From 1958 to 1972, the Department of Defense deployed a contingent of surface-to-air missiles intended to shoot down any incoming nuclear missiles aimed at United States cities. This program, known as Project Nike, was the first operational American anti-aircraft system. The missiles were decommissioned in 1974 as the Cold War came to an end, but remnants remain all around the country to this day. A few, such as site C-44 in southeastern Chicago can still be visited. Nike missile site C-44 was part of the Chicago-Gary Defense Area, which included…
