By Landry Brewer Clinton and Elk City almost went nuclear. The Cold War got scary when the Soviet Union acquired nuclear weapons in 1949, and the U.S. prepared to defend itself against a Soviet nuclear attack delivered by long-range bombers. The U.S. Army deployed Nike Ajax surface- to-air missile batteries around the country in the 1950s, but by 1958 they were replaced with second-generation Nike Hercules missiles. This missile was 41 feet long, had a 75-mile range, and was operational at an altitude up to 150,000 feet.The Nike Hercules was also the nation’s first antiaircraft missile to carry a nuclear…
You must be logged in to view this content. Click here to subscribe