UXO Site selected: Avon Park Air Force Range, FL
General Area: Avon Park, FL

Site Type/Program: FUDS

Location: The site is located approximately 10.5 miles southeast of the city of Avon Park (Pop. 8,042) in Okeechobee, Highlands and Polk Counties, Florida. Prior to its use by the military, most of the land was unimproved pasture and swampland. This part of Florida is characterized by a water table at or near the surface for the majority of the year. The land is irregular due to the dissolution of its limestone bedrock by acidic ground water. This causes caverns, sinkholes, pinnacles, solution pipes and a honeycomb-structure of voids in the limestone. The Air Force still owns 106,112.27 acres of the original site. This still-active portion is not FUDS eligible and is not considered in this report. The FUDS is divided into five areas. Areas 1 & 2 are located adjacent to Lake Arbuckle in Polk County. Area 3 is located west of the Kissimmee River in Highlands County. The majority of Area 4 is situated on the east side of the Kissimmee River, with a portion extending slightly onto the west side. Area 4 is located partly in Okeechobee County and partly in Highlands County. Area 5 is located east of the Kissimmee River and covers a large portion of Okeechobee County. Presently, most of the FUDS is still undeveloped and used for grazing, although various attempts have been made to plant vegetables on scattered tracts. Other portions of the former bombing range are used for hunting, a state correctional facility and a cemetery. Area industry includes boat and marine equipment manufacturing, a hospital and citrus farming. The population of Avon Park increases significantly during the winter due to seasonal residents.

Brief History: Between 1942 and 1977, the United States acquired a total of 218,883.88 acres for Avon Park Range. During World War II, the site was known as Avon Park Army Air Field and was used as a training base for B-17 Aircraft Crews for air-to-ground bombing. According to a 10 April 1942 newspaper article, the Army Air Forces would begin bombing Avon Park General Bombing Range@ with bombs ranging in size from 15 lb practice bombs to 2000 lb. demolition bombs containing 2 ton of high explosives. Avon Park AAF had twenty-six thousand M1A1 practice bombs stored in an open area on 3 July 1945. In 1947, the base was deactivated and placed in caretaker status. In 1949, the site was transferred to the Air Force and became known as Avon Park Air Force Base. In 1956, the site was renamed Avon Park Air Force Range. Improvements included storm drainage, sanitary sewer, electrical and water systems, roads, bridges, runways, fencing and over 500 buildings. These structures included: chapels, administration, dormitories, barracks, recreation, fire stations, mess halls, residences, and other miscellaneous structures. Between 1946 and 1983, a total of 112,771.61 acres was disposed. In Area 5, the land excessed included a land skip bombing target, four practice bombing targets, two position firing courses, a formation bombing target and a practice and skip bombing target. On May 25, 1946, a three-year-old boy was killed by a fuze that a fisherman found in Arbuckle Creek (Area 1). Attached to the
Range / Site Description:

Associated Munitions:

Activities Completed: A draft Archive Search Report was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, in May 1996.

Issues: Area 1: While this area did receive a clearance in 1949, no further action (NOFA) is not recommended since clearance was limited to a visual inspection only and since the clearance document did not specifically address Arbuckle Creek. The creek is described as approximately 40 feet wide at the bridge with no obvious solid banks. The St. Louis District's site investigation team's Abest guess at the depth was approximately 4 feet. However, in 1946, this water was described as so discolored that seeing the fuzes was not possible until the drought. On the other hand, fifty years have passed without an OE incident and, therefore, it is not likely that any OE remains. The recommendation made for this area is called an EE/CA to allow for institutional controls. However, if it is feasible, an expanded site investigation should be performed to confirm that no OE remains. If not feasible, it is recommended that the appropriate district institute some sort of institutional control (like posting) for this popular fishing spot. Private residences are located across the Arbuckle Creek Bridge from the correctional facility.

Other Information: EE/CA
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