Caching in Oxford & Wellington, KS 6/2/2010

This morning we thought we would drive down to Oxford, KS about 13 miles from us seeing as we saw that there were some interesting and historical caches there. Our first cache wasn't anything spectacular as it was at the intersection of 2 roods behind a rock.

Next cache was a different story though. The cache was placed near one of Oxford's biggest "cold war" history sites, an ICBM launch site that was once a key piece to "nuclear deterrence". These missiles were manned by the 381st Missile Wing base at McConnell AFB.
The 381st Strategic Missile Wing was organized at McConnell AFB, Kansas on 1 March 1962. McConnell AFB spent a quarter century supporting 18 Titan II missile silos of the 381st Strategic Missile Wing that were planted in the surrounding region. The Air Force accepted the final silo on January 31, 1963. With the arrival of the Titan II missiles from the Martin plant near Denver, the 381st Strategic Missile Wing focused on bringing the weapons to alert status.
Operational readiness training for the missile crews took place mostly at Vandenberg AFB, California. The unit received its first Titan II ICBMs in January 1963. Its squadrons, the 532d Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Titan) and 533d SMS (ICBM-Titan), became operational in December of the same year.
The wing was composed of two Strategic Missile Squadrons (the 532nd and the 533rd). These squadrons were each composed of nine ballistic launch complexes, each housing a Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The Titan II being 105 feet long and 10 feet in diameter. The launch complex was about 150 feet deep and 50 feet in diameter including the twenty foot diameter launch tube which comprised its center.
The Titans were fully configured for immediate launch in a matter of two minutes. The launch sequence included a number of test and initiation functions as well as a 20 second door opening sequence. The Silo closure door weighed 780 tons and was locked down with hydraulicly operated locks, and raised on hydraulic jacks. The hydraulics also operated the radial motors that pulled the door open with 1.5 inch diameter steel cables (4 of them). Launch initiation was also accompanied with attenuation water which flowed 9000 gallons per minute for sound suppression and protection of the silo during the launch.
Launch crews were composed of four personnel. Two officers were responsible for launch initiation, while two enlisted crewmembers were responsible for equipment checkout, repair and readiness. All four crewmembers were together responsible for communications, and final responsibility for launch. With an average of eight alerts (duty shifts at the site) per month, a crewmember achieved 200 alerts in about two years.
On October 2, 1981, Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci ordered the inactivation of the Titan II weapon system. On August 8, 1986, the 381st Strategic Missile Wing became the second Titan II wing to be deactivated. The 381st was deactivated after providing twenty-plus years of strategic deterrence and winning numerous awards, including the SAC missile combat competition Blanchard Trophy in 1972, 1975, 1980, and 1983.
After we found the cache and talked to one of the local farmers who directed us to the actual site and told us where and where not to go we drove down to the site. There really wasn't anything there to see except a pile of dirt but we really didn't know what to expect.

Next we drove into the center of Oxford for a cache at the town gazebo. The town park had the original bell of the town of Oxford which was bought in 1871 and it was used for fire alerts and town meetings. There also was, of course, a gazebo and also a monument to veteran's.

Our next cache was at a small park that had a 1907 Avery Steam Tractor there. Avery Company was an American farm tractor builder, famed for its undermounted engine, in that the tractor more resembled a railroad engine in a farmer's field, than a conventional farm steam engine.
Robert Hanneman Avery went into the farm implement business after the Civil War. His company put out a large line of products, including steam engines beginning in 1891. The company started with a return flue style, and later went into the undermount style replete with pugnacious bulldog on the smokebox door. They experienced immediate success with farmers in central Illinois and their market grew nation-wide and overseas until their failure to innovate brought them down in the 1920s. They later manufactured trucks and then automobiles until succumbing to an agricultural crisis and later the Depression. Avery tractors are considered very rare and are highly prized among collectors today. A large model 40-80 built from 1913-1920 in premier condition can fetch over $100,000 at auction.

Next cache was in the Oxford Cemetery and it was placed in a stone garden near someone's husband's step-grandfather's marker. He was called "Shoe" because he was famous for his glowing white fancy dress shoes. We also saw several head stones dating back to the middle 1800's and also a head stone of the first white couple to homestead in Oxford and Sumner County and remained there till they died.

Next was a virtual cache near a "dancing cow" We had to go to the Dehy Alfalfa Co and find the dancing cow on top of a tank and then find the words "frisky cows eat" Dehy Alfalfa.

Next we were off to the Old Oxford Mill c1874 and completely restored flour and grist mill which has been restored and opened as a restaurant. The mill was put on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1982. I really couldn't find any kind of history on the mill so pictures will have to do.

Our last cache in Oxford was a multi-cache where we had to go to 2 sites and identify them and then go into the country to find the final cache container. Then we drove back to Wellington where we did 5 NRV caches and headed back to the coach for the afternoon after driving through the downtown area and taking a few pictures. Well that's about it from here in Wellington so until tomorrow we love and miss you all. Mom & Dad Dori & Dick