6:43rd FA (ARADCOM)

The 6th Battalion, 43rd Field Artillery (6/43rd FA) served as part of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) during the Cold War. Activated in the early 1960s, the unit was tasked with operating Nike-Hercules surface-to-air missile batteries to defend key strategic sites against potential Soviet air attacks. Stationed primarily in the northeastern United States, the 6/43rd FA maintained a high state of readiness, conducting regular training and alert drills. The battalion was eventually inactivated in the 1970s as advancements in missile technology and changes in strategic defense posture rendered the Nike-Hercules system obsolete.