The PGM-11 Redstone was the first large American ballistic missile. A short-range surface-to-surface rocket, it was in active service with the U.S. Army in West Germany from June 1958 to June 1964 as part of NATO's Cold War defense of Western Europe. It was the first missile to carry a live nuclear warhead, first detonated in a 1958 Pacific Ocean weapons test, with two tests occurring over a period of 12 days.
A direct descendant of the German V-2 rocket, the missile was the foundation for the Redstone rocket family, It was developed by a team of predominantly German rocket engineers relocated to the United States after World War II as part of Operation Paperclip. Redstone's prime contractor was the Chrysler Corporation.
For its role as a field artillery theater ballistic missile, Redstone earned the moniker "the Army's Workhorse". It was retired by the U.S. in 1964, though in 1967 a surplus Redstone helped launch Australia's first satellite.
Read more about PGM-11 Redstone: History, Operators, End of Service, Gallery