This story was written by Everglades Institute naturalist, Michael Perez, with edits by FNPA Marketing and Community Engagement Coordinator, Steven Parnelle
On our guided Everglades Institute programs, it is not uncommon for naturalists to be joined by veterans of the former Nike Missile site, HM-69, located in Everglades National Park. In December 2024, Everglades naturalist Michael Perez led an Everglades Experience Guided Van Tour that would open his eyes to the history of the site like never before. On this day, he was joined by a former Sergeant of Dog Handlers at the HM-69 site, active from 1975-1976. The following story is Michael’s written account of the insights and anecdotes he gained from his conversation with the former Sergent
Insights and Anecdotes from a former Sergent of Dog Handlers
Initial Background:
This former dog handler served at a Nike site between 1975 and 1976. He enlisted voluntarily, opting for a more controlled military role rather than being drafted. This decision led him to attend “dog school,” where he trained to work with military dogs. Early in his career, he was assigned a non-combative role in Vietnam, where his dog helped search for bodies in a POW camp. He was then deployed to Korea, though not during the war, where he worked in a watchtower with his dog guarding a base. On one occasion, he spotted a North Korean gunboat that had been harassing the area for weeks. After he shone a spotlight on the boat, he noticed its cannons aimed at him. His commanding officer ordered him down from the tower, and immediately after he descended, the boat exploded—destroyed by four Cobra attack helicopters. This is a small example of the skirmishes that continued in Korea after the war.
South Florida Arrival:
The dog handler noted that many of the handlers stationed in Korea eventually found themselves at Nike sites in the Everglades. While in Korea, he saw Nike missiles fired frequently at a nearby island, with missile crews aiming to strike specific sides of it. Upon arriving in South Florida, he was initially stationed at the Key Largo Nike Battery, located in what is now Dagny Johnson Botanic State Park. After some time, he was moved to a different Nike battery in the Everglades, referred to as “A battery”
Service at Nike Site:
The handler enjoyed his work at the Nike Site, he said many members of the public would meet the soldiers at “the bend” (the area where the gate to the Nike site is by Daniel Beard). Soldiers there would explain to park visitors they could not go any further and would turn them back, some exceptions would be made for the farm workers who worked around the site, allowing them to work the periphery. It should be noted the Nike site was STRICTLY closed to the public, the area around the Nike site was very different from the way it is today. Back then it was an Everglades agricultural area, much like how homestead is today the farm fields were tended to by migrant workers. He mentioned many of them slept in RV vehicles that could be seen in the distance around the site. Despite the many farm workers in the area the base was strictly guarded. He said, “We were on shoot to kill orders, if someone was in the process of climbing over the fence, we would have to shoot them before they hit the ground”. This never occurred, thankfully.
“We were on shoot to kill orders, if someone was in the process of climbing over the fence, we would have to shoot them before they hit the ground”
Hours:
The handler worked a 24-hour shift, followed by 48 hours off. I imagine the other soldiers were on this schedule as well.
Security Interactions and Suspicious vehicles:
I asked if the site had any instances of detaining people or catching spies, it appears that during the handler’s tenure nothing of the sort occurred, but he did note: “Sometimes the CO (commanding officer) would radio in that they had a suspicious vehicle. They’d eventually stop the car and see who was inside, but they never found anyone malicious”
Sentry Dog “Alerting” and protocol:
The handler explained that if his dog ever “alerted”—barking to indicate a potential threat—he would announce, “I am a US Army soldier, identify yourself, or I will release my dog.” This protocol applied during routine patrols. His dog would sometimes alert on wildlife such as bears, deer, and raccoons. On one patrol, his dog alerted to a farm worker who had fallen asleep due to intoxication, but the worker was unharmed.
Soldiers and the Wildlife of the Everglades:
The handler shared stories of the wildlife he encountered during his service, noting that the Everglades were quite different back then compared to today, especially due to the proliferation of invasive species like the Burmese Python. He recalled seeing giant rattlesnakes (up to 8 feet long), bears, deer, coyotes, and many raccoons. He fondly remembered a raccoon that would return nightly to the Nike site, where soldiers would feed it crackers. Sometimes, dogs would alert to wildlife, and at one point, a sentry dog even found a snake in its mouth. The handler also mentioned that some dogs were bitten by venomous snakes like rattlesnakes and cottonmouths, and there was a veterinarian on call at all times from the nearby Homestead Air Force Base.
“Giant rattlesnakes 8ft long, bears, deer, coyotes, lots of racoons…”
The Rattlesnake story:
On his typical 24-hour shift, walking down the road along with 4 other soldiers, the handler came across the largest diamondback rattler he had ever seen. One of his co-workers said “we gotta shoot this thing, he’s massive!” (in fear apparently). The handler said something along the lines of “Hell no, we are in his home!” He also told the soldiers “If we fire at him, he will take down at least one of us guaranteed, and I don’t want to explain to the CO why one of us got bit by a snake” They reportedly left it alone after that, the handler mentioned a similar story where he saved another snake under a similar circumstance, he’s quite fond of the wildlife and helped them out when he got the chance to.
The Handler and his dog:
Each dog handler was assigned a dog, and the handler was given one known for being particularly difficult. Despite its reputation for biting every handler, the dog never bit him. To build trust, the handler spent time getting to know the dog. On his first day, he sat in the middle of the dog kennel, surrounded by barking dogs. Eventually, he called the dog to “heel” beside him, and the bond was formed. He believed that building a relationship with the dog was crucial for effective teamwork.
“Many dog handlers do not take the time to get to know their dog, if the dog doesn’t like you, he will not want to work with you”
Soldiers and their lodging:
At the start of his time at the Nike site, the handler slept in the dog kennel building, which still stands today. This building had a bunk bed and shelves for dog food and medicine. Most soldiers, however, stayed in barracks that have since been demolished. Later, the handler moved to a house in Florida City because he had a young son. Whenever there was a significant escalation in the Cold War, all personnel would be called back to the site, and he would rush back from Florida City if needed.
Differences between the Nike site then and now:
Over the years, many buildings on the site have been demolished. The handler recalled the soldier breakroom near the gate, which is now gone. He described it as a cozy space with a kitchenette, books, and chairs. When asked about the couch in the breakroom, he confirmed it was a comfortable spot for relaxation.
Closing notes and thoughts on the Everglades and recreation:
The handler also enjoyed the park in his own ways, he’d often go fishing with his friends down here and worked a part-time job in the ocean reef club in Key Largo. It is clear that a lot of the soldiers left with a tacit appreciation for the Everglades ecosystem. I mentioned to him about 110 years before the Nike site came up, the Seminole wars had just concluded. I highly recommend people read the book “The Swamp”. In this you’ll get very personal and vivid descriptions of people and their life/work in the Everglades. 110 years ago, the final army deployment to Everglades took place as they searched for Chief Chekika, leading to his eventual capture. Soldier’s accounts in the Seminole wars are somewhere between amusing (soldiers lamenting mosquitoes and how wetlands are nothing but useless spaces) and terrifying (tales of deaths of friends and tropical diseases). The occasional account from back then will show a glint of appreciation with soldiers sometimes captivated by “beautiful pink birds” that would fly overhead. Compared to these soldiers, those who guarded the Nike site had a comparatively good time. The handler himself said “I got it good here”. Many soldiers deployed here understood the tense atmosphere and the scale of the nuclear threat during the cold war, but the non-combative nature of their time here was enjoyed by many especially while the Vietnam war raged. I toured the Anhinga Trail and Pa-hay-okee Trail with the former handler and his wife. I’ll finish with this quote from him “Thank goodness I didn’t learn about how great this place was back then! I would have stayed in the Army!” His year of service at the Nike site was his last in the US military. He eventually left the state, married, and began a career with the SWAT team and security.
“Thank goodness I didn’t learn about how great this place was back then! I would have stayed in the Army!”
