Missile Launch - 50 Years Ago!

 50 years ago today, my crew assumed command of Titan II missile #459 in site 395 B at Vandenberg AFB, in California.  That missile tour ended about 0350 hours the next morning on July 22, 1966, when the SAC Command Post broadcast a warble tone followed by a coded message “ . . . for Vandenberg Air Force Base and Site 395 Bravo only.”  My deputy, Lt Jim Harshbarger and I copied the message, decoded it, verified it was a valid launch message for our silo, and I directed the crew to enter the Missile Launch Checklist.  The BMAT, Senior Master Sergeant Walt Kundis, called out “BMAT ready to launch, sir”, and the MFT, Master Sergeant Jim Meddress responded, “MFT is ready to launch, sir”.  I press Plumbing Shutoff pushbutton and it lighted white.  “BMAT, set circuit breaker 103 to “on”. “Roger Commannder, circuit breaker 103 – set to on”  Electrical power can now be applied to the missile ordinance items.  Proper target selection is verified.  “Deputy, insert your key and turn on my count of “Mark”.  We both snap safety seals off our Launch Commit covers.  Deputy responds “Roger, sir, key is inserted.”  I continued:  “three . . . two . . . one . . . mark!”  The deputy and I turn our keys and “Launch Enable” lights, then “Missile Batteries Activated” lights.  The 750 ton silo door slides open on its railroad tracks as the Silo Soft pushbutton lights.  Guidance Go pushbutton lights, and Fire in the Engine lights a steady red.  Then the klaxon blasts out and Fire in the Engine begins flashing red.  I push the klaxon off. It sounds again as

Oxidizer in Launch Duct is flashing red.  I push the klaxon off again.  Another pushbutton lights a steady white – easy to overlook – it reads “Liftoff”.  I announce, “Crew we have Liftoff.”  The klaxon sounds again and again, and I turn it off again and again.  In less than a minute the missile has lifted off.  The penetration team, topside and 2 miles away, felt the earth pound up and down like a powerful earthquake happening when the engines lighted, then felt the pulse of its sound waves beat against their bodies, finally the rumble of the second stage climbing into space was all that remained.  That was 50 years ago, tomorrow morning.