C-32 PORTER, INDIANA
This site was opened
in 1957. It was converted to Nike Hercules missiles in 1958. The IFC (radar/barracks)
area is now the head quarters for the area National Park Service. Most
of the original buildings seem to still be in place though many of them
have had a dark brown wood siding put on them. This may have been done
to make them appear more rustic. The radar towers and their concrete pads
are long gone. The head ranger told me that they were removed in the mid
1980s. The launch area is located on Wagner Rd just off Oakhill. It has
been in private hands since the government sold it. It appears to be in
untouched condition except that the inner (exclusion area) guard shack
was removed in early 1999 for reasons unknown. C-32 was manned by B Battery,
79th Anti Aircraft Missile Battalion which had a name change in 1958 to
B Battery, 1st Missile Battalion, 60th Artillery. A final name change took
place in the mid 1960s to B Battery, 1st Battalion (Nike Hercules), 60th
Air Defense Artillery.
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Only buildings
at IFC that have not had wood siding placed on them. They are painted in
the original colors.
Basketball
court. New backboard and hoop but original fence, court floor and backboard
support frame. Notice one of the original buildings (barrack?) with the
dark wood siding.
Assembly
building in the launch area, I believe. This was as
close as I could get.
Ready building.
The couple that bought the launch area from the government converted this
building into their home. The gentleman passed away and the woman does
not seem to be there anymore. They were elderly.
Launch area
outer guard hut.
Unknown building
close to above guard hut on Wagner Rd.
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