Selm

Selm is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 kilometers north of Dortmund and 25 kilometers west of Hamm.

Geography

The town belongs to the southern part of the Münsterland. It is surrounded by (beginning in the west) Olfen, Lüdinghausen, Nordkirchen (all in the district of Coesfeld), Werne, Lünen (both in the district of Unna), Waltrop, and Datteln (both belonging to the district of Recklinghausen).

History

The first traces of living people in the area date from the younger half of the Stone age.

In 858 it was mentioned as Seliheim in the Dreingau.

In the early Middle Ages Selm was ruled by the count of Cappenberg, then by the bishop of Münster. In the beginning of the 19th century it was transferred to Prussia, to which it remained, as part of the province of Westphalia, until 1946.

In 1906 the coal mine Zeche Hermann was established, transferring coal from 1,200 m under underground. The coal miners and their families lived in the Beifang quarter, which had in the origin a very rural landscape. The number of inhabitants increased from 2,000 to 10,000 in only one year, with c. 3,500 coal miners working at the plant. In 1926 the coal mine was closed.

Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman

Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman (SELM) is a method used by the United States Air Force to verify the reliability of the LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile. SELM replaces key components at the Launch Control Center to allow a physical "keyturn" by missile combat crew members. This test allows end-to-end verification in the ICBM launch process.

Logistics Support

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Systems Directorate at Hill AFB, Utah provides technical support to SELM tests The information obtained from tests provide a complete assessment of the weapon systems for Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).

Chronology