Rings of Supersonic Steel by Mark A. Berhow, Mark L. Morgan (2002, Paperback)

This the one book you must have if you are interested in the history of the gun and missile defenses that once protected American cities, SAC bomber bases, and other critical installations from an attack by Soviet bombers. Like others, I grew up never knowing that there were Army antiaircaft missiles (some with nuclear warheads) virtually in my back yard. In addition to history and technical data, there is extensive data and maps on each defense area showing locations of missile batteries in relation to the city or base they defended. Also covered is the history of the units that manned them along with timelines. Although the information is somewhat outdated, the current condition of various sites is also included. One hopes that the third edition now in the works will contain even more detail. I have spent many enoyable hours searching out the remnants of these little known Cold War relics, and this book is the essential resource for anyone wanting to do so. A tough book to find, but worth the effort.