This article originally appeared in the Courier Times - Saturday, August 4, 1962. Special thanks to Dominic Zinnie for sharing the article!
Twp. Nike Base Is 'Alive' Around the Clock
By SCOOP LEWIS
Courier-Times Staff Writer
If war ever came to the North American continent, the United States most certainly would boast depth in its rock-ribbed defense against a missile attack.
As in sports, a team's best offence is its defense. And the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) has such an intricate system for defending against air attacks that it actually boasts four lines of defense.
A part of this vast defensive setup comprising more than 250 missile sites is situated in Bristol Township where about 50 members of he Pennsylvania National Guard work year 'round to bolstering America's armed guard against attack
 Base in Two Parts
While comparatively unknown to thousands of Bucks Countians, a Nike-Ajax missile base has been in operation on Ford Road, Fergusonville, for the past three years.
The base is actually in two parts. The larger portion (about 17 acres) is the launch area while the smaller part (about five acres) is the integrated fire control area.
The unit manning the Nike-Ajax base is Battery B of the Second Missile Battalion, 166th Artillery Group, Pennsylvania Nation Guard. The group is better known as the "Keystone Battery."
The Nike-Ajax today makes up NORAD's fourth line of defense against air attack with its missiles having a range of approximately 25 miles.
The first line of defense is the fighter interceptor. This, in the future, may be augmented by the Nike-Zeus since the 48-foot, three statge missile less than three weeks again intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a successful test high about the Pacific.
Range of 400 Miles
The Air Force Bomarc missile, with an approximate range of 400 miles, is NORAD's second line of defense.
The third line of air defense is the newer Nike-Hercules missile with a range of about 100 miles.
From its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., NORAD has an electronics system for detecting the firing of ballistic missiles and flashing an instantaneous warning.
Last fall, NORAD put on an air defense test known as Sky Shield II in which some 1,800 U.S. and Canadian fighters joined Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules and Bomarc anti-aircraft missiles against several hundred "attacking" planes.
Battery B, located on Ford Road in Bristol Township, was one of the units to take part in the intensive exercise.
Capt. Grellet Tochterman of Willow Grove is the battery commander, assisted by Lt. William Lanahan of 402 Harper Ave., Morrisville. Lt. Lanahan has been with the battery here for the past six months.
Two-Stage Missile
The Nike-Ajax is a two-stage missile with a liquid propelled engine. The missile itself is 21 feet long while the booster is 13 feet long. However, when fired, the missile is only 33 feet long since it juts inside the booster.
Beneath the ground at the Ford Road base are an undisclosed (the actual number is a military secret) number of Nike-Ajax missiles warheaded and fueled and ready to fire whenever the men of Battery B get their orders from Missile Master headquarters in Pedricktown, N.J.
When the missiles are being fueled, the men must wear protective clothing including respirator masks.
The Nike-Ajax, like all missiles, has a pronounced outer appearance of fins. These include the steering fins at the head of the missile, antenna fins slightly below the steering fins and fins on the tail which add stabilization to the missile's flight.
 In Underground Magazines
The missiles in the underground magazines in the launching area are combat-ready to fire at all times, Lt. Lanahan pointed out. This is the reason there is a group of 50 men on duty at the Ford Road base 12 months of the year.
At this time of the year the base is augmented by about 50 more National Guard men who spend two weeks' reserve training at the Nike-Ajax site.
The Ford Road base has a radar platoon located in the rear of Bargain City. The platoon includes a search radar, target tracking radar and missile tracking radar.
The search radar is commonly known as the acquisition radar which picks up enemy targets. The next step is locating enemy objects is the target tracking radar which locks on to the target. Then the missile track radar moves in and locks on the target missile.
In The 'Hot Seat'
From his "hot seat" in the directors station, the battery control officer (Lt. Lanahan) from time to time directs an ORF, meaning Operational Readiness Evaluation, or an inspection by higher headquarters.
A mess hall and barracks for sleeping are also located on the Ford Road base.
Men like Capt. Tochterman, Lt. Lanahan, Sgt. Walter Soroka of Newtown and SFC Harry Magonigal of South Philadelphia are mighty proud of Battery B. Especially since the unit was an honor battery at Fort Bliss, Texas, for the past two years in actual firing operations.
The battery recently completed two weeks of firing at Fort Bliss. The unit fired two missiles at live targets.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) units were also at Fort Bliss at the same time. Lt. Lanahan noted that Battery B fired alongside a Greek NATO units.
 Section Chiefs
Sgt. Soroka and SFC Magonigal are section chiefs. Their duties are vital ones for they are responsible for the underground magazines and the missiles in them.
Sgt. Soroka, born in Bialostock, Russia, has been in the Army nearly seven years. He served 14 months in Korea with the Seventh Division.
SFC Magonigal has been with Battery B for three years. He served in World War II with the 51st Brigade, 24th Artillery Group.
Other Lower Bucks Countians performing daily duties with Battery B in maintaining America's defense against air attack include:
SFC Howard Garret of Levittown, S-Sgt. Frederick Honney of Eddington, Pvt. William Martin of Cornwells Heights, SFC Tony Lorino of Croydon Acres, Sgt. James Schuster of Bristol and SP-5 Dominic Zinnie of Croydon Acres.
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