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- - 18C's and Wannabes, Name This Item (http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1447)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladan! (Post 189988)

Correct; American Naval round. It was orignally thought to be a WP round. EOD realized their mistake when frag splashed around our boat at the staging point. None hit the boat though.

kgoerz,

Here is some UXO found just yesterday. Have no idea what it is. EOD does not yet either. We have a little contest to see who can ID the things first. They are over 50 miles away from my location and have to respond via chopper ASAP for large UXO or any UXO that poses an immediate threat to civilians. EOD will be up tomorrow to detonate this thing.

Very hard to tell in that condition. Best to BIP to be safe.

If I had to guess, I would call it a stick grenade, small mortar round, or rifle grenade. Appears to be less than 50mm in diameter, and judging from the corrosion, at least partially copper. Could be a 37mm or 40mm projo.

FYI, WP rounds are normally base ejecting, if you can see the bottom and it is still closed, the round is likely not a WP.

TR

The Japanese also had some small "Knee Mortars" in the 52mm range that had lots of copper on the bottom of the Projo, of course in that condition, there is no way of knowing.

Cool Pics Gladan!, Keep em coming.

Good times,
Blake

I posted too soon it would seem

Link

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air.177 (Post 190023)

I posted too soon it would seem

Link

LOL! Yea, two minutes too soon! Funny....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air.177 (Post 190023)

I posted too soon it would seem

Link

Yeah, but his pic does not appear to have the safety pins in it any more.:D

TR

If your EOD folks haven't already warned you, the Japanese used a LOT of Picric as the explosive filler!! That stuff, when combined with the metal casings, turns into some un-Godly sensitive explosives!!!

Take care.
Martin

We were on a demo range in Okinawa, EOD runs those ranges so they have to be there when we used them.

We're setting up and EOD walks up with a few " WWII satchel cherges" they had "found" in a bunker.

On close inspection the bags were leaking clear liquid......:rolleyes:

EOD asked us to be "gentle" in handling them.......:rolleyes:

We tried to get the Jr. Weapons man to take one, run onto the demo range, pull a fuse igniter and throw it, fuze burning, while we took pictures, he wouldn't go for it.:D

TS

[QUOTEWe tried to get the Jr. Weapons man to take one, run onto the demo range, pull a fuse igniter and throw it, fuze burning, while we took pictures, he wouldn't go for it.:DTS[/QUOTE]

LOL - It was more than likely the fear of Ernie T finding out and kicking whats left of his ass........

I would not be moving that stuff around if it were not my job, but you are the one who has his ass on the line. What do you think usually causes the UXO to blow and injure civilians?

Grenades that have been activated and dudded are very bad, as are any munitions with a pizeo-electric type fuze (usually PIBD fuzed rounds).

The 5"/38 round in question does not look that much different from the previous one, other than placement, what made it so dangerous?

One M-112 Charge Block of C-4 should be sufficient, if properly placed, not sure why the first did not work, unless it were misplaced or not directly in contact with the UXO. I have seen several 155mm rounds blown with single blocks, and the 5"/38 is smaller.

What it above the smoke plume in the last photo? Looks like a tire carcass. Did they put something over it as a tamp or damper? Maybe a bomb blanket?

TR

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladan! (Post 190094)

SECOND ATTEMPT:
2 ea, M112 Demo Charge (2.5 lbs N.E.W.)
4 each CAP, BLASTING, M7, NON-ELECTRIC, (0.0249 lbs NEW)
24 feet Time, Fuse, Blasting M700 (0.0648 lbs NEW)
10 feet Cord, Detonating ( 0.07 lbs NEW)
4 each IGNITER, TIME, BLASTING, M60 (.0004 lbs N.E.W.)
Total counter charge NEW 2.6275 lbs
Total combined NEW Detonated was 6.2275 lbs"

That's why I didn't open my mouth about the C4! I didn't know what you just said. I just found it strange that four blocks would be used on one UXO while one block would be used for another - especially on one that was considered that much more dangerious. Again, especially since our boat and us were nearly fragged. After the fact we were laughing about it because we nearly stayed on the island (very small) for the detonation - the EOD boss changed his mind at the last minute.

You are correct about the tire. In the pictures you can see the "protective works" in place. Three feet of sand and dirt were piled around the UXO while it sat on the ground in the middle of two large tractor tires. They wanted to reduce the exlusion area to 500 feet because of that sail-boat you see in the lagoon. That and there were buildings near by.

I truly appreciate your advice and words on this subject! Thanks!

G:

Neither you, nor I, are competent to make a visual determination of what is inert, versus what is a very sensitive item. The problem here is that you can make 50 good decisions, or be lucky 50 times, and the next one kills you. Since handling ordnance is what kills civilians, it may be what kills you as well. I would take photos, give them my opinion, and keep the curious away, but I would not be moving items on my own that may have a 65 year old explosive filler and multiple triggers. Not your job, IMHO. That is why they get the extra money.

There is either a typo, or a miscount in your charge list above. There are FOUR, not TWO M-112 charge blocks in the photo, that is a NEW of 5.0 pounds of C-4, NOT 2.5.

It is also not configured as a counter-charge. Curious.

Thanks for sharing, very interesting.

TR