CONNECTICUT 
Bridgeport 
Defense 
Area 
Designations 
and locations 
of the Nike 
sites defending 
the Bridgeport 
area are: (BR- 
04) Ansonia, 
(BR-15) 
Westhaven, 
(BR-17) 
Milford, 
(BR-65) 
Fairfield, 
(BR-73) 
Westport, 
and (BR-94) 
Shelton. 
Headquarters 
facilities 
were located in Bridgeport. 
Regular 
Army 
units manned 
these sites after initial 
activation 
during 
1956 and 1957 
with the Guard 
assuming 
duties in the waning 
years. Only site BR-04 was converted 
from Nike Ajax to Hercules. 
This battery 
would become integrated 
into the New 
England 
Defense Area before being deactivated 
in 1971. 
The missilemen 
received 
recognition 
on April 
19, 1958, when Bridgeport 
Mayor 
Samuel 
Tedesco declared 
“Nike 
Day” in his city. Festivities 
honoring 
the men of the 
741st AAA missile 
battalion 
included 
a parade and ball. In addition, 
the missile 
sites 
were dedicated 
to local citizens 
who died in earlier 
wars. 
References 
Nike 
Quick 
Look, 
pp. 31-33; 
Argus, 
(1 June 
1958), p. 8. 
Hartford 
Defense 
Area 
The designations 
and locations 
of Nike 
sites guarding 
the state capital 
region 
are as 
follows: 0X4-08) 
East Windsor, 
(HA-25) 
Manchester, 
(HA-36) 
Portland, 
(HA-48) 
Cromwell, 
(HA-67) 
Plainville, 
and (HA-%) 
AvonSimsbury. 
Operational 
in 1956, these sites were first manned 
by Regular 
Army 
and later by 
Guard 
Units. 
Units 
from the Bridgeport 
Defense Area assisted in operating 
the 
Plainville 
site. Sites HA-48 
and HA-08 were converted 
to fire the Nike 
Hercules 
missi]< 
and remained 
operational 
until 
1968 and 1971, respectively. 
Reference 
Nike 
Quick 
Look, 
pp. 65-67. 
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