The Missile Heads

The Missile Heads Incident (1965 or 1966)

The "Missile Heads" incident is one that I have recently decided to include in this website. It illustrates the rather strange history of the farm over the years, but also gives some of the idea of the zaniness of Farm life at times.

There was an tenant apartment at the Farm. Over the years, there were various tenants living there. Originally, before I was born, there was the family that actually ran the dairy operations there, the Martins. After that, about the time I was born, in 1957, our milkman moved in, Bill Capite (prounounced cap-i-tay). He had a daughter Joanie, my age. She and I were fast friends. :) However, in 1963, when I was 6, a new family moved in. They were the Gours.

There were 3 Gours. Mr. Gour (Wilbur?), his wife June, and their son, Dennis. Dennis was 12 when I was 6. Mr. Gour worked in a plastics factory, Victory Plastics, in Hudson, Mass., the next town to Berlin. I had many fun times with Dennis, but I don't think my grandparents got along with the Gours all that well. The name was pronounced like the ex-vice president's.

Anyways, one day, I think it was in 1965 or 66, I came over to the Farm to find that a huge pile of missile heads had been dumped at the bottom of the driveway. The Department of Defense had contracted with Victory Plastics to make the missile heads (the "nose cones" of the missiles), and the contract had been cancelled.

Perhaps Mr. Gour had allowed Victory Plastics to put the missile heads there. Perhaps Mr. Gour bought the excess inventory at a low price, hoping to resell them at a profit. Who knows? If any member of the Gour family reads this, please contact me, I would love to know more about it. email webmaster at mcgrailfarm.com

There were at least 600 of the missile heads. They were made of fiberglass, and were olive military green in color, about a foot wide, and a foot deep. They looked something like large flower pots. They were designed to be fitted to the ends of military bombs. I think that they were routine bombs, not anything strategic or nuclear.

They proved almost impossible to deal with or dispose of. They could not be burned, or thrown in the dump. After a rain, they collected water, which bred mosquitoes. And, they were unsightly.

The Gours soon left, and the "flower pots" were left alone, largely under the dairy barn. When the property finally changed hands, I assume that they were disposed of, but I can't be sure.

I do not have any photos, as far as I know, of the missile heads. Anyone have a picture? I would appreciate it if you do. Please contact me. I would like to know more about the source of these mysterious objects.
email me at mcgrailfarm.com