Historical Abandoned Military Bases Around the World
Nekoma, North Dakota
The 1950s were a time riddled with fear of nuclear demise in America. It was through that fear that the U.S> Army created the “Safeguard Program”. This program tracked incoming missiles from the enemy that was then shot down using US missiles from the ground. Located in Nekoma, North Dakota, the facility was situated so that any incoming missiles were shot down over Canada. The structure detected these threats via a massive pyramid with a squared off top. The structure contained radar dishes and a 360 degree view that could spot missiles from around 1,100 km away. The site also had a vast tunnel system which stretched over many miles. With a price tag of around six billion dollars, it was a massive failure when it was shut down and its tunnels flooded after just three days of operations. The risk of detonating nuclear warheads over our neighbor’s skies as well as general skepticism of its over-all effectiveness left Nekoma all but abandoned. It will go down as one of the most infamous abandoned military bases in history.