Site D-26 - Belle Isle

Unit:	4/55 - 9/58, HHB, 85th USA 4/55 - 9/58, Battery A, 85th USA 4/55 - 9/58, Battery B, 85th USA 9/58 - 12/60, HHB, 3rd Battalion, 55th USA 9/58 - 12/60, Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 55th USA 9/58 - 12/60, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 55th USA 12/60 - 11/68 - Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 517th USA
Activation Date:	April 1955
Hercules conversion date:	July 1958
De-activation Date:	November 1968
IFC Area:	Located in what was called Peter Maheras Playground (at the foot of Conner St.) and is now called Maheras-Gentry Park. It was 1500 feet west of the D-23 IFC located in Alfred Brush Ford Park. GPS: +42° 21' 22", -82° 56' 58"
Launch Area:	Shared Double Launch area with D-23. Located on Belle Isle, south of Blue Heron Lagoon, East side of Lakeside Drive GPS: +42° 20' 43", -82° 57' 20"
Radar(s):	AN/FPS-71
Missiles:	20 Ajax /12 Hercules
Magazine(s):	2 type B, 2 type C
Launchers:	16 Ajax (8 converted to Hercules)
Current Status:	The Launcher Area was demolished a number of years ago. What is left is a poor fill with many chunks of concrete, brick and other debris sticking out of the ground with sparse grass and weeds trying to cover it. Nothing is left of the IFC. All land has reverted to the park.
Comments:

D-23/26 as seen in 1961.

D-23/26 Launcher Area as seen in 1961.

D-23 and D-26 IFC areas as seen in 1961.

D-26 IFC area as seen in 1961.

d26l.jpg (29955 bytes)

This is where the Launcher Area was. This picture was as of 1988. The whole area had already been leveled.

	The former Launcher Area looking to the East. That is a small Lighthouse at the far end of the area.
	The Launcher Area looking South toward Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
	The Launcher Area looking West toward Lakeside St.
	Army Corps of Engineers blueprint showing IFC layout - Buildings, towers, etc. 466k PDF file.
	Army Corps of Engineers blueprint of the land allocation for D-26 IFC. 425k PDF file.
	Army Corps of Engineers blueprint of the land allocation for D-23/D-26 Launch area. 407k PDF file.
	Memo documenting the personnel assignments for Emergency Equipment Maintenance for all Detroit Nike Sites. Contributed by Linda Klais. 395k

Personnel Stationed at D-26

Rank	Name	Assignment	Dates
	Ron McCubbin		1957 - 1958