U.S. Sends Evaluation Team to WWII Battle Area

At the request of the request of the government of Papua New Guinea, the State Department's Weapons Removal and Abatement's Conventional Weapons Destruction Quick Reaction Force (QRF) deployed to Bougainville Island to assess the risk of UXO in the area. UXO in the area dates back to WWII when fierce fighting occurred between Allied and Japanese forces in 1944. The team is tasked with locating, assessing, and prioritizing areas containing UXO and coordinating with the local populace to better understand how the presence of UXO in the area has impacted the quality of life to include impacts to subsistence farming. The data gathered and assessments performed by the QRF will help guide potential future clearance options in cooperation with the government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Government of Bougainville.