Nike Missile school, Fort. Bliss, TX

The Nike Missile School at Fort Bliss, Texas, was established in the early 1950s as part of the United States' Cold War air defense strategy. It served as the primary training center for soldiers assigned to operate and maintain the Nike series of surface-to-air missile systems, designed to defend American cities and military installations from Soviet bomber attacks. Thousands of Army personnel, as well as allied forces, underwent rigorous instruction in radar operations, missile maintenance, and tactical deployment at the school. The Nike Missile School remained an essential element of continental air defense training until the program's phase-out in the 1970s, following advances in missile technology and changes in strategic defense priorities.