Solomons Islands The Australian Navy supporting "Operation Render Safe" utilized two of its mine hunting ships to scan and recover underwater UXO off the island of Malaita and in Shortland Harbour off Shortland Island. The source of the UXO was the fierce fighting that occurred between Japanese and Allied forces during WWII.

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Ogden, Utah An F-16 fighter pilot was forced to jettison his external fuel tanks and ordnance payload shortly after taking off from Hill AFB. The munitions payload dropped included at least one 500 bomb MK 82 series bomb (complete listing of payload dropped has not been released). The munitions were dropped onto an uninhabited area of the installation approximately a half-mile from Interstate 15.

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Anaheim, California Workers at the Anaheim Recycling Center discovered three munitions items mixed in with scrap metal piles awaiting processing. Recycling center management called the police to report the find. Local police and firefighters responded with technical support provided by the Orange County Bomb Squad. The recycling center was evacuated while the bomb squad technicians inspected the munitions. The technicians determined that two of the munitions were inert and did not pose any explosive safety hazards. However, the third munition appeared to be live.

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San Antonio, Texas A property owner cutting some trees down on his lot came across a military rocket launcher buried under some leaves and other surface debris. Instead of calling the police to report the find right of way, the man decided to put the item in his car and drive it home. Upon further inspection of the item, the home owner noticed the words "Guided Missile and Launcher, Surface Attack" stenciled on its side. Unsure what to do, the man called the FBI and Homeland Security to report his find who put him in touch with the military police at Fort Sam Houston.

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Article submitted by UXO Guest Author Rick Stauber. For more information on the UXO Guest Author program, click here.

While the identification features differ greatly between the individual items in the ordnance families, there are identification features that are common that are used in design and manufacturing of those same items.

An example can be found with ordnance that are designed to attack and defeat an armored target utilizing what is known as a "High Explosive Anti-Tank" or HEAT design.

The key technology used in the design of HEAT munitions is the use of a "Shape Charge". A Shape Charge is a cone constructed of soft metal, typically copper. High explosive are packed around the outside of the cone (opposite of how an ice cream cone works). When the explosives are initiated from the rear or base, it implodes or collapses and inverts the cone forming an extremely high velocity pressure wave along the axis of the shape charge. This pressure wave achieves a velocity in excess of 42,000ft/sec and upon impact with the target plasticizes the armor plate at the point of impact. Molten metal as the result of the extreme heat that formed along with the molten metal from the shape charge is projected into the interior of the target, igniting flammable material within the target. Additional damage is created by super-heated gases and high speed pressure wave that accompanies the penetration. Shape Charges are very effective at defeating armor targets including tanks.

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Helmand Province, Afghanistan Marine Staff Sergeant Aaron Taylor, 27, an EOD Technician assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 was killed by an IED. Taylor was reportedly responding to a call to search a bridge for explosives when he unknowingly stepped on the IED made from homemade explosives causing it to function. The 27-year old Marine from Bovey, Minnesota was part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marines in 2002 and served a previous tour in Iraq. He had been in Afghanistan for six weeks responding to IED calls and providing EOD support. He is survived by his father, stepmother, brother, and sister.

Port Seton, Scotland The captain of a fishing trawler brought up an old sea mine in his nets while fishing approximately three miles from Inchkeith island. The captain reportedly dragged the sea mine closer to shore before calling the Coastguard to report the find. The Coastguard responded with a Royal Navy EOD Dive team based out of Faslane Naval Base for technical support. EOD identified the sea mine as a live WWII era British Mark 9 bottom mine. EOD setup a counter charge to detonate the sea mine about a mile off shore from Port Seton. Following the safe detonation of the sea mine the Coastguard issued a reminder notice to mariners of potential for WWII era UXO in the area and instructed boaters to report any munitions finds to the Coastguard.

Dorset, England Commercial divers working in just over 60 feet of water in Swanage Bay found a munition item on the sea bed. The munition was located approximately 1-mile offshore from Ballard Point. The divers called the Coastguard who responded and set up an exclusion zone around the area before calling in a British Royal Navy EOD team for support. A Royal Navy EOD team from Devonport Naval Base responded to provide technical support to the munitions discovery.

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Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan The Marines announced the official formation of their first EOD Company (EOD Co.) - 8th Engineer Support Battalion. The Marine Corps' EOD mission has increased significantly over the years due in part to the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the mission requirements have increased, so has the size of Marine Corps EOD Platoons. Marine Corps EOD Leadership has been trying for several years to establish EOD Companies throughout the Marine Corps to reflect the true size and nature of the organization. The establishment of the first Marine Corps EOD Company marks a milestone for the Marine Corps EOD program. Capt. Timothy M. Callahan has been assigned as the Commanding Officer of the newly formed Marine Corps EOD Co., 8th Engineer Battalion.

Afghanistan Staff Sgt. Thomas Rabjohn, a 39 year old team leader for the National Guard 363rd Ordnance Company based out of Coolidge, Arizona died in the line of duty. The official DoD news release reported that Rabjohn died from injuries suffered when an IED detonated during an attempt to disarm it.

Rabjohn was a former Marine who served a tour of duty in Iraq before joining the Phoenix Police Department back in September 2002. He signed up for the National Guard where he served part-time before his unit was called up to Iraq. He is survived by his wife and three daughters ages 14, 13 and 12.