EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif -- Nine Edwards Air Force Base firefighters assisted in a successful effort to save the Mount Gleason Nike missile site in the Angeles National Forest when a forest fire came within 300 feet of the installation.
The Mount.Gleason facility was significant for several reasons. It was the first Nike unit planned and constructed in the Angeles National Forest, and it operated for the longest period of time amongst the Angeles National Forest System from 1955 to 1974. As the first unit under Nike construction, it set the precedent for future Forest Service action involving all Nike units. The barracks, administrative area, and underground storage units are all in excellent condition. Mt. Gleason is the highest Nike installation in the United States.