Yep, you've been there. I served when they still used the four "Banjo's" outer zone security setup. I must of rum a gazillion SIT-7's because of tumbleweeds or the occasional prairie dog tripping the whole thing off. We all knew the deal but had to go run the SAM anyway. Hopefully this new setup was better.

Meh, it's motion based. So wildlife still sets it off. You also have to keep the grass cut down or when the wind blows that will trigger it too. Even today there are still plenty of bored SP's driving around the missile field, responding to no-existant threats. Some things never change. :)

No-existing threats? The hell you say. Came up against a couple mean prairie dogs in my day, and I'd never turn my back on no tumbleweed. Life can be rough on the missile beat, boy - you'd better recognize. Hmm. I thought you'd been there now I'm not so sure. . . . . ;-) Salute!

Mike Jones memories...I worked EMT 86-89 F.E.Warren WY. Fun times

Thanks Jim. I was in charge of OMB at Grand Forks which included EMT, MMT, CTT. You guys had tough jobs with little thanks. I give that to you sir.

Really freaking cool! Thanks for your input!

Thanks for your service! Did get you a degree or masters degree while underground at the silo site?

You know the truly scarry thing Mr Facility Manager You and so many People like you kept us Bloody safe. So thank you for this. I was born in beginning of the 1970 and remember My uncle working in canada on Maga old AirRaid Howeler in Central Park White Rock B.C. Canada on 49th parallel course of the United States . Back to why i am worried scared shitless as june 2019 is because when cold war was over The usa and Russia knew each other was Removing the deadly weapons ☆ This was the time the 2 world superpowers could learn understanding a time to put diffreces aside work toward what the world was under the impression of common Good Between the two superpowers of cold war. ☆ Sadly Dangerous Groups are in control you can see Places like china have grown SO F ARRAGANT THEY WILL SOON TAKE ON THE REAL SUPERPOWER OF 2019 Causing disaster this world has deep down feared would happen in cold war. THE CHINESE ARE DANGEROUSLY ARRAGANT Humanity now has no idea how true this is. PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE When a Ruling so called super power Says to the world they can wipe from there own History Real True Horrific crimes against Humanity and say this on World News Case missed this historical moment in world history turn your time capsule to june 1 to 4 2019 watch what the Communist CHINESE government say how Historical events can enter the Trash Heap. This was said by the Communist CHINESE government like this ☆ Institute Dec. 2, 2011 · The problem with China envy. ... In this case, the future resides in China, which he says china is superior to anyone or Government on earth humanity is being thrown onto the trash heap of history in the 21st century. ... Stern sees the Chinese government's allegedly keen ... ☆ Now Humanity is in Deep Deep shit if china is not rapidly delt with

Chuck, I was a Flight Security Controller at DELTA ONE in 1975-76....Mainly worked the 66th Missile Squadron

Chuck 277 The sad part of ALL of this is this. Had the USA not provided Russia with War machinery, equipment and ammunition during WW2 before we were dragged into the conflict with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Russia possibly would have fallen to the Germans. The same goes for China being Overrun and Occupied by Japan in WW2. We ( The USA ) helped Both of these countries regain their freedom. Now they're the top 2 Biggest threats to the USA. Thanks for your service..Tim B.

Bill N thanks for sharing and your service

Did you have a chance to return yet?

Bill👍 my father worked on Boeing Defense side of stuff from 60- 70

What do you think putin will do as far as a first strike if pressured.

@@robertevans8024 Hide, there are enough of these left without the submarines and B52's to fuck him and his cronies over, these cannot be stopped after launch and his defence systems stand no chance against these

My first duty assignment was 2154th Comm (back in 1989 when USAF had an Air Force Communications Command). I managed to visit all 15 LCFs before they deactivated the whole thing and I was sent to work on small computers. (I worked on that rack in the LCF directly to the right of the deputy's enable panel. I can still name all the components on the rack despite not having touched it since like 1991. ;o) And yes, like you, I have no photos. Especially if I was doing this today, I'd simply leave my camera at home. They can't exfiltrate what I don't have.

Most of us understand, can't blame u for not getting any photos at a place like this!

gotta honor your promises. No photos, no notes and no talking.

What do you think Putin will do as far as a first strike if pressured ?

@@robertevans8024 Unsure Robert. About the only thing I'm sure of is that there 5 false or inaccurate news reports for every accurate one; and I can't tell which is which. Putin has KGB DNA so he has disinformation in his very way of thinking. I've seen nothing to indicate he wants to end the world. It all comes down to how much he wants to leave a legacy of a larger map of Russia and how much provocation and humiliation he'll accept from US / NATO. One certainty is that he must always be given a way out that preserves his pride else he may be very dangerous indeed. I have zero confidence that anyone opposing him today is competent in dealing with him. That's the real danger that concerns me.

It's a far step up from USMC lodging.

Is it still ah ...useable?

@@eyemem5080 No.

I was EMT @ Warren ‘85-89. You guys were happy to see us come out & fix the security system! Babysitting an LF is prob the most boring duty on the planet

As I was at Malmstrom AFB, Montana in the 70s.

your assignment must been boring

MrMike0553 Thank You Sir for your service, I find the videos amazing, just amazing the technology back so many years. I would love to visit this site.

I don't have anything else to say, but I second the thought, in saying thank you, for your service.

I was there from 82 to 83

Also cold as all get out during the winter I was in 44th Transportation Mobile Maintenance

Thank you for your bullshit full of shit fake service.

What years? I was in the 68th 79-83. Delta was better then the trip to Alpha.

Thank God for that... Thank God for MAD and thank you!

I was on the first crew - July 63 - no TV or radios but I did 4 years on MCC and retired with 19 years in Minuteman system. Still love to go back and look at videos. People today have no clue about the cold war or what the motto 'Peace is Our Profession" really meant.

67th SMS 63-67, Juliet was the pits to get to in winter.

Thank you for your service sir and God Bless!

Too funny! I had to repair those damn headsets. They were garbage, and it didn't help that most of you guys treated them like crap! lol Also did all the other comms at the LCF and LF. Whiteman AFB '86-'90.

@@jeffbarnett1207 I guess you know Cope!!

Thanks man

Great post man. Thanks for your service. I retired in 81 so I missed your being on my security team. Many folks posting here will never understand what the situation was at that time.

I was in the 28 MMS RV shop from 77 to 82 in that time I must have worked on close to 100 of the RV's got to go out to vandenburg 2 times for fot's I still have my Black Hills Bandet jacket some where

Wow yeah I've ridden boats off the coast fishing many a time, their diesels are loud, I can't imagine the sound echoing down there... Lol

Amazing. 80 feet down isn't enough. One close shot and the crater will be far deeper.

@@fredharvey2720 It was all dependent on the soil. Some missile sites are much deeper because the soil isn't as dense as others. The one I was at had very rocky soil where as some of the other missile sites had sandy soil.

@@Questicl3s Interesting. I guess some soils are more protective of they couldn't dig very deeply in some?

I was also an MCC for four years. Yes there was some noise but I guess it was more apparent to you than me, especially the motor generator - very quiet.

I will love to Know more about it Sir

Did you have in direct contact with the core? Or see it

Thank you to all who served!!

So basically it sounds like sleeping in a datacenter. Some of them are highly secure with many layers of security, but my god the noise. The last DC I was at had six floors, a room the size of a bedroom full of batteries, and that was to give the generators time to start. Dry sump with external oil heating, and guaranteed to be online and at full power within 45 seconds, with a bare minimum two weeks onsite fuel supply with guaranteed supply afterwards. Even though this particular DC had the quietest cooling system ever installed in Australia, because the DC is in the middle of a major city, it was still loud enough that conversations were difficult. You knew when the generators were running! Extremely sensitive fire systems, too. I remember a memorable story of a guy who set the halon system off, because he had gone out for a smoke break and the smell of smoke on his breath set the system off. If the halon system goes off, you've got about 20 seconds to make yourself very scarce as the entire DC is completely sealed, and all of the oxygen is removed within a few seconds. You weren't even allowed to unbox stuff on the floor, the fibres from the cardboard box were too much of a risk for either fire or triggering the fire system. There's really an extreme amount of engineering and high security shenanigans that goes into keeping the internet running. I'll stop rambling on now (unless you want me to?) because a datacenter still isn't as cool as a missile silo.

Agreed. Makes a big difference.

Please don't ever comment on anything again.

EMT at FE Warren 85-89. Fun times

Yes, it was. I went on this tour as part of a class field trip back in 6th grade. That was about 17 years ago. I've wanted to go back, but 9/11 happened, and since the air force base itself was (and still is) active, all civilian access to the area was banned. They didn't reopen them again until after I had already graduated. After that, life happened.

Especially if they launched while we were there lol

It is even more badass to go down into the equipment around the silo. Even better, going to the bottom of the silo in a workcage. Did that from 1969 to 1975.

For real

Ellsworth 62-69 and 71-73. I also miss it PJ. Black Hills was a great area for recreating - of course that was before Sturgis grew to a madhouse and pretty much ruined the area for a month every year.

PJ Neslo did u know Cheryl Gallegos she was a missile launch officer in those days that was my aunt I toured this in 1992 when it was active

Malmstrom actually has 150 launchers and 15 launch control facilities (Wing 1) plus another 50 launchers and 5 launch control facilities (wing 6). At least they did I'm the 1990s when I served there I'm facilities maintenance

J Chors I assume what you wrote is true since I have no first hand knowledge about any if this. However, as you're well aware, we do have enough Submarines, with enough Fire Power to End this Planet !! Nobody knows where they are ?

There is also a lot of in-built security in how the sites are constructed. For example the B-Plug (personnel entry to the silo) was designed to last no less than 30 minutes for forced entry. On top of the B-Plug was the Entry hatch that had a similar penetration time. The silo door over the missile is a solid 8 tons.

I've drove by the bunkers in Minot, never would think they would be that close to a major highway.

Security forces have designated personnel that patrol the base.

Ah, another MIMS hood! Did you have MMI or II? Malmstrom was in the process of Force Mod and posturing the 564th SMS with II's. Thanks for your service!

Wow very nice.

William Valitus has that patent to prove. look it up

I think it was meant to move the sheild or lid on top of the missile.

Make the trip anyway. Seeing it in person is best.

I bet you had something!

Whew I bet it was cold sometimes!!

Chrysler is among the worst car designers in the world.

New Year's Day 1969 it was -52deg F in Great Falls, and NO wind! Fortunately, I didn't have to go on a dispatch that day! But there were days when "30-30 and 30" did apply. (Thirty below, thirty knot wind and exposed flesh freezes in 30 seconds!) I was a Targeting Team Chief from April 1966 to June 1968, and a Field Supervisor from then until January 23, 1969. All sorts of fun "out in the field". Did they give you guys something besides the M-2 Carbines with a 10-round magazine that our SSP troops were issued? (Never saw an AR-15 or M-16. They were all pipelined to 'Nam!)

@@jamesbarnard9710 We were issued M-16’s with 30 round magazines. I remember that in Germany, every fifth round was a tracer. I can’t remember if that also applied at Malmstrom. It amazes me just how much the Air Force has evolved from when you served, to when I served, to now. I recently watched a video here showing what Air Force basic training is like. They seem to have adopted a more “infantry” type training since I was in. It’s nice to hear a similar story from someone who has experienced the unreal cold of Montana.

@@buckeyeguy71 See above comment on my small arms experience. One time, I was tasked with taking a message-generator out to one of the sites. As I was to be alone in the vehicle, and it was at night, I was required to be armed. Went to the CP and picked up my weapon...a snub-nose .38. I made a show of loading it, strapping on the holster, and picking up the device. Got in the pickup truck, drove out the gate, pulled over, took off the snubbie, and strapped on my Model 19 which I had loaded with .357 Magnum hollowpoints, and threw the snubbie under the front seat! In the type of holster, unless someone looked really close, they wouldn't have known the difference. If, as we had been briefed, there were five enemy agents known to be in Montana, the least I would have been facing would have been someone armed with a scoped rifle in .30-06 or .300 Weatherby! I learned to shoot from some Marine reserve gunnies, when their units came to use the Army's range when my Dad was on 2-weeks active duty, while I was a teen-ager! First gun I ever owned was an M-1 rifle! Don't know what kind of small arms training USAF gives their officers nowadays, but anything would be better than what we got in the '60's in CONUS. Keep 'em green!

I caught that too.

I thougt the same, who takes there children to this place..Go to disney world instead!

@@AlonsoGonzalez ...This is way better than Disney!!!

@@AlonsoGonzalez it's a great history lesson!

Corona🦇

There is no problem that can't be solved by the skilled application of high explosives.

nobody: me: ok

It's a Canon G7x

@@yamahonkawazuki i

I said that, I meant it in a general sense of things. I'm basing the idea off a series of hypothetical nuclear target maps I have in a book called Strategic Relocation. On those maps, for every military base or power plant targeted there are like 10 targeted silo locations. Another reason for me to believe this is all these places are built to withstand enormous blast and there are far more than would seem necessary almost as though it was known not all the weapons would fulfill their mission.

Mighty good. I am a former Titan II crew dog. We never knew our targets. In the case of the Titan II, we had a choice of 3 targets. Periodically, we would get a coded message to change to a different target.I also saw a YT video recently that showed possible targets of our enemies. I was surprised to see how many enemy missiles were targeted to hit our Minuteman III sites. Hopefully, these MM missiles would be well on their way to their targets by the time enemy ICBMs got over here.. Some scary but fun times on missile crew duty.

Pretty much true but if we were preemptively launching first we may have tried to take down some of their silos. Targeting could be changed quickly.

That's interesting, because from '81 to '84 (and beyond?) it was B-07, just off the first exit before Wall, which was used for training.

Did you still use T-van's like we did at Malmstrom for MMI in the late '60's? Still shooting RMAV's with those Swiss-made theodolites. (They told us at missile school that the Russians used the same ones, but used another part as well! What a whacky world! And the Swiss made money from both sides!)

No problem bro.

Lol were you being sarcastic?? Edit .. nevermind I saw your 'stow it' remark. I can't agree more!! Unless the guide specifically invites people to speak anytime, STFU!! It's rude to everyone.

I might have a few stories to interject, possibly a correction, but not because I’m a smartass…worked on all those systems for four years!

MALMSTROM? Can you tell us anything about 10 flights going offline in the presence of a UFO over the site?

Hey buddy! We chews some of the same dirt! I served as a FSC / ART member in the '80's at Malmstrom as well. 12th (mainly GOLF) and 564th (mainly TANGO) They were probably still rocking 1's and II's in your day, no? The 12th(10th, 490th) was Minuteman II's and they had III's at the 564th when I was there. I hear they disbanded the 564th, and converted the rest to III's. Times have changed. Nations first ace in the hole in dinky-ass Great Falls. Why not Minot? Freezin the reason! 341th!

Daniel Folger there's the Titan Missile Museum and even Ukraine has silos for tour.

Im working as an fsc in the 490th this very moment

@@NeverTalkToCops1 It wasn't "10 flights". It was 10 missiles in Echo-flight and several in Oscar-flight later. Don't know much except in March 1966, a guard for a maintenance team on an Echo-flight LF saw a light of some sort overhead. Simultaneously, all the G&C's in the flight shut down! That news was all over the base. I never heard about some birds in Oscar-flight doing the same thing! The following night, I had my Combat Targeting Team out to restart one of the Echo birds. On the way back in, we were called on the radio and asked if we had seen anything in Belt Canyon while we were driving up Belt Hill. Never saw a thing, although a civilian and a sheriff's deputy apparently saw something in Belt Canyon. Boeing tried to simulate the situation about 100 times inputting spikes into a similar test system and only got the shutdown sequence about 3 times. Beats me. I've never seen a UFO or UAP as they now call them. But those birds in Echo and Oscar sure had something that knocked them off Strategic Alert! There have been several books published about it, but no conclusions that I know about!

Hated those things. Tumbleweeds and whatever else would trip the SIT-7 and off we'd go. A big blue banjo is what it was. Looked for too many SED's around those . . . . . . . Oh, the memories.

Like the "Tipsies" of Titan sites....

Captain Learjet A bit before my time they were phasing them out . . .I did serve with the FM on duty on the infamous night in Little Rock . . .

Thank you Tamburello_1994 and Josef Venport for your service! What was the infamous night in Little Rock?

jed-henry Witkowski 18 Sept 1980

It was my 2nd week!

'91-'01 in the 341st Maintenance. Facilities maintainer... aka "Buttcrack". Best job I had in the AF. You cops didn't have it so nice as I recall... manpower shortages and all.

564th MS SP had to share Flight Areas with 12 th MS. Same deal with 490th MS and 10th MS. I was in the 564th but had to post out WITH the 12th at times because of the shortage. And of course they made me feel like the black sheep. LOL!

Was caught up in the whole make FMT/PMT troops into FMs nightmare and was assigned to the 10th. Operations Group sucked compared to Logistics Group... HUGE difference in culture. I retrained at 18 years because I new I would be stuck in Operations until retirement. I remember our cops pulling back-to-back dispatches fairly often because of deployment demands to the Middle East despite regulations appearing to place Missile Field security as a high priority. The Chefs were in a similar situation as I recall. Wasn't surprised by the news stories a few years ago about culture problems coming to a head amongst Combat Crew Officers.

Yeah it was quite a mess! Found out Obama got rid of the 564th. But you know, yeah it sucked, but man did I have a blast though! Was kinda heartbroken to find out the 564th no longer existed. Oh well.

On a lighter note, where you involved with Barney the Cold War Tourist event? whereisbarney.com/tabloid_nuke_tour/barney_980915.html

"We're de-commissioned. The moose out front should have told you."

Wow. Cold AF too I bet lol

Half the fun of giving the tour is questions from the visitors!

Yes it was FJB

I asked first, he was a cool dude! Make sure you get your tickets early in the morning, they sell out very fast!

@@danielbrowniel You can book a couple months ahead online.

LMAO

Any of them by Fort Leonardwood?

My sister's house was very close to one in between Clinton and Calhoun. Very inconspicuous when you're a young teenager. Glad it never went off.

Whiteman AFB at Knobknoster, Mo had 150 Minuteman sites.

I forgot to mention that at Whiteman AFB, one of the Launch Control Centers was right on base. I think it is also a museum now but somebody would have to verify that.

A friend who used to work at Whiteman took me on a tour of the launch control center on Whiteman AFB a couple years ago.

Thank you for your service

Thank You. Correction. 321st MSS. The 322nd was our camper teams. The difference between this place and the sites. I worked at. Was the 2 man response teams drove Ford Broncos. While the roving Fire Teams drove the Peacekeeper.

I was 5th Bombwing 5th CES/CEF in Minot. Thank you for your service.

Thank You Joe. And You Too.

Thanks to both of you. USAF 1961-1981, Bunker Hill, Ellsworth, March, Grand Forks, Offutt AFBs.

SAM?? Surface to Air Missile. Or do you mean a OT (Operational Test) of a Minuteman from Vandenberg AFB. Sorry but there have been over 200 Minuteman launches and I am sure he did not do them all. I participated in one myself.

I was stationed at malmstrom AFB 1992-95 working on the support equipment for them. Missile Facility specialist. 341st fmms. Brings back memories

@LloydBonafide1 All Minuteman missiles not disarmed for maintenance are in launch mode.

@LloydBonafide1 Once the launch command is issued the missile goes. The time from launch sequence start to Missile Away is 58 seconds.

There is also another Minuteman museum run by the state in Cooperstown, North Dakota. It is Minuteman III and the capsule is huge compared to the one at Delta.

Sorry man, I need to get into shape!

Lol ...i did enjoy the video

some people breath out of their mouth, ill never understand why people are so bothered by such little things, the universe is so large, and yet you can only focus on what is 10 feet infront of you, shows how childish your personality is. it shows you know, how you are, how you be.

@@TymphaRedbreaduwuowo Mouth breather detected

@@MrMrsJr if you say so

Also 150 MInuteman at Cheyenne, Wy area.

Just hope it's not antifa......they will get seriously offended quickly....lol

Why not Minot? FREEZIN THE REASON!!

GFAFB 74-79. 319 MMS Worked on the warhead of the Minuteman III . Even my freezer is warmer than GFAFB in Jan. or Feb. ! This videos seem to really bring out the old VETS from the Northern Tier Bases.

David Puissegur I salute you! Minot get all the "glory" but wasn't like GF's or MAFB was in better off. Montana, N. Dakota; COLD. I could sit hours and pick your brain . . .

When were you there in the great white north serving Uncle Sam?

David Puissegur I arrived at Malmstrom in Oct of '86

thanks for being positive and civilized

Malmstrom AFB 1980-1982 member of smart team and civil engineering corrosion control on LF's topside.

Represent! 342nd MSS FSC / ART leader 1986-1990.

Never sounds like enough, but I'll say it anyways: Thank you both for your service. It is appreciated. God bless you both.

moparedtn Totally my pleasure.

You are correct sir. Malmstrom was first - Oct 1962- as it was the first to be started by the Cuban Crisis in Oct 62 forced USAF and Boeing to expedite the construction. What first came up at Malmstrom later proved to be eyewash for the Ruskies but Malmstrom was always designed to be the first operational wing. What's the beef?

Neil Fraser I thought the same thing 🤣

Came here to see if anyone else said this and I'm not disappointed

No, couldn't happen! When maintenance teams were on site, we inserted a safety lockout key into IIRC, the programmer rack that made it impossible for the site safe-and-arm to go armed. When we checked in, the Deputy Combat Crew Commander briefed us that if we were called to do an emergency backout, to remove the key and evacuate 1000 feet downwind (or was it 1000 yards upwind). Didn't tell us to put our fingers in our ears, however! ;-)

@@jamesbarnard9710 What happened to me once while cleaning the bottom of the tube after R&R the G&C section the LCC ran a nozzle test where they moved during the test. I froze and haven't ever been so scared. I thought I was gone. In reality had they ignited i would have felt nothing.

@@chrisw482 I was a Targeting & Alignment team chief at Malmstrom in the late 60's, mainly working Minuteman I (Model T missile). When the missile went through self-test, the first stage nozzles were moved by the nozzle control unit. They made a distinctive whine, and after awhile you got used to the sound. However, on one bird, when the NCU's were activated, it sounded like somebody grinding gears. I called Job Control and told them they were going to have to change the missile! They told me I didn't know what I was talking about, and they'd have to call the duty Tech Analyst, who happened to be a friend of mine. I got him on the phone, and explained the situation. He replied that since he was trained on Minuteman II, I knew more about it than he did. Job Control then scheduled an MMT team to come out and they ran three good and three bad downstage tests, said the hell with it, and the bird was finally changed out! Another interesting experience, being underneath a missile was when I had a summer job in 1962, at Cape Canaveral, working as a missile checkout engineer intern with the Navy on the Polaris submarine launched missiles. The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln SSBN-603 was in port to load up five A-1E (exercise warheads, just the reentry vehicles) for a training mission. I was allowed to go on board just to get familiarized with things. They had the hatch near the bottom of one of their launch tubes open, so they could change the hydraulics package on the missile without removing it from the launch tube. I was allowed to crawl partway inside and look up. The four nozzles were about 6-inches from my face! There wasn't any real danger, but the thought did cross my mind about what if... :-D

Unaware, and also don't care maybe

That only happened when a nuclear warhead was to be moved in the area. US Marshals were always used to escort the nucs because they had control over civilian whereas military cops did not.

I happened to be at Grand Forks AFB on the day that an incident happened which resulted in the use of US Marshals on all movements of nuclear weapons in the Minuteman field. To long to go into here but it involved an old drunk stopping a convoy with a nuclear weapon all by himself. The local cops were far away and the military cops had no jurisdiction.