Rings of Supersonic Steel: Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950-1979, an Introductory History and Site Guide

Mark L. Morgan, Mark A. Berhow

Hole in the Head Press, 2010 - History - 358 pages

The only comprehensive Cold War missile book on the market today. Once upon a time, America's major cities were protected from air attack by rings of supersonic steel. these supersonic sentinels are gone now, but you can rediscover this fascinating Cold War-era technology in the third edition of Rings of Supersonic Steel. Lear how the NIKE and other missiles systems worked. Locate former nuclear missile sites in your neighborhood. Rings of Supersonic Steel is an introductory history of the U.S> continental air defenses missile network and a compete survery of all NIKE, BOMARC, the Safeguard sites in the Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. This expanded edition includes updated text based upon information from new sources and from fellow enthusiasts.

About the author

Mark L. Morgan has spent the past 33 years as a naval officer, intelligence specialist, aerospace operations research analyst, National Park Service historian/ranger, journalist and high-tech analyst/writer, leading up to his hopefully "final" career move as a Department of Defense civilian historian. He developed an interest in Cold War systems and operations during the early 1980s and since then has pursued everything from coast defenses to radar/C2 facilities, air defense missile systems, former military aviation facilities and ICBMs. A member of a multitude of professional and history organizations, Mark has authored two other books besides Rings of Supersonic Steel including a history of his old airplane, the Grumman A-6 Intruder. He currently lives in the St Louis, Missouri area. Mark A. Berhow is a research chemist with the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, currently at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois. Mark's avid interest in military history has led him to research extensively on topics concerned with American seacoast artillery defenses and American antiaircraft defenses. An active member of several historical organizations, he has authored four books on American military defenses and more than 80 scientific articles and book chapters. Mark's latest book was US Strategic and Defensive Missile Systems 1950-2004.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Rings of Supersonic Steel: Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950-1979, an Introductory History and Site Guide
• Authors: Mark L. Morgan, Mark A. Berhow
• Edition: 3, illustrated, revised
• Publisher: Hole in the Head Press, 2010
• ISBN: 0976149400, 9780976149408
• Length: 358 pages
• Subjects: History / Military / Nuclear Warfare; History / Military / United States; History / Military / Weapons; Technology & Engineering / Military Science