B Battery History
Early in 1957, Air Defense site PI-37, at Herminie Pennsylvania was officially activated. It was part of ARAACOM (Army Anti-Aircraft Command), and its designation was B Battery, 1st AAA Msl Bn. It was part of the Pittsburgh 18th ADA Grp. In 1956, Army personnel assigned to B Battery quartered and trained with C Battery at Irwin Pennsylvania while the site at Herminie was being constructed.
B Battery was one of 12 Nike Air Defense sites defending Pittsburgh. It was armed with the Nike Ajax, the worlds first operational, guided Surface to Air Missile. This missile carried high explosive warheads and had a range of around 30 miles with a ceiling of 70,000 feet.
In March 1957, ARAACOM was redesignated United States Army Air Defense Command (USARADCOM). In 1961, USARADCOM was shortened to ARADCOM.
On 1 September, 1958, the Herminie Nike site was redesignated as B Battery, 3rd Msl Bn, 1st Artillery Regiment.
On 19 March 1959, 1st Artillery Regiment was redesignated 1st Artillery.
In the fall of 1959, B Battery personnel were sent to Ft. Bliss for Conversion Package training for the new Nike Hercules missile. The Hercules had the capability to attack supersonic aircraft with nuclear warheads at a range of around 90 miles and an altitude up to 150,000 feet. Beginning in 1962, the Improved Nike Hercules System with its greater range and accuracy was introduced to B Battery.
On 1 September 1971, the 1st Artillery was renamed 1st Air Defense Artillery.
The Herminie Nike site was deactivated in mid 1974.
During its operational years, from 1956 to 1974, the Herminie Nike site was manned by an estimated 1,200 Regular Army personnel.