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Base, Air Force turns over piece of Cold War history

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J. Paul Croxon
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The enemy faced today by the United States Air Force is a multi-faceted, lightly armored, and modestly equipped group of extremists. However, the enemy Grand Forks Air Force Base was built to fight was an enemy with resources and technology equal to our own and poised to strike in moments with nuclear weapons.

On April 8, a piece of that history was donated to the North Dakota State Historical Society on behalf of the U.S. Air Force during a key ceremony in the Cooperstown, N.D. High School auditorium. The Air Force symbolically transferred ownership of the Oscar Zero Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launch facility and November 33 missile silo to the state for historic preservation. The preservation and refurbishment of the sites will allow future generations to see the nuclear deterrence which kept the Cold War from turning into a one-day hot war ending in mutually assured destruction of the United States and the former Soviet Union.

During the ceremony, Mr. Merl Paaverud, N.D. State Historical Society, representatives from the state's districts congressional representatives, senate and gubernatorial offices, and former missileers spoke about the historical value of the site. According to Mr. Paaverud, nearly 10 years were spent to gain control of the sites, keep them from being destroyed as other sites were, and gain funding to turn it into a public historical site.

Lt. Col. Kurt Searfoss, Deputy Commander of the 319th Mission Support Group and former missileer, represented the base during the ceremony.

"I started my Air Force career as a missileer, serving from 1987 to 1991," he said. "I have the ability to bookend my career with the dedication of this important piece of Cold War history. I can't think of a better way to end my career in the Air Force," he added.

After the formal ceremony the first tour of the site for military and former military personnel was given by the state historical society. During the tour, Colonel Searfoss reflected on what a typical day was like for a missileer.

According to Colonel Searfoss, the crew would arrive at Grand Forks AFB, pick up the vehicle they would take to the assigned launch facility and get briefed before leaving for the launch facility. Once they reached the facility security forces would verify their credentials before relieving the previous crew and conducting various checklists. A typical shift was usually between 24 and 36 hours.

The unifying message from the former missileers was that it was because of these facilities and the missileers and various support personnel that the Cold War ended with the sites never having to be used.

The Cold War constantly put the United States on the brink of annihilation for nearly fifty years. Remnants from this era are still flying from Grand Forks AFB supporting a new war; however, the most potent weapons in the U.S. arsenal are largely gone. Thanks to the Air Force and the work of the N.D. State Historical Society, this key piece of history from the Cold War is finally able to be seen by the people who were neighbors to the most awesome weapons the world has ever known.