Bombs all around me...

[Bavaria Mike]

Monday, I was walking along the fence outside our office on the Army post and saw what I thought was a piece of exhaust pipe in a mole hill. I gave it a kick and out popped this artillery round, my heart skipped a beat but, I have gotten a little desensitized as our building was built over a WWII German ammo supply point and they have found 60+ bombs and grenades in the past 2 years directly around the building. The bomb disposal team said it was a German 88 millimeter artillery round from WWII. Here’s a picture of it, 12” long and 3.25” thick, the tip is rusted off and I can’t believe a mole dug this up.

Coincidentally, the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Dept.) bomb squad showed up Tuesday to check our parking lot as they want to pave it this spring. Here they are digging up a 70mm grenade, they found two that I know of. The guy standing is holding a metal detector, the coil is a long tube seen against the yellow dumpster. I thought it was funny, the guy running the backhoe would dig ever so slowly then back up about 5 meters away when the guys started digging with the shovel, LOL.

I talked to the bomb squad guys briefly, the detector is a bomb specific detector, only detects iron and gets down to 5 meters deep on large objects. I got a few pictures of the detector, looks to be military issue. This is the coil, about 2’ long and about 3” in diameter.

Old style analog meter.

The control housing, simple and basic. I also got out detecting, found an 1848 small silver coin and a few nice square nails at a foundation near the castle, I’ll try to get the finds cleaned up. HH, Mike

 

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[baspinall]

Interesting story. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Brian

 

[augusthog]

Interesting place you work at

 

[Eric Willoughby]

Wow, very dicey. I am very glad that 88mm Howitzer round didnt decide to go off on you.

 

[aa battery]

dangerous stuff

 

[Coin Stalker]

Wow that is kinda scary..... Is there still a chance that thing can detonate??

 

[KOOTNEY KID]

Stay safe kids

 

[Eric Willoughby]

Wow that is kinda scary..... Is there still a chance that thing can detonate??

Absolutely..... there have been people killed by digging up civil-war era artillery shells (the very first designs of what we use now). Remember this one simple rule about military explosives and other weapons.......... once live, always live..... age just makes them more sensitive.

 

[stillgottawork]

Don't want to play in that yard.........

But cool find............... be careful.............

 

[spitfire55]

If it's been in the ground that long the condensation build up in any munitions casings over the years (from mother earth) has rendered any explosive materials within the munitions to be naturalized and or non explosive. That's why the facility was constructed at the location and that's why the EOD personnel went in and operated/cleaned up like they did.
I'm a retired U.S.A.F. Munitions Systems Specialist (AMMO Troop). I'm thinking your building is located on an old Munitions disposal site. You're alright and it's "SAFE".

 

[IAsoldier]

If it was me Ill think twice before I kick something around their. Dont feel bad had a ANA (Afghan Army) guy found a 105MM that was found in a LN house. Since Im a 11B/11C mortar guy he decided to throw it at me. Talk about a heart skipper when I saw it bounce a few time in front of me. Yes EOD took care of it...

 

[Eric Willoughby]

If it's been in the ground that long the condensation build up in any munitions casings over the years (from mother earth) has rendered any explosive materials within the munitions to be naturalized and or non explosive. That's why the facility was constructed at the location and that's why the EOD personnel went in and operated/cleaned up like they did.
I'm a retired U.S.A.F. Munitions Systems Specialist (AMMO Troop). I'm thinking your building is located on an old Munitions disposal site. You're alright and it's "SAFE".

If the military knew the munitions were there, why didn't they clear the site before setting up the base? If they were so safe, why bring in specialists to do such carefull digging, when a small crew of Mexicans hired from the local LaborReady would do the job alot quicker, easier and cheaper? I dont mean any disrespect to you Spitfire, but despite your experience as a Munitions Systems Specialist, time and ground conditions do not ALWAYS render explosives inactive. I am former Army myself.... at Fort Knox, Kentucky we were constantly warned before going out onto a firing range to never pick up any items found in the mud. One case happened back in the 1980's where one recruit had found a WW2 grenade and went over to show two other buddies, and proceeded to tap it on a steel post to knock the clay off of it...... it went off and killed all three of them.

I for one, believe there are way too many variables that we will not see or know about in the soil..... some ground conditions might render such explosives inactive, and in other cases, it will not affect the explosive material at all, or even may make the item more unstable (sort of like how aged dynamite sweats nitroglycerin).

Please do not tell people everything is okie-dokie and safe, when it's not your life that's at stake in that situation.

NEVER take any ordinance for granted, regaurdless of age!!

 

[liftloop]

nice job... very interesting ....

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Thanks all, I thought most would find this post interesting! I do agree with Spitfire55, it is relatively safe after all these years as these explosives are not so big and really have rusted out. It is the big 500lb bombs you have to worry about. They found a 500lber when building the health clinic on post several years ago, ironically, they made it a monument at the entrance of the clinic and put it on display, LOL, military mentality is exciting, LOL! Several 500lb bombs have exploded on impact with a backhoe since I have been in Germany. Also note, the bomb squad guys are not wearing protection gear other than work gloves. The first 70mm grenade they dug up, the guy tossed it around with no fear what so ever, did not handle it like it was delicate. By the looks of that 88 artillery round, it appears that it was still in the casing so I believe the casing is still in the ground. I got out detecting for 45 mins today, was only 30F/-1C but the wind was blowing the snow sideways so I gave up after digging a few pieces of trash. HH and spring is near, Mike

 

[rmptr]

Wow!

THAT is something << I >> really should stay away from !

Good luck !
rmptr

 

[traverdog]

I don't think I would be digging too strenuously in that area. Be careful.

 

[NHBandit]

Very cool. I wonder if that giant metal detector is US made since the labels on the controls are in English. Anyone ever heard of that company ?

 

[NHBandit]

Nope, German company. Is it normal for German equipment to have English writing on it ? Just curious. http://www.vallon.de/products.lasso?a=uxo-detection

 

[Westfront]

Most german companies for Detectors have international customers. Thats why there are websites in english. For the detector Mike posted look for that: Magnetometer MAGNEX® 120 LW http://www.ebingergmbh.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=4&Itemid=9
( i posted the International Version)
As Mike mentioned most Ammo is not that dangerous after all these years. BUT, You have to be careful because You cannot see it by eye.... You find unexploded shells just everywhere in continental europe....and for the 88mm shells...if this are AP they are extremely dangerous if shot! Unfired rounds are ok, but when the fuze is engaged it can explode only when moved a little or hit by a shovel.