OCR Text |
Show German Troops Firing Tests Near Green River GREEN RIVER, UTAH, June 18, 1968 Troops of the U. S. 7th Army-from Europe and the Federal Republic of Germany Air Force have begun be-gun preparations for annual service practice firing of the two stage Pershing missile from Green River, Utah to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The first two weapons are to be fired this week. A total of 9 will be launched, the first two during the current firing season expected to end early in August. Troops of the second batal-lion, batal-lion, 44lli Artillery, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma have been assigned' to the Gilson Butte area near Green River in support of the operation. All of the Pershings will be programed to impaO on White Sands Missile Range. Operations from take-off to impact will be closely moni-tered moni-tered to insure complete safe ty during the four hundred mile flight from Utah to New Mexico. Exact dates of six of the nine launchings have been witheld by army officials in order to make planned tactical tactic-al exercises more realistic. It was announced, however, that the first firing would take place this week, probably late Thursday night. The second firings in the series are scheduled sched-uled during the week beginning begin-ning July 14. The third series is slated during the week of July 28. Tlie last two firing dates have been set for August Aug-ust 5 with two rounds and August 7 with the final round in the summer series from Gilson Butte. Pershing is a surface supersonic super-sonic ballistic missile with nuclear nu-clear capabilities. It has a two stage . solid propellant propulsion system. It has a range listed from 100 to 400 nautical miles. |