Historic Ordnance Publication Preface
Happy New Year -- please enjoy this historic cartoon which came from the preface page to TM 9-1980 "Bombs for Aircraft" War Department November 1944.
Below the image read.
High Clutter Environments Still A Challenge After 60 Years
The U.S. military has been concerned over the potential hazards caused by UXO dating back to when explosives and ordnance were first developed. The awareness of UXO issues greatly increased following the end of WWII as significant numbers of training ranges were closed and the properties were transferred outside of the War Department. Evidence of interest in technologies to detect and recover UXO during this time frame is highlighted in a letter found in the National Archives (thank you Rick Stauber for the donation) from the Ordnance Department to the Chief of Ordnance within the Army. The letter dated 17 January 1946, which can be viewed using the download link below, requests information on technologies that can be used to detect UXO at practice grenade ranges. The historic letter highlights a concern that "unexploded missiles [grenades] remain under a thin layer of loose earth as a result of nearby explosions".
Large Scale Range Clearance Not a Military EOD Responsibility
The responsibilities of range clearance have been argued for years within the military. Although EOD is certainly qualified to conduct range clearance operations and has at numerous ranges over the decades, EOD has generally maintained the stance that large scale range clearances are not one of their primary responsibilities. A series of memos from April and May 1943 found by a UXOInfo.com reader at the National Archives shows just exactly how far back this position has been voiced by EOD.
A Look at EOD At War During 1945
War puts extreme demands on soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Those demands are even greater for those serving in EOD. Throughout the years, many military units including EOD kept records of their actions, accomplishments, and challenges. A UXOInfo.com reader doing research at the National Archives came across a mini-series of EOD unit records from WWII. Reading these unit histories reminds one of the dangerous and at times unpleasant conditions that EOD units face during war. The unit history records also highlight the extraordinary level of commitment and bravery these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines showed.
Historic Headlines (1945) Debate Over Delivery Methods for Sea Dumping of Munitions
August 21, 1945. 30 U.S. Military personnel were killed when a load of unserviceable fragmentation bombs exploded after being loaded onto a barge for transporting to a designated sea disposal site. Reportedly, the corroded bombs loaded into crates were safely transported by truck to a jetty and exploded shortly after being loaded onto the barge.
The accident sparked a lively debate on which method or delivery vehicle (ship/barge or aircraft) should be used to transport military munitions to sea for disposal. The debate started by a letter written by the father of a Navy Lt that lost his life in the unfortunate incident. In his letter to the War Department Dated October 30, 1945, Mr. King protested the use of ships in the delivery of munitions to be dumped at sea due to the amount of handling necessary to load and transport the munitions out to their final disposal location. He questioned why aircraft bombers were not used as the delivery means to dispose of munitions at sea.
Historic Headlines (1945) U.S. Considers Using German Bombs
An interesting memo dated 19 June 1945 from the Office of the Chemical Warfare Service Liaison Officer (War Department Air Technical Service Command) to the Chief of the Chemical Warfare Service was found at the National Archives. The now de-classified memo outlines the modifications that would be necessary for U.S. planes to carry and drop 205 KG German Bombs. The modifications included changing the fuze adapter and nose fairing and installing a suspension plate so that the lugs on the German bomb could be matched to the aircraft suspension system. It's unknown if the German bombs were actually used by U.S. pilots but a plan was certainly in place to do so if needed. To view the 1945 memo (now de-classified) use the download link below.
Historic Headlines (1944) Bomb Disposal School Issues ID Guide For Japanese Bombs and Fuzes.
During WWII numerous technical publications and ID guides on foreign ordnance were produced. These publications were produced for the bomb disposal community as well as other soldiers, sailors, airman, and marines. In July 1944, the U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal School issued an id guide on Japanese Bombs and Fuzes. A copy of this manual (now de-classified) was found at the National Archives. Users interested in WWII era ordnance can view the ID guide using the download link below. The guide makes a great reference for sites where WWII UXO are suspected.
Historic Headlines (1944) Leaking Mustard Bombs Found in Magazine
During the WWII time frame, U.S. and Allied Forces stored thousands of tons of CWM filled military munitions in various strategic places around the world. Often times due to corrosion or failures of the munition bodies themselves, leaks would occur. "Leakers" as they were called posed a serious threat to workers and could lead to the cross contamination of other munitions and equipment. Care was taken to identify leakers and remove them from storage. The leakers were typically drained or buried as a method of disposal. Drained CWM fillers were burned, dumped in holes dug in the ground, or put into storage containers to be dumped at sea. 
Historic Headlines (August 1945) Bomb Disposal Captain Barley Escapes Death
The following story was extracted from a newspaper article posted in The Burlington NC Daily Times-News dated Monday 27 August 1945. It's just one example of why bomb disposal technicians are considered true heroes and sometimes extremely lucky.
"Dealing with unexploded bombs, the most hazardous job behind the front lines was handled jointly by British and American bomb disposal crews. Strictly speaking, the RAF [Royal Air Force] personnel removed duds and time bombs striking British fields and installations, and the AAF [American Air Forces] handles those landing on U.S. Army sites. But owing to the density of U.S. installations in the war-torn England, American and RAF bomb disposal crew usually worked together.
