Air Force Bases

Nike Missile Site LA-04 Mt Gleason CA - PHOTOS - Silo Catfish Interior

As one descends into silo Catfish, an elaborate series of paintings flank each stairway wall. The paintings portray many individual soldiers who presumably worked at the site. Some paintings depict soldiers in full uniform down to their nametag. Many are humorous cartoon-like figures. Exaggerated features or short phrases such as "I drink milk" reflect personality traits or poke fun at various sides of military life. Some of the drawings are incomplete showing only the soldier's black boots. One can speculate that the artist was painting these pictures in the early 1970s and did not finish due to deactivation of the Mt. Gleason site in 1974.

INSIDE VIEW OF 'CATFISH' SILO
INSIDE VIEW OF 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW OF HYDRAULIC PUMP INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW OF HYDRAULIC PUMP INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

FRONT VIEW OF ELEVATOR LIFT IN 'CATFISH' SILO
FRONT VIEW OF ELEVATOR LIFT IN 'CATFISH' SILO

FRONT VIEW OF INSIDE DOOR AT 'CATFISH' SILO
FRONT VIEW OF INSIDE DOOR AT 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI ON EAST WALL OF STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI ON EAST WALL OF STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI ON WEST WALL OF STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI ON WEST WALL OF STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO
VIEW SHOWING GRAFFITI IN STAIRWELL INSIDE 'CATFISH' SILO

Photos - Overall Viewt
Photos - Launch Area
Photos - Administrative Area
Photos - Missile Assembly Area
Photos - Silos Alpha and Bravo
Photos - Silo Catfish Exterior
Photos - Silo Catfish Interior
Photos - Radar Area
Photos - Site Plans
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