Fort Bliss Main Post Early Cold War BASOPS Building Inventory and Evaluation, 1951-63
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ERDC/CERL SR-06-53 Fort Bliss Main Post Early Cold War BASOPS Building Inventory and Evaluation, 1951-63 Susan Enscore, Adam Smith, and Sunny Stone December 2006 Construction Engineering Research Laboratory Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. ERDC/CERL/CERL SR-06-53 December 2006 Fort Bliss Main Post Early Cold War BASOPS Building Inventory and Evaluation, 1951-63 Susan Enscore, Adam Smith, and Sunny Stone Construction Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center PO Box 9005 Champaign, IL 61826-9005 Final Report Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Prepared for Conservation Division, Directorate of Environment, Fort Bliss, Texas Under 21/2020/220/A/MIPR5K5192C162/PO ii ERDC/CERL SR-06-53 Abstract: This report inventories all of the Base Operations (BASOPS) buildings constructed at Fort Bliss Main Post between the years of 1951 and 1963. Determinations of Eligibility (DOE) to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) are then made based on the significance of the buildings and the degree to which they retain their integrity for conveying that significance. The authors inventoried and evaluated 160 properties on the installation constructed during these years. As previous studies had established the Fort Bliss properties that are directly related to exception- ally important Army Cold War activities, this research effort will contrib- ute to the future determinations of standard eligibility to the NRHP for properties at Fort Bliss. The currently existing Program Comments for Unaccompanied Personnel Housing was taken into consideration when making DOEs for relevant buildings. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE ORIGINATOR. ERDC/CERL SR-06-53 iii Contents Figures and Tables.................................................................................................................................iv Preface...................................................................................................................................................vii Unit Conversion Factors......................................................................................................................viii 1 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 1 Background .............................................................................................................................. 1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 3 Approach................................................................................................................................... 3 Archival Research ........................................................................................................................ 3 Site Visits ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Analysis.......................................................................................................................................16 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................17 2 Fort Bliss Cold War Historic Context..........................................................................................18 Cold War Overview..................................................................................................................18 From World War II to the Cold War............................................................................................18 Army Air Defense........................................................................................................................32 The Air Defense and Guided Missile Role of Fort Bliss............................................................56 3 Survey Results ..............................................................................................................................98 Criteria for Evaluation ............................................................................................................98 Aspects of Integrity.................................................................................................................99 Determinations of Eligibility for Subject Buildings at Fort Bliss Main Post .......................100 State or Local Significance......................................................................................................102 Significance ..........................................................................................................................103 Early Cold War Guided Missile Instruction Historic District................................................106 Hammerhead Barracks Historic District .............................................................................115 4 Building Inventory Forms.......................................................................................................... 121 5 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................537 Books, Manuscripts, and Military Publications ..................................................................537 Articles ..................................................................................................................................541 Videotapes........................................................................................................................... 544 Internet Ressources .............................................................................................................545 Interviews..............................................................................................................................546 Abbreviations and Acronyms............................................................................................................547 Report Documentation Page .......................................................................................................... 549 iv ERDC/CERL SR-06-53 Figures and Tables Figures Figure 1. Buildings inventoried on the Main Post. ............................................................................................ 11 Figure 2. Buildings inventoried in 2500 Area................................................................................................... 13 Figure 3. Buildings inventoried in 3600A Area................................................................................................. 13 Figure 4. Buildings inventoried in 3600E Area................................................................................................. 14 Figure 5. Buildings inventoried in 3600F Area. ............................................................................................... 14 Figure 6. Buildings inventoried in 3700A Area................................................................................................. 15 Figure 7. Buildings inventoried in 3700 Area................................................................................................... 16 Figure 8. First U.S. Atomic Bomb Test. July 16, 1945 ....................................................................................... 19 Figure 9 - SAC's Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" Long Range Bomber ................................................................ 21 Figure 10 - Sputnik I......................................................................................................................................22 Figure 11 - Titan II ICBM................................................................................................................................24 Figure 12 - Launch Complex 33 at..................................................................................................................25 Figure 13 - Private A (top) and Private F (bottom).............................................................................................25 Figure 14 - WAC-Corporal ready for launch .....................................................................................................26 Figure 15 - Wernher von Braun (cast) surrenders to U.S. forces......................................................................... 27 Figure 16 - V-2 being readied for launch at White Sands ..................................................................................29 Figure 17 - Hermes II at White Sands..............................................................................................................30 Figure 18 - Hermes A-1 launch preparations at White Sands............................................................................ 31 Figure 19 - 3 inch M1918 Gun .......................................................................................................................32 Figure 20 - Army AAA