California Military Department State Military Museum and Resource Center

San Francisco Defense Area Site SF-25 Bollinger Canyon/Rocky Ridge, California California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

San Francisco Defense Area 1950-1974

The Gun Era: 1950-1958

• Upgraded World War II air defense system. • Located on Army bases and other public lands (i.e., Candlestick Park) • Normally deployed in group of three guns arranged in a triangle • Operated by the Regular Army and California Army National Guard • Operated the: o M1 and M2 90mm Antiaircraft Gun o M1 120mm Antiaircraft Gun California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

o Augmented by the National Guard Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalions (M1 40mm and M16 “Quad 50” Antiaircraft Gun Systems) California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

M1 120mm Gun at Battery Mendell, Fort Barry circa 1950. California Military Department Historical Collection. California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

The Missile Era: 1955-1974

• Two missile systems o MIM-3 Nike-Ajax o MIM-14 Nike-Hercules • Located on Army installation and public lands on the San Francisco Peninsula, and in the East and North Areas. • Operated by the Regular Army and California Army National Guard • Integrated with the US Air Force’s air defense radar system. • Expanded to include the Travis Defense Area (Four Nike-Ajax batteries reduced to two Nike-Hercules batteries) • Warheads: o Nike-Ajax: High explosive. o Nike-Hercules: High explosive and nuclear. • One intact site in the nation maintained. SF-88 maintained by Golden Gate National Recreation Area, in the Fort Barry Area. California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

San Francisco Defense Area sites: Command and Control Sites:

• Berkeley, 1958-1959, CA ARNG Battalion Headquarters • Fort Barry, 1958-1961, Battalion Headquarters • San Francisco Mission Street Armory, Unknown dates, 114th AAA Bde HQ (CAARNG) • Travis AFB, 1957-1958. Army Air Defense Command Post-Travis Defense Area • SF-77 (Presidio of San Francisco), Unk-1974, 40th ADA Bde and 14th and 233rd (CA ARNG) ADA Gp Headquarters • SF-78 (Presidio of San Francisco), 1959-1974, CA ARNG Battalion Headquarters • SF-81 (), 1951-1974, 6th Army Air Defense Command Region Headquarters, 47th AAA Bde Headquarters, Battalion Headquarters. • SF-90DC (Mill Valley AFS), Army Air Defense Command Post-SF Defense Area Temporary Missile Sites:

• SF-89 Temp (Presidio of San Francisco) • Benicia Arsenal, 1955-1957 California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

• Parks AFB, 1955-1956

Permanent Missile Sites:

• SF-08 (San Pablo Ridge), 1956-1963, CA ARNG • SF-09 (San Pablo Ridge), 1956-1963 • SF-25 (Bollinger Canyon), 1956-1959 • SF-31 (Lake Chabot), 1955-1974, CA ARNG • SF-37 (Coyote Hills), 1955-1963, CA ARNG • SF-51 (Milagra Ridge), 1956-1974, CA ARNG • SF-59 (), 1956-1963, CA ARNG • SF-87 (), 1955-1971 • SF-88 (Fort Barry), 1955-1974 • SF-89 (Presidio of San Francisco), 1954-1963, CA ARNG • SF-91 (Angel Island) 1959-1961 • SF-93 (San Rafael) 1956-1971 • T-10 (Elmira), 1957-1974 • T-33 (Dixon), 1957-1959 California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

• T-53 (Potrero Hills), 1957-1959 • T-86 (Fairfield) 1957-1971 California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Typical Organization of the Site

• Administrative Area (SF-25A). o Battery Headquarters: Orderly Room and Medical Section o Barracks o Mess Hall o Day Room and athletic facilities. o Motor Maintenance Section • Launcher Area (SF-25L). Located adjacent to Administrative Area. o Missile Assembly/Maintenance Building o Three underground magazines with elevators to transfer rails and launchers. • Integrated Fire Control Area (SF-25C). Located approximately one mile from launchers. o Radar Systems: Low Power Acquisition (LOPAR), Target Tracking (TTR) and Missile Tracking (MTR). Some sites later equipped with High Power Acquisition Radar (HIPAR). o Mobile Battery Command and Missile Control Vans connected by a permanent connector. California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

o Ready Room. • Family Housing (SF-25H): Selected remote sites had Wherry-type housing. California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Launcher Area California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Administrative Area

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Integrated Fire Control Area

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

History of San Francisco Defense Area Site SF-25, Bollinger Canyon/Rocky Ridge California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Timeline

Prior to Department of the Army use, the Site was undeveloped ranch land and watershed for the EBMUD. Year Event The Department of the Army entered into a unspecified relationship with the EBMUD 1954 for a parcel of land that became the IFC site for SF-25. The Department of the Army purchased parcels of land from Kurt and Katherine 21 June–19 Mueller, and Paul and Ella Muller. These parcels were used for the Launcher Facilities July 1955 and Administrative Areas. The Site was activated and garrisoned by Battery B, 441st Antiaircraft Artillery Missile 1956 Battalion of the U.S. Army. Additional property was purchased from Hugo and Helen Mueller, Kurt and Katherine 5 July 1957 Mueller, and Paul and Ella Muller for expansion of the Administrative Area and the Family Housing Area. 2 May 1958 Additional property for SF-25A was acquired by purchase from Hugo and Helen California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Year Event Mueller, and Kurt and Katherine Mueller. The Family Housing Area was established to the southeast of the Administrative Area. The U.S. Army implemented the Combat Arms Regimental System and the garrisoning August 1958 unit was redesignated Battery B, 4th Missile Battalion, 67th Artillery Regiment. July 1959 SF-25 was deactivated and the garrisoning unit was inactivated. Former SF-25C was transferred to the U.S. Air Force for use by the 234th Combat 5 February Communications Squadron of the California ANG. The site was redesignated as Mount 1962 Martell ANG Radio Relay Site. The remainder of the Site was reported as excess to the needs of the U.S. Army to the 19 July 1963 GSA. The Department of the Army granted a permit to the Atomic Energy Commission for 7 August 1963 one year to use the Launcher Area and buildings. GSA, acting on behalf of the Department of the Army, quitclaimed the former SF-25L 1 July 1964– to MB Associates. This was the first of several owners who developed the Site into a Present manufacturing site for explosive bolts and similar products for the aerospace and defense industries until 2000. GSA, acting on behalf of the Department of the Army, quitclaimed major portions of 1 October 1964–Present former SF-25A to Kurt and Katherine Mueller, and Clinton D. and Eleonore A. Moser. These lands are currently under the ownership of EBMUD and the Schmidt Revocable California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

Year Event Trust. GSA, under a Department of Health, Education, and Welfare program, quitclaimed the 23 June 1965 family housing area to the County of Contra Costa. The U.S. Air Force terminated the lease for Mount Martell ANG Radio Relay Site with EBMUD. The ANG continued to use the site, under a license to place radio relay 1966–Present equipment on existing EBMUD owned structures, until 1984. This included access for parking. 18 December Contra Costa County grant deeded the former Family Housing Area and portion of the 1973 Administrative Area back to the of America. GSA quitclaimed the former Family Housing Area and a portion of the Administrative 9 November Area to the State of California, Division of Forestry (now the Department of Forestry 1978 and Fire Protection). GSA quitclaimed a portion of the Administrative Area to Eleonore A. and James L. 21 February Hessler. This was grant deeded later to the current owners, Daniel L. Johnson and 1980–Present Deborah T. Nich-Johnson, and Birl J. and Beatrice Walker.

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

California Military Department California State Military Museum and Resource Center

END www.militarymuseum.org/SF25.html