3:84 missile unit (seven steps to hell)

The 3rd Battalion, 84th Artillery (3/84), famously nicknamed "Seven Steps to Hell," was a U.S. Army missile unit active during the Cold War. Equipped with the MGM-13 Mace and later the MGM-31 Pershing nuclear-capable missiles, the battalion was stationed in West Germany as part of NATO's forward defense strategy against potential Soviet aggression. Renowned for its rigorous training and rapid readiness, the "Seven Steps to Hell" moniker reflected both the unit’s demanding qualification standards and its critical role in deterrence. The 3/84 was eventually inactivated in the late 1980s as part of arms reduction agreements and the evolving strategic landscape in Europe.