1945 - Bomb Disposal Technical Bulletin No. 52

An excerpt from the 1945 Bomb Disposal Technical Information Bulletin No 53 issued by the Ordnance Bomb Disposal Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD published on 1 June 1945. The excerpt below is from the section of the bulletin titled "New Grenades Found On Luzon."

"The majority of the new type grenades found on Luzon were improvised grenades that could readily have been made up in the field. New types recovered are:"

  • 25mm shell case hand grenades
  • 30mm hollow-charge rifle grenades
  • Incendiary rifle grenades
  • Gas pipe hand grenades

The bulletin described each as follows:

"25mm Shell Case Grenade: This improvised grenade is simply a 25-mm shell case filled with chipped cast type 98 explosive in the base and an unidentified explosive in the upper portion of the shell case. The safety fuse leading to the detonator is set in wax and cotton thread plug in the nose of the shell case. Apparently the safety fuse is meant to be ignited by hand. There is a 4-5 second delay. Explosive charge weighs 806 grams."

"30mm Hollow Charge Rifle Grenade: This grenade is an exact reproduction of a smaller scale of the 40mm hollow charge rifle grenade. It is 6.5 inches long. it has a 30 degree cone in the nose with a 1 inch stand off. The tail section of the two grenades are interchangeable."

"Incendiary Rifle Grenades: Three types of gas rifle grenades are filled with what appears to be entoyaku (potassium chlorate 80%, DNT 16%, castor bean oil 4%; light brown in color, very hygroscopic and sensitive. The fourth type is believed to be filled with ennayaku (potassium chlorate 80%, MNT 15%, castor bean oil 5%; characteristics same as entoyokul. These are substitute Army explosives."

"Gas Pipe Grenades: The gas rifle grenades have been found in four sites, all basically the same in design. A short section of iron pipe, closed at one end is filled with explosives. An iron disc fits in the other end of the pipe. In three types, the disc is held in by friction fit, in the fourth type it screws into the end of the pipe. A short iron tube with an internal diameter of a .22 caliber bullet is fitted into the center of this disc. Safety fuse and detonator ignited by a .22 caliber blank cartridge detonate the grenade. The cartridge fits up into the blank cartridge. Apparently the cartridge is meant to be set off by striking it with the some hard object. One design uses the fuse for type 91 grenades."

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