Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

4062nd Strategic Missile Wing

One of the more unusual experiments at Ogden during 1960 was the mobile Minuteman project. The project swung into high gear in June 1960, as Hill AFB became home base for "Operation Big Star," a series of tests to determine the feasibility of deploying Minuteman ICBMs on railroad car launchers. A modified test train traveled across western and central states to test how communication, control, and human factors could affect such an operation. In August, after the return of the fourth test train, the Air Force declared that the tests had been satisfactorily completed. Anticipating a possible go-ahead with the project, the Air Force activated the 4062nd Strategic Missile Wing on 01 December 1960. However, a year later, Defense Secretary McNamara canceled the program.