The State - News from June 16, 1986

A 14-year-old unarmed Minuteman III missile was successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base and safely re-entered the atmosphere about 30 minutes later, U.S. Air Force officials said. The launch was the 120th in a series of operational test launches of the weapons system performed by the Air Force, Airman Michael E. Addison said. The missile was tracked to its target 4,200 miles southwest of the base where it had re-entered the atmosphere, Addison said. The missile, built in 1972, had been housed at Malmstrom AFB in Montana until a 27-member strategic missile squadron prepared it for testing and transported it to the Southern California base. Once there, the Montana crew performed the entire launch operation, Addison said.