Description: HARDENED INTERSITE CABLE SYSTEM (HICS) Outer jacket (polyethylene), Armor (copper allow), Separator Jacket (polyethylene), Shield (corrugater mild steel), Tarrier Tape, Inner Jacket (polyethylene), Barrier tape, 16 & 19 Gage Signal Conductors. During the Cold War, Whiteman AFB, MO served as a major center for the many Minuteman missiles planted in Midwest farm country. After nuclear arms reduction was completed, the missile silos were blown up and filled with dirt, while missiles were dismantled and destroyed. In case someone in Russia got trigger happy and pushed the button, our president would respond by pushing his button, and all hell would break loose. The missiles could be dispatched by cryptic messages sent through underground cables and great balls of fire would ensue. Since this cable has no more use, that which has been located has been dug up and shipped to China for electronics manufacture since it contains the purest copper on the market. I have some that I located while putting in new fence posts. The cable contains 57 insulated wires surrounded by mylar sheath, then nylon, then copper, nylon, copper, nylon, copper, and finally another outer nylon protective sheath. Many of my friends and neighbors wanted a piece of this history and since I have some left, I am offering it to you so we all can have a legitimate piece of the Minuteman Missile Network that was our answer to the Soviet threat that we lived under for decades. I don't have any presentation cases, or plaques to go with them, but I'll send you something that will be a real conversation piece and an honest functional piece of the Minuteman Missile network. Upon receipt of payment, I'll send you one piece of missile cable approximately 6"-8" long that came from a local farm, which is about 30 miles from WAFB, MO, (The piece of cable you receive will be flat cut as shown in first picture. The picture that shows cut-away is my personal display.)a photo of military sign indicating area of buried missile cable,a letter of authenticity, in a gift box with label identifying cold war relic. In addition, I am enclosing a copy of a page taken from Scientific American Magazine, 1960, showing all the military cables manufactured by Anaconda. Also, on that copy is an identification thread taken from a cable piece identifying the manufacturer and date of manufacture (Anaconda Simplex 1963).Two color copy ads from Kelsey-Hayes suggesting that as "He's got the whole world in His Hand" so must our defense system is under a higher power.Two page color copy ad by Borg-Warner telling public that their guidance system keeps the Minuteman on the straight and narrow.Two color copy ads by Boeing boasting successful test launches.B&W front and back copy of article educating of Randomized launch sites using U.S. and Canadian rail systems.B&W page article (1960) "Cargo ships and Minuteman Bases".B&W page editorial by Clarke Newton, "Where Emphasis on Missiles Belongs".B&W two page F&B article, "Hard-Based Minutemen vs. Mobility. Order yours for your own enjoyment or for that special one-of-a-kind gift. Thanks. Shipping free within the lower 48. P.S. I uploaded a picture of marker in the woods indicating a cable running to the south, but it goes nowhere, it's a mislead.I have some scrap pieces that aren't good enough or too short to send out. I will include one as long as supplies last if you request it. Don't be too specific, I'll give you what I have.This is truly a Personal Cold War Museum. Comments from buyers: Great piece of memorabilia! I pulled alerts in both Minuteman (Great Falls, MT) and Peacekeeper (Cheyenne, Wy) where this type cable is still in use today. What we have here is a hunk of the Hardened Intersite Cable System, or HICS. It was pressurized, hence all the different layers to keep the air inside. A loss in pressure was reported to the the support base as an indication that someone might have dug up the cable and was trying to hack into the HICS. Or a drop in pressure meant the cable had sprung a leak and could potentially allow water into the system. Either way not a good thing when you're controlling nukes. I will be proud to own my own HICS sample. I bought 3 for my sons. please include in box a simple letter from yourself talking about how you got them and anything else you'd like. thanks! MSgt, USAF (ret) Thanks for offering these! I just finished a missile tour at F.E. Warren and have been looking for memorabilia but have never seen any of these for sale. Gonna look great on my wall of missile stuff. Me: On my back forty, there is a post indicating buried cable heading south. The cable is there but it dead ends and I have learned that there were several of these dead heads--to throw off someone who planned to sabotage the system. About 25 years ago, my mechanic was doing some work on his dad's farm. Using a backhoe, he pulled up a cable. Helicopters showed up, hummers and all munitions were aimed at him. He was blamed at first, but we didn't have "call before you dig" back then. Wow, great story! Yeah each launch site has a compressor hooked to them that keeps them pressurized with a small bit of air (although i cant see where it would be at from your pictures) and an alarm goes off if they are cut and maintenance has some way of pinpointing where the cut is. I'm gonna post a link to your eBay item on a Missileers Facebook page I am a member of. There are lots missileers on there and from the past few decades including Whiteman guys, I bet it will help you sell these a lot faster. Thanks Tom, that's much appreciated. For a bunch of years, now, I've been collecting some of the little things associated with that vast hidden enterprise, the Country's nuclear weapons shield. Will be very happy to have this. And it seems like you've made a bunch of others equally happy. Dr. xxx xxxxx MIT Lincoln Laboratory You meet the nicest people, like Michael... Hi Tom, I'm from Kildare in Ireland. I am a crazy history buff and havin grown up during the cold war the whole era has fascinated me from childhood until now. Attached are a couple of links. One is a little web page I maintain with some of the cold war related militaria I collect on it the other link is to a Face book group I created and manage called 'Cold war steel' As you can tell your piece of cable is going to a loving home :) Hello Tom. I wanted to let you know that the cable piece arrived safely today and my son is thrilled with it and the documentation you provided. You really went above and beyond for us. The photo and note on your personal stationery are wonderful! I hadn't realized that this was dug up on your own property. Unbelievable. This is a really special piece to add to his collection and you are a special man to go to this much trouble. May you have a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year! Kind regards, Donna Hi Tom, Many thanks for your response. I will enjoy adding this to my SAC Collection. I grew up having 2 parents who were CIA and as a kid well understood the Cold War. My Dad was an Electronic Engineer and in 1960 or so, helped with the Atlas ICBM rockets. That was when he was with Convair. I have items from the ICBM systems, 3 ejection seats out of a 105, F-4, and B-52, other nuke items I have come across, all of course now defunct and paper weights. I have always enjoyed history. Growing up many of my relatives were WWII Vets so I would listen to them for hours telling stories. My Grandfather was involved with the Manhattan Project so all of these materials interest me. Your section of wire will be a very welcome addition. If you ever sell any of the military cable signs let me know! Again, thanks so much! Dan I purchased a chunk of missile cable from you as a gift for my husband Chris. He is ecstatic !!! When he opened the box, he knew immediately what was inside. Back in the early '80s, he was a Minuteman III guy at Grand Forks AFB. A little while ago, Chris posted a picture of HIS cable chunk on Missileers of America Facebook page. There seems to be a lot of interest in my hubby's new toy. Let me know if you had to go dig up more cable to keep these missile boys happy. Thanks for putting this neat item on EBAY. S.B.Hi Tom I'm in London, UK. Grew up in the 80s so lived with the cold war and I am interested in space and other rocketry history, and coincidentally in cables as well (especially the very earliest transatlantic telegraph cables of which I have various samples, and have visited both ends). Also my father was in our early space rocketry research way back in the 1950s and 60s. Very nice to find this great item and thanks for selling. Best wishes Vicky Tom, I received a great piece of the communications cable today and have left positive feedback. I have a large, framed map of the missile field hanging in my room, with patches and launch capsule photos added to it. What is the chance of me purchasing another one of the photo that accompanied the cable, so I can add it to the map? Thanks again. James C. Murphy / Capt / USAF (Ret) Missile Field SP Flight Commander / Whiteman AFB (1982 - 1985) Great item. I was a missile officer with the 351st SMW, assigned to the 509th when I first arrived at Whiteman and eventually pulled alerts at all the LCF's when I made instructor, 508, 509 and 510th-those were the days. I've been looking at your post for awhile and finally decided to buy one. Thank you, Carlos Olivo 351st SMW 509th SMS, DOTI, DO22 1980-1986HI there! I worked at Malmstrom AFB in the 341st FMMS back when we had to go around and "safe" the missiles due to the START treaty with Russia ('89 - '91). Personally I worked on the Preventative Maintenance Teams both in Minuteman II silos and in their LCFs. What a cool job it was, and what an even cooler piece of history you have for sale! Thank you very, very much for offering them!!! -Paul Hi TomJust to let you know the cable arrived safely today, I had to collect the package from the post office as the nice customs people charged me some import tax on it!I'm really thrilled with the quality of the cable and all the interesting historical documentation that came with it. I'm going to dipslay the cable and certificate along with some photos from when i visited the minuteman silo and visitor centre in South Dakota last year and it will be a great talking piece to show friends and family.Many thanks again for all your effort in getting the cable to me it is much appreciated and please let me know if i owe you any extra for the postage costs?Great items. Thank you for sending the extra pieces, I wasn't expecting that! As a kid growing up in South Dakota, I saw plenty of the missile convoys. My friend had a silo on their property. We were afraid to go near as we thought machine gun turrets would pop up and start shooting! Once again, thank you and have a great new year!Buyer's note: Hi I visited the Minuteman Missile Nat Historic Site in 2017 and wished I’d bought one of these sections of cable ever since! Have kept looking. If you have any other ‘scraps’ left they would be very gratefully received this side of the pond! I served with 3rd Cav at Ft Bliss on exchange from British Army for 2yrs in the 90s. This’ll make a nice memento. Thank you for putting it up for sale. Best wishes Rupert Brown
Price: 39.95 USD
Location: Leeton, Missouri
End Time: 2024-08-07T13:47:22.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States