Welcome to UXOInfo.com's free monthly E-Newsletter on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). UXOInfo.com is the largest site on the Internet for UXO related news and information. If you have not checked out the UXOInfo.com website, we encourage you to do so at www.uxoinfo.com. In addition to bringing you the latest UXO news and information, the UXOInfo.com website also provides the following:

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The UXO E-Newsletter is issued monthly to provide the industry with important news and information related to UXO. For information on how to advertise in future UXO E-Newsletters please email the UXOInfo.com Marketing Coordinator, Ms. Jenna Coven at jenna@uxoinfo.com.

If you do not wish to receive the UXO E-Newsletter in the future, simply use the un-subscribe link provided at the bottom of this newsletter. If you have any questions or comments on UXOInfo.com or the UXO E-Newsletter please email them to rhonda@uxoinfo.com.

The UXO E-Newsletter and UXOInfo.com are the copyright of Ordnance Holdings, Inc. (OHI)

Copyright 2016 UXOInfo.com
June 2020

Welcome Summer

Dear UXOInfo.com Readers,

Hello Summer! After such a long, difficult spring it is great to be welcoming longer days and warmer weather. Even though our "new normals" are all still centered on social distancing, many people are heading back to work including those in the UXO community as UXO projects tend to ramp up in the summer months. I know many companies are focused on added safety protocols related to the virus, however, please don't forget about the basic hazards like heat stress.

Many people are heading outdoors and away from the crowds including enjoying recreational activities like hiking and gardening. Perhaps that is why this month our UXO finds are primarily on beaches, in gardens and even in a river. Although these types of finds are more common in the warmer months, we also have a story with a bit of a different twist in which a WWI grenade was actually clogging a drain.

Please enjoy this month's UXO E-Newsletter and have a safe and healthy summer and remember to thank those that help protect this great country including active duty military (and veterans) as well as First Responders who are on the front lines dealing with the virus.

All My Best,

Jenna
Client Relations Manager
UXOInfo.com / Ordnance Holdings, Inc. (OHI)
Phone: (443) 522-2933 ext 1000
Cell: (443) 857-7474
Email:jenna@uxoinfo.com
UXOInfo.com is owned and operated by
Ordnance Holdings, Inc. (OHI),
a HUB Zone certified small business.

UXOInfo.com is brought to you by Ordnance Holdings, Inc. (OHI), a Hub Zone certified small business - please keep us in mind to support your next UXO project from consulting and UXO construction support to full-service UXO remediation and removals. For more information on OHI's capabilities and services, please visit our website at www.ordnanceholdings.com. Finally, when it comes to UXO, please remember the 3R's of Recognize, Retreat, Report.


24 June 2020

DDESB Releases Update to Technical Paper (TP) 18

The Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) released an updated to Technical Paper 18 (TP-18), Minimum Qualification for Personnel Conducting Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC)-Related Activities. TP-18 provides the minimum qualification standards for personnel conducting MEC/UXO operations in support of DoD.

The latest version of TP-18 does not appear to significantly alter the duties and/or qualifications of UXO Technicians I, II or III or that of UXO Qualified Personnel (UXOQP) including UXO Quality Control Specialist (UXOQCS), UXO Safety Officers (UXOSO), and Sr. UXO Supervisors.

The policy clarifies the requirements for "dive-qualified" personnel including the requirement for completing the underwater portion of Naval School EOD training. The policy also reiterates the need for UXO Technicians and UXOQPs to meet ATF requirements in order to have access to explosives. In addition, the policy encourages UXO Technicians and UXOQPs to maintain a logbook and offers a recommended format for documenting experience in the field.

Download the June 2020 version of DDESB Technical Paper 18 from UXOInfo.com


13 June 2020

WWI Munition Complicates Drain Clearing Operation

Evesham, United Kingdom When George Smith decided to clear out a clogged drain in his backyard, he was not expecting the source of the clog to be a WWI UXO.

His son suggested calling authorities after Smith had unknowingly dumped the hand grenade in a bucket and bashed it with a crowbar.

Residents were evacuated from their homes as bomb disposal teams examined the device. An Army EOD unit safely removed the grenade and took it away to be destroyed.

Smith, a retired environment officer said, "I knew it was a grenade but not a live one. It still had the pin in, so I knew it wasn't going to explode." He jokingly said, "It has certainly been the highlight of my time in lockdown, but it's rather slowed down working on cleaning the drains."

drain-grenade
20 June 2020

Maryland Couple Uncovers WWI Projectile in Garden

Bel Air, Maryland A couple uncovered a WWI-era UXO while gardening and notified the Harford County Sheriff's Office who then called in local bomb technicians and ATF agents. Bomb technicians conducted an emergency disposal on-site to safely dispose of the round.

According to officials from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, "the fusing mechanism was still intact." Discovering military ordnance is "not uncommon in Maryland," the fire marshal said. That is especially true in Harford County, where Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) was founded in 1917 to test weapons after WWI began. The Maryland State Fire Marshal reminded the public to practice the three R's (Recognize, Retreat, and Report) if suspect munitions are found.

bel-air-uxo bel-air-uxo-2
4 June 2020

UXO Found Two Days In A Row At Downtown Construction Site

Charleston, SC Construction crews working in the area of 1300 Meeting Street unearthed ordnance two days in a row. In both cases, Charleston police responded and evacuated people from nearby buildings as they contacted the military for support.

An Air Force EOD team from Joint Base Charleston responded in both cases to remove the respective items from the area for proper disposal.

charleston-ordnance charleston-ordnance
22 June 2020

Ordnance Washes Ashore

Suffolk Beach, United Kingdom Police officers were called to respond to a call from a civilian walking the beach concerning a potential UXO find. Police inspected the item and notified an EOD unit from Colchester for assistance.

EOD identified the item as munitions debris from a WWI era mortar round and determined that the items were inert. A social media post following the incident from the police read as follows: "Fortunately this example was inert, the beach was quiet and the mortar was removed without incident by the Army. It's not uncommon for old ordnance to be found washed up on Suffolk beaches. Should you find something similar on a beach or inland, don't move it - dial 999."

suffolk062020 suffolk0620202

Practical Military Ordnance Identification (2nd Edition)

Author Tom Gersbeck's book - 'Practical Military Ordnance Identification' (2nd edition) focuses on the application of a practical deductive process to identify unknown ordnance items commonly recovered outside military control. In the book, Tom describes a seven-step procedure to identify unknown munitions by their category, group, and type. Detailed logic trees help users narrow down the possibilities in order to accurately identify ordnance. The book also covers safety precautions, describes ordnance construction characteristics, and explains the fundamentals of military ordnance fuzing.

'Practical Military Ordnance Identification' is written for Public Safety Bomb Technicians, SWAT personnel, Explosives Detection Canine (EDC) handlers, emergency management personnel, beach and park patrol units, forensic laboratory staff, Evidence Response Teams (ERT), UXO technicians, Deminers, Coast Guard personnel, archaeologists, all military personnel and other first responders; as well as history enthusiasts, museum employees, and those studying these fields. The easy-to-follow, step-by-step means of applying a practical deductive process to identifying ordnance outlined in this book was written with these professionals in mind.

Order "Practical Military Ordnance Identification" (2nd edition) today from Amazon.com, BN.com, or other online book retailer.

For any queries please contact the author at Tom212021@outlook.com.


UXO-Related History Remembered

WWII Era Japanese 75mm Gun Model 41 HE Shell

This month we feature the WWII era Japanese 75mm HE shell for gun model 41 and a Type 88 instantaneous nose fuze. The images and description were extracted from a WWII era Austrailan Military Forces manual.

The round is described in the manual as "relatively short, rimmed, slightly bottle-necked brass case with screwed in primers. Projectile is usually black and will usually have a red tip and yellow or white bands."

75mm-Type88

The use of the 75mm (Regimental gun) Model 41 is listed as general bombardment and anti-tank.

If you have any UXO history you would like to share including documents, images, and/or articles for posting, please send them to Rhonda at rhonda@uxoinfo.com.


UXO Support Services by Ordnance Holdings, Inc.(OHI)

Ordnance Holdings, Inc. (OHI) - developer and operator of UXOInfo.com, is a small certified HUB Zone business, specializing in providing UXO, MMRP, and explosives safety related services.

Services provided by OHI include:

For more information on OHI, please visit our recently updated - website or contact OHI's Client Relations Manager, Jenna Perman: (O) 443.522.2933 x 1000 (C) 443.857.7474 (E) jenna@ordnanceholdings.com.


ON-CALL EXPLOSIVE DELIVERY SERVICES

Tripwire Operations Group, headquartered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is currently providing on-call explosive material deliveries to organizations conducting UXO remediation operations. Type of materials (1.4B, 1.4S, 1.1D, etc.) available for on-call service and delivery rates are dependent upon geographical location and notice lead-time.

Tripwire Operations Group, established in in 2005, is an internationally recognized leading provider of products, services and training for federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, military units and commercial enterprises.

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FLIR has delivered more than 7,000 UGVs to customers in over 55 countries. Ranging in size from five to 500 pounds, our trusted robots have been used countless times in the field to provide a greater stand-off distance from danger. Using an array of sensors, they gather valuable intelligence so decision-makers can better understand the situation and respond to possible threats. Our family of UGVs are modular, adaptable, easy-to-use, and meet or exceed the needs of operators in any uniform.

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MuniRem Environmental (MRE) is an industry leader in providing chemistry that near instantly neutralize and destroys explosives and other energetics to non-hazardous end products. MuniRem degrades energetics and chemical warfare materiel (CWM), while stabilizing heavy metals as the insoluble metal sulfides. MuniRem is recognized as a safer and faster solution for removing explosive risks from different materials.

MRE's award winning innovative green solutions are delivered to its private industry and government clients by highly qualified, dedicated and driven staff of engineers, scientists and UXO professionals. MuniRem has been applied at diverse Munitions and Explosives of concern (MEC) project sites in the United States and internationally.

MuniRem has been applied to:

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Tripwire Operations Group, LLC.- 1685 Baltimore Pike - Gettysburg, PA 17325
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For information on Corporate Sponsorships, please contact UXOInfo.com's Marketing Coordinator, Jenna Perman at jenna@uxoinfo.com or (443)857-7474.


20 June 2020

High Tide Hinders Removal of Ordnance Find

Lyme Regis, United Kingdom The Coast Guard responded to a call for suspicious object on the beach at Lyme Regis.

When officers realized that this was not the usual old car part or similar piece of trash often found on this part of the beach which sits below an old town dump, they requested assistance from EOD.

A 300-meter exclusion zone was put in place and EOD from Royal Logistic Corp in Tidworth were advised of the situation.

However, the rising tide soon submerged the item, and officers were forced to wait for the tide to recede.

The object was eventually exposed by low tide and EOD identified as the nose cone of a WWII practice bomb.

It was deemed safe by EOD and removed from the beach for proper off-site disposal.

Lyme-regis-ordnance
11 June 2020

Digging up the Past - American Mortar Round Found in UK Garden

Cotwolds, United Kingdom Gloucestershire police were called in by homeowners who found a mortar round in their garden. Police closed the road around the house as they called in EOD for technical support.

EOD responded and identified the item as a WWII era U.S. training mortar that was hollow / inert.

EOD transported the item from the house for proper disposal.

According to Authorities, WWII ordnance finds are common in the area which saw a lot military activity, including a number of American military camps, during the war.

cotswold-mortar
20 June 2020

Boy Discovers Ordnance In River and Carries His Find Home

Willoughby Hills, Ohio A 12-year-old boy playing and wading in the Chagrin River near the Eagle Road Bridge when he noticed an odd-shaped object among the rocks in the water. Curious, the boy picked up the 20-pound item and carried it through the river and back to his home.

When his mother noticed what her son brought home, she immediately contacted police who responded to their home, with the Lake County Bomb Disposal Unit. Bomb technicians set up a perimeter for them to safely remove the shell, which was placed in an explosive containment unit and taken to another location for safe disposal.

willoughby-hills
4 June 2020

UXO found On Gower Beach

Whiteford Sands, South Wales South Wales Police and Oxwich Coast Guard Rescue Team responded to Gower Beach after a member of the public came across ordnance. Coast Guard responders contacted the Royal Logistic Corps Bomb Disposal Team out of Hereford.

EOD responded to the beach where three ordnance items were recovered in all, two required open detonation and the third was safe to transport for off-site disposal.


01 June 2020

Civil War Artillery Shells Removed from Backyard

Sumter, South Carolina A civilian was building a planter in his garden when he came across two rusted iron objects. After putting them aside for a few weeks, he decided to do an internet search of the larger item.

His search led him to suspect the object was a Civil War era artillery shell.

Once he discovered this, the man notified a Sumter historian and archivist, who informed him that the item may still be live and urged him to call the police.

The man listened and notified Sumter Police who responded with the local bomb squad and the Shaw Air Force Base EOD Team to safely remove the shells for proper disposal.

sumter-uxo.jpg

MORTAR, 4.2-INCH, ILLUMINATION, M335A2
Filler Type and Weight
Filler: Illumination, 3.31 pounds
Propellent: M6
Body Type and Weight

The 4.2-Inch Mortar M335A2 has a steel body with an overall weight of 26 pounds. The body is designed to accomodate an expelling charge immediately below the fuze, and the base plug is attached with four equally spaced shear pins.


Source
TM 43-0001-28, Army Ammunition Data Sheets, April 1977
Description

The 4.2-Inch M335A2 Illumination mortar is used for target and battlefield illumination at night and during other periods of low visibility. The complete round consists of a projectile body with a detachable base plug, a time fuze, an illuminant assembly attached to a parachute assembly, and a tail assembly.

The illuminant assembly consists of a first-tire charge and an illurninant charge, contained in a canister fitted with anti-rotational brakes to reduce canister spin at the time of ejection and prevent twisting of the parachute suspension lines. The tail assembly includes a pressure plate and rotating disc, a propelling charge, a cartridge container and ignition cartridge, and a striker nut assembly.

Download the Ordnance Tech Data Sheet for the MORTAR, 4.2-Inch, ILLUM M335A2.

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