UXO Site selected: Dover Survival Training Annex, DE
General Area: Dover, DE

Site Type/Program: FUDS

Location: The former Dover Survival Training Annex consisted of 1,862.3 acres in Kent County, Delaware. The site is located on Marshtown Road, off Delaware State Route 9, 1.5 miles north of Little Creek, 4 miles east of Dover and one mile west of Delaware Bay. The Department of the Interior owns 1379.6 acres which is now the southern portion of the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge which is approximately 85 percent tidal marsh. The State of Delaware Fish and Wildlife Service owns 326.5 acres which is used as the Little Creek Wildlife Area. Louis Demarie and Mary Cartanza own 136.9 acres and 19.3 acres respectively, which is used for agricultural purposes.

Brief History: Beginning in 1944, a total of 1,862.3 acres of land was acquired by the U.S. Government through purchase, lease and letter of permit for use as Dover Survival Training Annex by the Army Air Corps and the Air Force between 1944 and 1976. Other names for the site included: Dover Air Force Range, Dover Rifle Range Annex, Little Creek Ground Gunnery Range and the Little Creek Air-to-Ground Gunnery Range. On 2 February 1944, a total of 838.1 acres was granted to the Secretary of War by letter of permit form the Department of the Interior. An additional 541.5 acres fee were acquired by deed on 5 April 1944. The remaining 482.6 acres were leased to the Government from various parties. The site was used for small arms ammunition practice including submachine gun firing, air to ground gunnery, skip bombing and dive bombing. During World War II, an earthen bunker, approximately 25 feet high, was erected as a backstop for the small arms firing range. This bunker was also used for P-40 fighter strafing practice. Current site owners alleged that the Air Force used the marsh land for bombing practice utilizing practice bombs. The small arms range was used by the Air Force until the mid-1970’ s. Other structures constructed, none of which are now present, include a barracks building, an observation tower, an access road, and several disposal area berms. The Government disposed of all but 47.9 acres between 30 November 1953 and 8 January 1963. The final tracts (25 and 22.9 acres) which had been part of the 541.5- acre tract acquired in 1944, were disposed of in 1974 and 1976, respectively. The 25- acre tract was declared excess to the Department of Interior effective 3 December 1974, and the 22.9-acre parcel was transferred to the Department of the Army on 12 March 1976. The 22.9-acre property was then reported excess to GSA on 19 January 1982, who in turn transferred it to the Department of the Interior effective 16 November 1983.
Range / Site Description:

Associated Munitions:

Activities Completed: The Archives Search Report for Dover Survival Training Annex was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St Louis District, in April 1995.

Issues: The CEHNC Technical Advisory Group (TAG) recommended an EE/CA for the entire site. The area of OE presence in the southwest corner of the site consists of 50 acres. Recommend emphasis of the EE/CA be in this area. The TAG also recommends that the remaining 1,812.3 acres undergo sampling during the EE/CA process. The confirmed OE found by the site survey team consisted of the remains of two 10 lb incendiary bombs and a 100 lb practice bomb.

Other Information: EE/CA
UXO Site Maps no map available
Dover Survival Training Annex- Click Map for Larger View
If you have or know of any chanegs to the information posted about or want to donate additional images or reports on Dover Survival Training Annex, DE, please email UXOInfo.com at information@uxoinfo.com

Back To UXO Site Search Page
Back to UXO Site Inventory Search Page                        UXOInfo.com Home