The Atlas F Missile and Tecumseh's Impact on the Cold War

Lt. Gen. (Nebr. Ret.) Roger P. Lempke, a Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General from 2000-2007 and a 1965 Graduate of Tecumseh High School, gave a presentation, “Atlas Missiles: Tecumseh and the Cold War”, at the Tecumseh Community Building on Saturday, July 4.
In July 1959, the United States Air Force announced that Johnson County would have an Atlas missile launch complex. Construction for this missile complex, known as Site 6, began in April 1960. On March 25, 1962, an Atlas F missile was lowered into the silo located about five miles north of Tecumseh.
What led to this moment in time? The launch of the German V-2 rocket and the Soviet Union beginning to demonstrate nuclear capability. In 1955, the birth of the Atlas Middle was listed as a top priority by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who pushed for the development of missiles in the United States. Due to the SPUTNIK launch in October 4, 1957, President Eisenhower wanted a triad of airplanes, missiles and submarines ready for an attack on the Soviet Union if necessary. Three other Atlas missile variants were designed before the Atlas F type was stored north of Tecumseh.
The Atlas F missile was 75 feet tall, 16 feet wide, and 10 feet in diameter. The missile weighed 260,000 pounds and consisted of one internal and two external engines. The fuel used in the missile was highly purified kerosene and liquid oxygen.
According to Lempke, Nebraska had 12 Atlas Missile Sites, including Elmwood, Avoca, Eagle, Nebraska City, Palmyra, Cortland, Beatrice, Wilber, York, Seward, David City and Tecumseh. The Tecumseh Atlas Missile site was chosen as it would have easy highway access from Lincoln.
Three employees lived and worked at the Atlas Missile Site for days at a time, demonstrating their maintenance and testing skills before a replacement crew would come in.
The Atlas F missile was deactivated and removed from the Tecumseh missile launch complex in May/June of 1965. The former missile site north of Tecumseh is now under private ownership.