1958-1969 Nike-Hercules Mission
The 298th Arty Group (Air Defense) will train primarily at its Sand Island and East Range Nike-Hercules training sites during August 1960 utilizing Nike-Hercules equipment. Training stressed battery drills to include Operational Readiness Inspection, tracking missions, and Air Defense Exercises to increase the speed and proficiency of teams to ready themselves for any firing mission. This organization is 90% complete in qualifying each officer and enlisted men as a basic missileman. This training is additional and is conducted primarily during the individual’s own time so as not he interrupt the unit’s training program. Each member is required to be cross trained in three related tactical positions to add depth in all critical positions in the 298th Arty Group.
– 1960 Annual Report pp. 5
Air Defense. The 298th Arty. Gp. (AD) is charged with the Army Air Defense of Hawaii. To accomplish this mission six units of the 1st and 2nd Msl. Bns. are occupying Nike HerculesSites which ring the island of oahu. The Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) is manned and operated around the clock by personnel from Hq. & Hq. Btry., 298th Arty. Gp.
– 1961 Annual Report pp. 6
(2) The 298th Arty Gp (AD ) conducted two periods of annual field training this past fiscal year. Annual field training for calendar year 1961 was conducted during the period 26 July 61 to 12 Aug 1961, while training for calendar year 1962 was held during the period 9-23 June 1962. All periods of annual field training were conducted at the six Nike-Hercules sites. Annual service practice for the six on-site units were conducted from the Dillingham site during November & December 1961. Three of the six units were cited as honor batteries with Btry B 1st Msl Bn 298th Arty establishing a world record for range to intercept against a supersonic RP76 drone aircraft.
– 1962 Annual Report pp. 4
System Improvement: The Air Defense system for Hawaii continued its growth to provide increased protection through the addition of new equipment and modification of existing equipment. During this past year, a radar netting and an electronic fire distribution system was added to the defense. This enables instant exchange of data between various radars, Nike Hercules batteries, and the Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) by advanced digital data transmission techniques. The capability of the Nike Hercules batteries is being further increased by the addition of High Power Acquisition Radars/HIPARJ and the Improved Hercules modifications which are presently being installed.
– 1963 Annual Report pp. 7
System Improvement: The Army Air Defense system continued its growth to provide increased protection through the addition of new equipment and modification of existing equipment. During the past year, Btry B, 1st Msl En and Btry A, 2d Msl En completed conversion to the HIPAR / Improved Nike Hercules System while Btry C, 1st Msl En and Btry C, 2d Msl Bn were converted to the Improved Nike Hercules System. Radar netting has been further enhanced by moving one of our Radar Tracking Stations to Kokee, Kauai where it is tied to the surveillance radar of the 150th AC&W Squadron, HANG. Another Radar Tracking Station is linked to the Alternate AADCP in Diamond Head where it receives automatic early warning data from the 169th AC&W Squadron surveillance radar relayed through the FAA facility in Diamond Head. Movement of these Radar Tracking Stations to the proximity of our Air National Guard radars now allows the Army Air Defense Command Post and the Nike Hercules batteries to receive instantaneous early warning and take advantage of the increased range of the HANG radars.
Annual Service Practice: The six Nike Hercules batteries conducted Annual Service Practice from the Kahuku Guided Missile Range during May and June. Battery B, 1st Msl Bn, the host battery and first unit to fire regained the world’s record for range to intercept by destroying an RP-76 supersonic drone target at near maximum range. Four of the six units were cited as honor batteries by the US Army, Hawaii testing team. Especially worthy of note is the battalion average score of 99.9% turned in by the 2d Msl Bn which is believed to have established a record for battalion average.
– 1964 Annual Report pp. 5-6
Annual Service Practice: The six Nike-Hercules missiIe batteries conducted Annual Service Practice (ASP) from the Kahuku Guided Missile Range during May and June. The units of the 298th Group are the only National Guard Missile units ever to fire from a tactical site using their own assited tactical equipment.
Btry C, 1st Msl Bn, established a new world’s record for Range to Intercept by destroying a supersonic RP-76 target drone aircraft at a range exceeding that of Btry B, 1st Msl Bn, which established this record in 1964.
Personnel participating in ASP were authorized an additional 5 days of Active Duty for Training this year. In previous years, man days utilized for ASP were deducted from the 15 days authorized for year round training.
– 1965 Annual Report pp. 6
System Improvements: The 298th Artillery Group continues co improve its air defense capability through system modifications and the addition of new equipment. Battery A, 1st Battalion, Site 84, Dillingham Field installed an Alternate Battery Acquisition Radar (ABAR) which greatly enhances their target acquisition capability. The AN/ FSQ 38 Fire Distribution System which electronically links the Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) and the Air National Guard’s surveillance radars with the six Nike fire units completed a 1.4 million dollar modification. This modification further automates the entire air defense system, speeds response to an air threat and reduces the possibility of human error. Site 45, Bellows AFS, (Battery C, 1st Battalion) exchanged their basic Nike Hercules system for the more sophisticated Improved Nike Hercules system. Construction of facilities for a dual channel ABAR was initiated. This ABAR will serve both fire units (Sites 32 and 45) of Battery C and will be installed during mid FY 1967. Headquarters, 298th Artillery Group received a target simulator which is a mobile piece of equipment that provides fire control operators with a realistic combat situation of varying complexity.
– 1966 Annual Report pp. 6
Systems Improvement:
Modifications to the Nike Hercules system are being constantly applied to upgrade the systems capability to respond to an enemy air attack. In addition, five of the six systems have been replaced with factory rebuilt systems. The one remaining old system will be replaced in FY 69.
Annual Service Practice:
The firing units of the 298th Artillery Group returned to McGregor Range for the first time since 1960 to participate in Short Notice Annual Practice (SNAP). Under SNAP procedures a unit is given only 48 hours notice prior to their departure for McGregor Range. Once there, they undergo an intensive tactical evaluation to test their overall ability as missilemen. This year’s SNAP gave our units the opportunity to compete with like units from both the Active Army and National Guard using the same evaluation procedures. Our units fared well in this competition by recording a higher than national average score. Hawaii’s high scoring unit was Battery B, Site 2, Kahuku, commanded by Captain Lawrence P. Mosher. This unit was also designated as an Honor Battery.
– 1968 Annual Report pp. 11
The 298th Artillery Group (Air Defense) celebrated its 10th anniversary on 15 January 1969 as a Nike Hercules Air Defense unit. They are the only National Guard unit in the United States to provide the entire surface-to-air missile defense of its area and the only Army National Guard unit to man and operate an Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP). They also enjoy the distinction of being the first National Guard unit to be equipped with the Nike Hercules system and, as such, became the prototype for the eventual conversion of Continental United States (CONCS) National Guard units from Nike Ajax to Nike Hercules.
After completing the initial phase of training at Los Angeles, California and Fort Bliss, Texas, the first units occupied training sites at Sand Island and East Range, Schofield Barracks, on 15 February 1960. The move to the six tactical sites started on 15 December 1960 when Site 3 moved to Bellows Field and was completed when the last unit, Site 5, moved to its permanent location north of Barbers Point. The 298th Artillery Group closed fiscal year 1960 with 379 air defense technicians on board with an annual payroll of 1.1 million dollars. At the close of fiscal year 1969, 560 technicians were authorized and the annual payroll amounted to 4.6 million dollars.
SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT
The above increase in manning was brought about by continuous modifications to the Nike Hercules system to upgrade its capability to respond to an enemy air attack. The number of radars in our air defense system has increased from 18 to a total of 28 and the Army Air Defense Command Post has been equipped with a sophisticated fire distribution center which electronically links the entiredefense.
– 1969 Annual Report pp. 10
A major blow to the Hawaii Army National Guard came with the news in October of 1969 that the 298th Artillery Group (Nike) would be inactivated by June of 1970. Actual inactivation was on March 31, 1970. Of some 534 full-time personnel in this program, only 127 could be offered other positions within the National Guard and 407 were forced to find other jobs. While, to many of our employees, this meant hardship to various degrees, other State departments and the community at large helped greatly in securing positions for those affected. The unit was replaced by the 298th Field Depot with very few full-time positions but with nearly equal total unit strength.
– 1970 Annual Report pp.2
The 298th Artillery Group (Air Defense) was officially relieved of its air defense mission in Hawaii on December 9, 1969, after ten years as the only National Guard organization in the United States providing the entire surface-to-air missile defense for its area, and as the only Army National Guard unit manning and operating an Army Air Defense Command Post. The initial announcement of the inactivation of the 298th Artillery Group was received from the Department of the Army on November 28, 1969. Although an initial inactivation date of June 30, 1970 was established, the reorganization date was subsequently changed to March 31, 1970.
– 1970 Annual Report pp.9
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
The major personnel management activity during the year was the reduction in force in March 1970, which was generated as the result of the inactivation of the 298th Artillery Group and the NIKE Hercules on-site program. A total of 566 positions were deleted from the full-time work force and 12 new positions were authorized in the newly activated 298th Field Depot. There were 271 technicians employed in the NIKE Hercules program on March 31, 1970. A total of 127 technicians were placed in other National Guard positions in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Washington, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The remaining technicians were separated with severance pay.
– 1970 Annual Report pp.21
News was received in September that the 298th Artillery Group (Nike) of the Hawaii Army Guard would no longer have the mission of ground-to-air active air defense and would be inactivated. Inactivation was first programmed for June 1970 but was later moved up to 31 March 1970. This proud outfit had 534 full-time personnel assigned, and much effort was devoted to relocating them to other jobs. The HANG was authorized to go to 100% Air Technician manning and 24 NIKEmen became HANGmen.
– HANG 25 History of Hawaii Air National Guard pp. 56