Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-08
Nickerson Sees U. S.
Losing Missile Race

Losing Miss
Continued From First Page
year. and I'm being sent out Of
the country" Col. Nickerson
went on. But that doesn't
change the situation . bit. !
lstill say the Secretary Of De-
Tense has made q grave error
In judging our missile program
Ian error that is endangering
our national survival.
I'm Huntsville. at the United
States Army Ballistic Missile
Agency, we have the best mis-
sile engineering talent this side
Of the Iron Curtain in Wernher
Won Braun. DR.. Won Braun built
the German va and has devel-
oped our only successful ball
listic missiles - the Redstone
and the new Jupiter. the inter-
mediate range missile.
Jealousy Hurts
But petty jealousy Of their
talents, mainly by the Air
Force, pressure from aircraft
manufacturers and the heavy
salesmanship Of Air Force
bright young men" have hurt
the country badly. -.
''Dr. Won Braun and his ia
Tented team Of German and
American scientists have had
their hands virtually tied by q
frightened Air Force and by
aircraft manufacturers who
know the winged bomber is OBJ
solete. Despite Air Force mex
perience in this field, they have
forced their way into control Of
the missile program. AS q re-
suit. we are far behind In the
race"
Col. Nickerson said that the
Won Braun group could quickly
salvage victory in the satellite
program.
1.-THE Russians have beaten
us by testing the first ICBM.
We are in grave danger Of being
beaten again very soon by the
Russians - this time on the
earth-satellite launching" the
colonel said.
DIR. Won Braun developed the
satellite idea, which we helped
sell to the Government. How
ever, the Defense Department
mistakenly handed it over to !
the Navy as the Vanguard prof.
ect.
Can Compete With Reds
1.-THE only ones In the free
world who can compete with
the Russians In the earth satel-
lite race are the Won Braun
team. There is still q good
chance for US to win If we give
DR.. Won Braun the go-ahead
Immediately"
AIR FORCE - Assigned to
build and operate q 5.O00-mile
intercontinental ballistic mis-
sile similar to the one the Rus
SLAMS report they have sue
cessfully tested, as well rs a
1,500-mile intermediate-range
missile called Thor. All Air
Force tests have been reported /
failures; no long-range flrings
have been claimed oficially.
NAVY-Assigned to operate
the space satellite project VAN
guard. The launching, origi-
nally scheduled for this sum-
rNsr. Has been repeatedly post
poned. Polaris, the Navy sea-
launched version of the inter-
mediate missile. has never been
test-fired.
ARMY-More than 100 Ger
man missile scientists and. q
number Of Americans, cap
tanned by DR.. Won Drawn. have
produced" the only operation
al ballistic missiles this side of
the Iron Curtain" said Col.
Nickerson. The Honest John
and Corporal with q reported
range of 10 and 100. miles re-
spectively) are now operational
and in the field with our troops,
even overseas. The 217th Field
Artillery Missile Battalion is
now training at Huntsville to
use the Won Brawn-developed
Redstone." This missile has
a reported range of 2cp-SO6
miles and an accuracy within
500 feet.
Moreover. the Army has dew
eloped q 1,5O0-mile missile, the
Jupiter, which has been test
fired to full range twice. Its
most recent firing repeatedly
hit within one-quarter mile of
the target. A Jupiter device-a
three-stage missile labeled C-27
has repeatedly flown $500
miles, to height Of nearly
500 miles and at q top speed
Of $4,000 miles per hour in
Americas only disclosed long
range missile achievement. Col.
Nickerson sought to save the .
Jupiter from extinction by dis
closing the classified material.
an incient which resulted in
his court-martial last June.
Defense Secretary Wilson last
November 26 ordered the Jupi-
ter program virtually strapped ,
and the Army rocket men limit !
ed to 200-mile range. However.
Mr.. Wilson last month ordered |
Jupiter matched against Thor
and ordered q three-man COM
mittee to decide which Of the
missiles the Air Force should
operate.
Col. Nickerson doubts that 1
the Thor-Jupiter test will be
objective. II expect the verdict (
to be q bastardized missile, a {
combination Of : Jupiter and {
Tho as a face-saving device for
the Air Force" the Colonel said.