, their extraordinary willingness to risk their lives for people they never met."
The president also sought to dodge a racial controversy on the holiday, sending wreaths to a monument for Confederate soldiers and a memorial honoring more than 200,000 blacks who fought for the Union during the Civil War.
The nation's first black president continued tradition and had wreaths delivered to the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, the 600-acre site across the Potomac River in Virginia that once was Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's estate. The White House also sent a wreath to the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington's historically black U Street neighborhood.
Presidents traditionally visit Arlington to personally leave a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, a marble structure with the remains of unidentified U.S. military members who died during war. Presidents then have aides deliver wreaths to other memorials or monuments, generally including the Confederate memorial.
A group of about 60 professors last week sent a petition to the White House asking Obama to avoid a memorial for Confederate military members who died during the war between the North and the South.
The White House ignored the plea. Wreaths also were left at the mast of the USS Maine and at the Spanish American War Memorial, a White House aide said.
"The Arlington Confederate Monument is a denial of the wrong committed against African-Americans by slave owners, Confederates and neo-Confederates, through the monument's denial of slavery as the cause of secession and its holding up of Confederates as heroes," the petition said. "This implies that the humanity of Africans and African-Americans is of no significance."
Among those who signed the letter is 1960s radical William Ayers, a University of Chicago education professor who helped found the radical group the Weather Underground that carried out bombings at the Pentagon and the Capitol. Republicans tried to link Obama with Ayers during the presidential campaign; the two lived in the same neighborhood and served on a charity board together.
The African American Civil War Memorial had been discussed as a compromise in recent days.
"President Obama, why not send two wreaths?" Kirk Savage, an art history professor at the University of Pittsburgh, wrote in an opinion piece in The Washington Post. "One to the Confederate Memorial in Arlington Cemetery and another to the African American Civil War Memorial in the District, which commemorates the 200,000 black soldiers who fought for liberation from slavery in the Union armed forces."
Men and women in uniform saluted the president's motorcade as it made its way into the hallowed burial ground that is Arlington. As Obama stepped to the microphone, some in the audience waved American flags.
Before the ceremony, the president had a private breakfast at the White House with people who have lost loved ones in war.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, have made veterans and military families a priority during his administration. His budget proposal includes the largest, single-year funding increase in the last three decades to revamp the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
McGuire AFB BOMARC Broken Arrow Missile Site
http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-10.html
The Bomarc was the only surface-to-air missile ever deployed by the U.S. Air Force. All other U.S. land-based SAMs were and are under the control of the U.S. Army.
In 1946, Boeing started to study surface-to-air guided missiles under the USAAF project MX-606. By 1950, Boeing had launched more than 100 test rockets in various configurations, all under the designator XSAM-A-1 GAPA (Ground-to-Air Pilotless Aircraft). Because these tests were very promising, Boeing received a USAF contract in 1949 to develop a pilotless interceptor (a term then used by the USAF for air-defense guided missiles) under project MX-1599. The MX-1599 missile was to be a ramjet-powered, nuclear-armed long-range surface-to-air missile to defend the continental USA from high-flying bombers. The Michigan Aerospace Research Center (MARC) was added to the project soon afterwards, and this gave the new missile its name Bomarc (for Boeing and MARC). In 1951, the USAF decided to emphasize its point of view that missiles were nothing else than pilotless aircraft by assigning aircraft designators to its missile projects, and anti-aircraft missiles received F-for-Fighter designations. The Bomarc became the F-99.
Test flights of XF-99 test vehicles began in September 1952 and continued through early 1955. The XF-99 tested only the liquid-fueled booster rocket, which would accelerate the missile to ramjet ignition speed. In February 1955, tests of the XF-99A propulsion test vehicles began. These included live ramjets, but still had no guidance system or warhead. The designation YF-99A had been reserved for the operational test vehicles. In August 1955, the USAF discontinued the use of aircraft-like type designators for missiles, and the XF-99A and YF-99A became XIM-99A and YIM-99A, respectively. Originally the USAF had allocated the designation IM-69, but this was changed (possibly at Boeing's request to keep number 99) to IM-99 in October 1955. In October 1957, the first YIM-99A production-representative prototype flew with full guidance, and succeeded to pass the target within destructive range. In late 1957, Boeing received the production contract for the IM-99A Bomarc A interceptor missile, and in September 1959, the first IM-99A squadron became operational.
The operational IM-99A missiles were based horizontally in semi-hardened shelters ("coffins"). After the launch order, the shelter's roof would slide open, and the missile raised to the vertical. After the missile was supplied with fuel for the booster rocket, it would be launched by the Aerojet General LR59-AJ-13 booster. After supersonic speed was reached, the Marquardt RJ43-MA-3 ramjets would ignite and propel the missile to its cruise speed and altitude of Mach 2.8 at 20000 m (65000 ft). The Bomarc was guided to the target by ground commands from SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment), whose long-range radars tracked the enemy aircraft and the interceptor aircraft and missiles. When the Bomarc was within 16 km (10 miles) of the target, its own Westinghouse AN/DPN-34 radar guided the missile to the interception point. The maximum range of the IM-99A was 400 km (250 miles), and it was fitted with either a conventional high-explosive or a 10 kT W-40 nuclear fission warhead.
The liquid-fuel booster of the Bomarc A was no optimal solution. It took 2 minutes to fuel before launch, which can be long time in high-speed intercepts, and its hypergolic fuels were very dangerous to handle, leading to several severe accidents. As soon as high-thrust solid-fuel rockets became a reality in the mid-1950s, the USAF began to develop a new solid-fueled Bomarc variant, the IM-99B Bomarc B. It used a Thiokol XM51 booster, and also had improved Marquardt RJ43-MA-7 ramjets. The first IM-99B was launched in May 1959, but problems with the new propulsion system delayed the first fully successful flight until July 1960, when a supersonic KD2U-1/MQM-15A Regulus II drone was intercepted. Because the new booster took up less space in the missile, more ramjet fuel could be carried, increasing the range to 710 km (440 miles). The terminal homing system was also improved, using the world's first pulse doppler search radar, the Westinghouse AN/DPN-53. All Bomarc Bs were equipped with the W-40 nuclear warhead. In June 1961, the first IM-99B squadron became operational, and Bomarc B quickly replaced most Bomarc A missiles. The IM-99B was also used by Canada, after this country had cancelled its advanced CF-105 Arrow manned interceptor.
In June 1963, the IM-99A and IM-99B missiles were redesignated as CIM-10A and CIM-10B, respectively. The Bomarc A was retired soon afterwards, the last CIM-10A being phased out in December 1964. Withdrawal of the CIM-10B also began in the mid-1960s, and by 1969 most missile sites had been deactivated. Finally, in April 1972, the last Bomarc B in USAF service was retired. The Bomarc, designed to intercept relatively slow manned bombers, had become a useless asset in the era of the intercontinental ballistic missile.
The remaining Bomarc missiles were used by all armed services as high-speed target drones for tests of other air-defense missiles. The Bomarc A and Bomarc B targets were designated as CQM-10A and CQM-10B, respectively. When production had ceased in 1965, about 700 Bomarc missiles of all versions had been built by Boeing.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for CIM-10A/B:
CIM-10A CIM-10B
Length 14.2 m (46 ft 9 in) 13.7 m (45 ft 1 in)
Wingspan 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in)
Diameter 0.89 m (35 in)
Weight 7020 kg (15500 lb) 7250 kg (16000 lb)
Speed Mach 2.8 Mach 3
Ceiling 20000 m (65000 ft) 30000 m (100000 ft)
Range 400 km (250 miles) 710 km (440 miles)
Propulsion Boost: Aerojet General LR59-AJ-13 liquid-fuel rocket; 156 kN (35000 lb)
Sustain: 2x Marquardt RJ43-MA-3 ramjet; 51 kN (11500 lb) each Boost: Thiokol M51 solid-fuel rocket; 222 kN (50000 lb)
Sustain: 2x Marquardt RJ43-MA-7 ramjet; 53 kN (12000 lb) each
Warhead W-40 nuclear fission (7-10 kT); CIM-10A had option for conventional HE
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/NJ/Airfields_NJ_E.htm
McGuire AFB BOMARC Missile Site, New Egypt, NJ
40.02 North / 74.41 West (Southwest of New York, NY)
A June 1960 aerial view looking north at the McGuire BOMARC missile site,
in its original configuration with 56 individual BOMARC A missile launch buildings.
The purpose of this military base was to shoot down incoming aircraft.
It is included here due to its significance in Cold War history,
and its remarkable state of preservation.
This site was one of a network of 8 BOMARC sites spread around the nation.
The others were located at Dow AFB, ME, Suffolk AFB, NY, Otis AFB, MA, Langley AFB, VA, Niagara Falls, NY, Kinchloe AFB, MI (Raco AAF), and Duluth IAP, MN.
Although designated the "McGuire AFB BOMARC site", the installation is well to the east of the Air Force Base. It actually sits just off the end of the primary runway of the Lakehurst Naval Air Test Facility, just east of NJ Route 539.
The McGuire installation was the Air Force's first operational BOMARC missile installation. Construction began in January 1958 and took nearly 2 years to complete.
The Philadelphia District of the Corps of Engineers supervised construction of the 56 Model II shelters (each of which housed a single IM-99A BOMARC missile on a launcher) & ancillary buildings.
The site was declared operationally ready on September 1, 1959, manned by the 46th Air Defense Missile Squadron. However, according to the Air Defense Command historian, this operational readiness declaration severely strained the concept of the term. As late as December, the facility hosted only 1 ready missile.
The earliest photo that has been located of the McGuire BOMARC site was a June 1960 aerial view. It depicted the McGuire BOMARC missile site in its original configuration with 56 individual BOMARC A missile launch buildings along the north side of the installation.
The BOMARC missile was huge: each one stood 45 feet tall & weighed 16,000 pounds.
More than 40 years after its deployment, it still holds the record for the longest range of any surface-to-air missile ever developed: 440 miles.
It also had a maximum speed of nearly Mach 4.
The McGuire BOMARC site was made infamous as the site of a radioactive material spill.
The incident happened on July 7, 1960, according to the book “U.S. Nuclear Weapons: A Secret History”, by Chuck Hansen.
A nuclear-armed BOMARC missile in ready storage condition (permitting launch in 2 minutes) in missile Shelter 204 was destroyed by explosion & fire after a high pressure helium tank exploded & ruptured the missile's fuel tanks.
The warhead was also destroyed by the fire although the high explosive did not detonate.
Plutonium fragments from the warhead were spread over an area surrounding the launcher.
The firefighting efforts around the missile building resulted in contamination being washed into the soil & a nearby stream.
All identifiable fragments of the warhead were recovered, but the surrounding soil in the site has remained in a low level radioactive state for over 40 years.
An undated photo of the remains of McGuire BOMARC missile Shelter 204,
showing the damage caused by the July 7, 1960 missile explosion.
By October 1962, McGuire's 1st generation BOMARC IM-99A missiles were superseded by the 2nd generation BOMARC IM-99B variant. Rather than reconfigure the original Model II shelters to accept the new missile, the Air Force directed that Model IV shelters be constructed on adjacent property to the north of the original launchers.
The New York District of the Corps of Engineers supervised the construction of these new launcher shelters.
A 1963 aerial view shows the addition of 28 individual BOMARC B missile launch buildings on the north side of the BOMARC A launchers.
The McGuire BOMARC site measures approximately 2,500' long by 1,800' wide.
With the reductions in US air defense forces, the McGuire BOMARC site was deactivated in 1972, along with all other BOMARC sites.
Andy Baumeister recalled, “We used to play in the abandoned BOMARC missile site.”
Of the site of the missile accident, he said “That area was covered in concrete & had another fence. We stayed away from that. The rest of the place was fully intact minus the missiles.”
The McGuire AFB BOMARC missile site, as depicted on the 1989 USGS topo map.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the entrance to the former missile annex.
The entrance to the launcher area is seen at the end of the road in the distance.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the abandoned BOMARC A missile launch shelters.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the fenced-off area within the missile-launcher area.
This additional fence with rolls of razor wire inside strongly suggests
that this is the area where the accidental fire occurred.
The next-to-last shelter on the right might have been the one that experienced the fire, as part of the shelter’s roof appears to be missing.
Out of all the BOMARC sites, the McGuire site is probably the one that remains in the best condition. Most likely due to remaining low level radioactive contamination,
the entire site has simply been fenced off & abandoned as-is, with little attempt made to dismantle & reuse any of the buildings or equipment. As can be seen in the pictures, even the missile launch-erectors remain in the launcher buildings.
According to NJ resident Jim, as of 2002 the Air Force was finally decontaminating the site. They have built roads through NAES Lakehurst & have extended a rail line onto the BOMARC site. The contaminated soil is to be shipped by rail to a repository somewhere in the western US.
A 2002 photo (courtesy of Ed Drury) of Col. James Pugh, the Vice Commander of McGuire's 305th Air Mobility Wing, in front of the former BOMARC missile shelters.
In 2002, the Air Force finally began a program to clean up the radioactive contamination of the BOMARC site. A private contractor was hired to remove a total of 12,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The project involved paving a 2.5 mile former tank trail which ran onto the Lakehurst NAS property, to make it suitable for trucks carrying away the soil, and rebuilding a railroad spur on the Lakehurst property.
As seen in a circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial photo, all 84 individual BOMARC missile launch buildings still existed.
A 2005 aerial photo by Tom Kramer, looking east at the McGuire BOMARC site.
Tom observed, “A new fence has been erected completely around the facility
as a company has been contracted to clean up the site. You can see the light patch of ground where a few of the [launcher sheds] have been removed along with the earth.”
The McGuire BOMARC site is located along Route 539 (also known as the Hornerstown-Whiting Road).
The Bomarc was the only surface-to-air missile ever deployed by the U.S. Air Force. All other U.S. land-based SAMs were and are under the control of the U.S. Army.
In 1946, Boeing started to study surface-to-air guided missiles under the USAAF project MX-606. By 1950, Boeing had launched more than 100 test rockets in various configurations, all under the designator XSAM-A-1 GAPA (Ground-to-Air Pilotless Aircraft). Because these tests were very promising, Boeing received a USAF contract in 1949 to develop a pilotless interceptor (a term then used by the USAF for air-defense guided missiles) under project MX-1599. The MX-1599 missile was to be a ramjet-powered, nuclear-armed long-range surface-to-air missile to defend the continental USA from high-flying bombers. The Michigan Aerospace Research Center (MARC) was added to the project soon afterwards, and this gave the new missile its name Bomarc (for Boeing and MARC). In 1951, the USAF decided to emphasize its point of view that missiles were nothing else than pilotless aircraft by assigning aircraft designators to its missile projects, and anti-aircraft missiles received F-for-Fighter designations. The Bomarc became the F-99.
Test flights of XF-99 test vehicles began in September 1952 and continued through early 1955. The XF-99 tested only the liquid-fueled booster rocket, which would accelerate the missile to ramjet ignition speed. In February 1955, tests of the XF-99A propulsion test vehicles began. These included live ramjets, but still had no guidance system or warhead. The designation YF-99A had been reserved for the operational test vehicles. In August 1955, the USAF discontinued the use of aircraft-like type designators for missiles, and the XF-99A and YF-99A became XIM-99A and YIM-99A, respectively. Originally the USAF had allocated the designation IM-69, but this was changed (possibly at Boeing's request to keep number 99) to IM-99 in October 1955. In October 1957, the first YIM-99A production-representative prototype flew with full guidance, and succeeded to pass the target within destructive range. In late 1957, Boeing received the production contract for the IM-99A Bomarc A interceptor missile, and in September 1959, the first IM-99A squadron became operational.
The operational IM-99A missiles were based horizontally in semi-hardened shelters ("coffins"). After the launch order, the shelter's roof would slide open, and the missile raised to the vertical. After the missile was supplied with fuel for the booster rocket, it would be launched by the Aerojet General LR59-AJ-13 booster. After supersonic speed was reached, the Marquardt RJ43-MA-3 ramjets would ignite and propel the missile to its cruise speed and altitude of Mach 2.8 at 20000 m (65000 ft). The Bomarc was guided to the target by ground commands from SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment), whose long-range radars tracked the enemy aircraft and the interceptor aircraft and missiles. When the Bomarc was within 16 km (10 miles) of the target, its own Westinghouse AN/DPN-34 radar guided the missile to the interception point. The maximum range of the IM-99A was 400 km (250 miles), and it was fitted with either a conventional high-explosive or a 10 kT W-40 nuclear fission warhead.
The liquid-fuel booster of the Bomarc A was no optimal solution. It took 2 minutes to fuel before launch, which can be long time in high-speed intercepts, and its hypergolic fuels were very dangerous to handle, leading to several severe accidents. As soon as high-thrust solid-fuel rockets became a reality in the mid-1950s, the USAF began to develop a new solid-fueled Bomarc variant, the IM-99B Bomarc B. It used a Thiokol XM51 booster, and also had improved Marquardt RJ43-MA-7 ramjets. The first IM-99B was launched in May 1959, but problems with the new propulsion system delayed the first fully successful flight until July 1960, when a supersonic KD2U-1/MQM-15A Regulus II drone was intercepted. Because the new booster took up less space in the missile, more ramjet fuel could be carried, increasing the range to 710 km (440 miles). The terminal homing system was also improved, using the world's first pulse doppler search radar, the Westinghouse AN/DPN-53. All Bomarc Bs were equipped with the W-40 nuclear warhead. In June 1961, the first IM-99B squadron became operational, and Bomarc B quickly replaced most Bomarc A missiles. The IM-99B was also used by Canada, after this country had cancelled its advanced CF-105 Arrow manned interceptor.
In June 1963, the IM-99A and IM-99B missiles were redesignated as CIM-10A and CIM-10B, respectively. The Bomarc A was retired soon afterwards, the last CIM-10A being phased out in December 1964. Withdrawal of the CIM-10B also began in the mid-1960s, and by 1969 most missile sites had been deactivated. Finally, in April 1972, the last Bomarc B in USAF service was retired. The Bomarc, designed to intercept relatively slow manned bombers, had become a useless asset in the era of the intercontinental ballistic missile.
The remaining Bomarc missiles were used by all armed services as high-speed target drones for tests of other air-defense missiles. The Bomarc A and Bomarc B targets were designated as CQM-10A and CQM-10B, respectively. When production had ceased in 1965, about 700 Bomarc missiles of all versions had been built by Boeing.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for CIM-10A/B:
CIM-10A CIM-10B
Length 14.2 m (46 ft 9 in) 13.7 m (45 ft 1 in)
Wingspan 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in)
Diameter 0.89 m (35 in)
Weight 7020 kg (15500 lb) 7250 kg (16000 lb)
Speed Mach 2.8 Mach 3
Ceiling 20000 m (65000 ft) 30000 m (100000 ft)
Range 400 km (250 miles) 710 km (440 miles)
Propulsion Boost: Aerojet General LR59-AJ-13 liquid-fuel rocket; 156 kN (35000 lb)
Sustain: 2x Marquardt RJ43-MA-3 ramjet; 51 kN (11500 lb) each Boost: Thiokol M51 solid-fuel rocket; 222 kN (50000 lb)
Sustain: 2x Marquardt RJ43-MA-7 ramjet; 53 kN (12000 lb) each
Warhead W-40 nuclear fission (7-10 kT); CIM-10A had option for conventional HE
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/NJ/Airfields_NJ_E.htm
McGuire AFB BOMARC Missile Site, New Egypt, NJ
40.02 North / 74.41 West (Southwest of New York, NY)
A June 1960 aerial view looking north at the McGuire BOMARC missile site,
in its original configuration with 56 individual BOMARC A missile launch buildings.
The purpose of this military base was to shoot down incoming aircraft.
It is included here due to its significance in Cold War history,
and its remarkable state of preservation.
This site was one of a network of 8 BOMARC sites spread around the nation.
The others were located at Dow AFB, ME, Suffolk AFB, NY, Otis AFB, MA, Langley AFB, VA, Niagara Falls, NY, Kinchloe AFB, MI (Raco AAF), and Duluth IAP, MN.
Although designated the "McGuire AFB BOMARC site", the installation is well to the east of the Air Force Base. It actually sits just off the end of the primary runway of the Lakehurst Naval Air Test Facility, just east of NJ Route 539.
The McGuire installation was the Air Force's first operational BOMARC missile installation. Construction began in January 1958 and took nearly 2 years to complete.
The Philadelphia District of the Corps of Engineers supervised construction of the 56 Model II shelters (each of which housed a single IM-99A BOMARC missile on a launcher) & ancillary buildings.
The site was declared operationally ready on September 1, 1959, manned by the 46th Air Defense Missile Squadron. However, according to the Air Defense Command historian, this operational readiness declaration severely strained the concept of the term. As late as December, the facility hosted only 1 ready missile.
The earliest photo that has been located of the McGuire BOMARC site was a June 1960 aerial view. It depicted the McGuire BOMARC missile site in its original configuration with 56 individual BOMARC A missile launch buildings along the north side of the installation.
The BOMARC missile was huge: each one stood 45 feet tall & weighed 16,000 pounds.
More than 40 years after its deployment, it still holds the record for the longest range of any surface-to-air missile ever developed: 440 miles.
It also had a maximum speed of nearly Mach 4.
The McGuire BOMARC site was made infamous as the site of a radioactive material spill.
The incident happened on July 7, 1960, according to the book “U.S. Nuclear Weapons: A Secret History”, by Chuck Hansen.
A nuclear-armed BOMARC missile in ready storage condition (permitting launch in 2 minutes) in missile Shelter 204 was destroyed by explosion & fire after a high pressure helium tank exploded & ruptured the missile's fuel tanks.
The warhead was also destroyed by the fire although the high explosive did not detonate.
Plutonium fragments from the warhead were spread over an area surrounding the launcher.
The firefighting efforts around the missile building resulted in contamination being washed into the soil & a nearby stream.
All identifiable fragments of the warhead were recovered, but the surrounding soil in the site has remained in a low level radioactive state for over 40 years.
An undated photo of the remains of McGuire BOMARC missile Shelter 204,
showing the damage caused by the July 7, 1960 missile explosion.
By October 1962, McGuire's 1st generation BOMARC IM-99A missiles were superseded by the 2nd generation BOMARC IM-99B variant. Rather than reconfigure the original Model II shelters to accept the new missile, the Air Force directed that Model IV shelters be constructed on adjacent property to the north of the original launchers.
The New York District of the Corps of Engineers supervised the construction of these new launcher shelters.
A 1963 aerial view shows the addition of 28 individual BOMARC B missile launch buildings on the north side of the BOMARC A launchers.
The McGuire BOMARC site measures approximately 2,500' long by 1,800' wide.
With the reductions in US air defense forces, the McGuire BOMARC site was deactivated in 1972, along with all other BOMARC sites.
Andy Baumeister recalled, “We used to play in the abandoned BOMARC missile site.”
Of the site of the missile accident, he said “That area was covered in concrete & had another fence. We stayed away from that. The rest of the place was fully intact minus the missiles.”
The McGuire AFB BOMARC missile site, as depicted on the 1989 USGS topo map.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the entrance to the former missile annex.
The entrance to the launcher area is seen at the end of the road in the distance.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the abandoned BOMARC A missile launch shelters.
A 2001 photo by Thomas Page of the fenced-off area within the missile-launcher area.
This additional fence with rolls of razor wire inside strongly suggests
that this is the area where the accidental fire occurred.
The next-to-last shelter on the right might have been the one that experienced the fire, as part of the shelter’s roof appears to be missing.
Out of all the BOMARC sites, the McGuire site is probably the one that remains in the best condition. Most likely due to remaining low level radioactive contamination,
the entire site has simply been fenced off & abandoned as-is, with little attempt made to dismantle & reuse any of the buildings or equipment. As can be seen in the pictures, even the missile launch-erectors remain in the launcher buildings.
According to NJ resident Jim, as of 2002 the Air Force was finally decontaminating the site. They have built roads through NAES Lakehurst & have extended a rail line onto the BOMARC site. The contaminated soil is to be shipped by rail to a repository somewhere in the western US.
A 2002 photo (courtesy of Ed Drury) of Col. James Pugh, the Vice Commander of McGuire's 305th Air Mobility Wing, in front of the former BOMARC missile shelters.
In 2002, the Air Force finally began a program to clean up the radioactive contamination of the BOMARC site. A private contractor was hired to remove a total of 12,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The project involved paving a 2.5 mile former tank trail which ran onto the Lakehurst NAS property, to make it suitable for trucks carrying away the soil, and rebuilding a railroad spur on the Lakehurst property.
As seen in a circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial photo, all 84 individual BOMARC missile launch buildings still existed.
A 2005 aerial photo by Tom Kramer, looking east at the McGuire BOMARC site.
Tom observed, “A new fence has been erected completely around the facility
as a company has been contracted to clean up the site. You can see the light patch of ground where a few of the [launcher sheds] have been removed along with the earth.”
The McGuire BOMARC site is located along Route 539 (also known as the Hornerstown-Whiting Road).
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