Nuclear Transport Truck Seen in Iowa in 1980s

From: campbell@ufomind.com (Glenn Campbell, Las Vegas)
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 06:48:51 -0800
Subject: Nuclear Transport Truck Seen in Iowa in 1980s

Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 11:57:40 +0900
From: [Withheld by Request], Australia
Subject: Re: Warhead in Truck Accident in NE [news article, 12/16]

>Warhead in Truck Accident
>
<snip>
>
>Energy Department officials have said nuclear weapons are moved in unmarked
>tractor-trailer rigs that are heavily fortified with safety equipment. Every
>truck is accompanied by at least two vehicles carrying armed guards and the
>convoys' locations are tracked by satellite.

Years ago (the early 1980s, I believe) on a trip across Iowa on Interstate
80 (going west) I passed a _very_ clean white semi tractor-trailer with no
markings of any kind (not even the mud flaps had markings!).  About 50
yards in front (and back) of the semi was an unmarked sedan.  Neither worth
remembering.

What I remember (and quite clearly) was the lack of vibration of the semi.
Usually as you pass one doing 75 mph plus (at the time) one notices the
sheet metal of the trailer and cab vibrating from the wheel and road
noise/vibrations.  Empty trailers vibrate more than full ones.

As I caught up to the semi cab as I was completing the pass, I noticed that
the sheet metal wasn't sheet metal but battleship plate steel!  Rivets
around the door and window frames (a _flat_ glass windshield!) and port
holes in the doors similar to the ones on armored cars for poking guns out.
The wheels and rims looked ordinary enough for a semi, just thicker and
heavier (almost like solid red wagon wheels we had as kids - remember them?).

I've been all over America, before and since, and this was the only time I
ever saw a vehicle like this.  I can still remember the blank expression of
the cab passenger as I passed - stoic, square-jawed and government-issue
sunglasses!)  Since I'm living overseas I don't have access to my logbooks
or I could give you the exact date, time and location (I kept an extensive
diary when traveling, and no, I'm not a trucker - just someone who wanted
to remember my trips and vacations).