1974
1974 MICOM recommended that the range of the airborne TOW be extended to 3,750 meters to improve the survivability of the helicopter against the threat posed by the battlefield of that time.
1974 The RSA railroad system was declared excess and approved for disposal.
1974 The Motion Picture/TV Production Branch won acclaim for several films. One notable achievement was the Industrial Management Film Society Honorable Mention Trophy Award given for the first time to a female MP/TV production specialist assigned to the branch.
17 January 74 After inquiries by the MICOM Commander's staff confirmed black soldiers' complaints that they had been denied admission, MG Ellis put the Spinning Wheel night club off limits to the 3,600 military personnel assigned to RSA and Huntsville. Use of the off-limits sanction marked the first time an establishment in the Huntsville-Madison County area had been cited by the Army for discriminatory admission practices. The Army's policy specified that accommodations should be open to all soldiers and their families, regardless of race or national origin, or be open to none. MICOM rescinded the ban by certified letter on 7 March 74, after repeated investigations confirmed the owner's assurances that the club had changed its admission practices.
27 January 74 The Special Assistant for EEO was redesignated the Equal Employment Office effective this date. The equal opportunity/race relations functions formerly assigned to the PT&FD Directorate also were transferred to the new organization.
4 February 74 DA announced the planned reduction of the Army air defense NIKE HERCULES missile batteries deployed in CONUS as part of an overall realignment of continental air defense. The Secretary of the Army directed the phaseout of 48 NIKE HERCULES batteries (21 operated by the Regular Army and 27 by the Army National Guard). The remaining four units in Florida were retained for contingency and training missions. All 48 of the designated sites were deactivated during the second half of FY 1974.
5 February 74 The SHORADS Management Office (Provisional) was permanently replaced by the Office of the Project Manager, SHORADS effective this date.
7 February 74 DA approved the "Stingthrift" Program to decrease the unit cost of the STINGER missile during production. This cost-saving effort was the first major program initiated by a MICOM contractor to implement the policies of the 1971 DOD Directive on Acquisition of Major Defense Systems.
18 February 74 During his first trip to North Alabama, President Richard M. Nixon visited Huntsville to highlight the second annual "Honor America Day" sponsored by the Sertoma Club. He arrived at and departed from Redstone Army Airfield.
March 74 The first annual service practice firings of deployed Improved HAWK battalions took place at Fort Bliss, Texas.
7 March 74 The Deputy Secretary of Defense authorized the Army to proceed with the advanced development of the radar area guidance/PERSHING II program.
3 April 74 A tornado hit RSA on the western boundary south of Martin Road, doing minor damage in the MSFC area. It continued on eastward across Madkin Mountain and touched ground again in the 3500 area. The tornado continued from that point eastward through the rest of the arsenal, damaging a major portion of the OMMCS area. A total of 23 buildings, including the new Post Gym, were completely destroyed. There were 26 MICOM soldiers and 5 dependents injured, but none seriously. The total cost in damaged facilities and government property was established at $13.2 million. This tornado was the worst natural disaster in Redstone Arsenal's 33-year history, and the extent of damage to the installation was severe.
11 April 74 The GLLD/ALLD Management Office (Provisional) was redesignated as the Office of the Product Manager, Precision Laser Designators (PLD).
30 May 74 The first WAC was assigned to the 291st Military Police (MP) Company.
June 74 MICOM awarded competitive 12-month contracts to Rockwell International Corporation and Hughes Aircraft Company for advanced development of the HELLFIRE modular missile.
1 July 74 The MICOM Headquarters Security Office was discontinued and its responsibilities were transferred to RASA.
29 July 74 MICOM released the request for proposal (RFP) for an all-weather, short-range air defense system. During the fall of 1974, four missile systems were evaluated for the SHORADS role: the British RAPIER, French CROTALE, U.S. CHAPARRAL, and German-French ROLAND. The latter system was subsequently selected.
1 August 74 The Office of the PM for the LANCE Missile System, originally known as Missile B, returned to MICOM's jurisdiction after being under AMC.
24 September 74 The CHAPARRAL/FAAR Management Office was established at MICOM. It had formerly been part of the Special Systems Management Office.
25 September 74 The Office of the Special Assistant for International Logistics was established to advise and assist the MICOM Commander on matters pertaining to international logistics programs.
25 September 74 The Targets Special Items Management Office was redesignated the Targets Management Office effective this date.
30 September 74 AMC presented the Inventory Control Effectiveness (ICE) Award to MICOM at the Inventory Seminar in Stockton, California. The award was presented annually to the AMC major subordinate command which had the best inventory performance.
4 November 74 The Kuwait Missile System Management Office (Provisional) was organized and assigned to MICOM effective this date. The Kuwait Missile System Manager controlled and coordinated the sale of U.S. defense missiles to the government of Kuwait.
11 November 74 The High Energy Laser (HEL) Systems Management Office (Provisional) was established at MICOM.
December 74 The first Army FMS case for the XM65 Airborne TOW was signed when Italy bought two systems to be delivered in FY 1976.
December 74 By late this month, all of the tactical military activities equipped with the NIKE HERCULES systems in CONUS, except for four units in Florida and three in Alaska, had been deactivated. Outside CONUS (OCONUS) U.S. forces, NATO units, and non-NATO forces in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Spain retained active tactical sites requiring logistical and maintenance support.
December 74 The ground breaking for the new Chapel Center took place.
2 December 74
The first U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Improved HAWK battalion - the 1st/7th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Battalion - was activated at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Excellence in Missilery:
Introduction,
1962,
1963,
1964,
1965,
1966,
1967,
1968,
1969,
1970,
1971,
1972,
1973,
1974,
1975,
1976,
1977,
1978,
1979
