[CPEO-MEF] MUNITIONS: "EOD Defends Guam's Andersen AFB from Lingering WWII Threats"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

EOD Defends Guam's Andersen AFB from Lingering WWII Threats

by Melissa White
Guam News
August 6, 2013

ANDERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - When an explosive ordnance disposal  
technician is asked when the last time he responded to an unexploded  
ordnance and says, "Oh, around 9:45 this morning," it brings to  
reality the dangers of the island as a result of its history.

Guam was a strategic stronghold during World War II. It was captured  
by the Japanese in 1941 shortly after their attack on Pearl Harbor,  
Hawaii, triggered American involvement in the war. In order to regain  
it as a U.S. possession, the island sustained heavy bombardment for  
days from American aircraft and Navy vessels in July 1944 before  
ground forces moved in with more artillery.

"

At one point, there was a Marine unit that fired more than 1,000  
rounds within two-and-a-half hours and then sent 2,280 75 mm and 105  
mm shells later the same day," said Jeff Meyer, 36th Wing historian.  
"With all these construction projects that are ongoing, we're going  
to be constantly unearthing UXOs for a while - anything from rounds  
and shells to grenades that may have fallen off uniforms during the  
war."

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php? 
option=com_content&view=article&id=36629:eod-defends-guams-andersen- 
afb-from-lingering-wwii-threats&catid=45:guam-news&Itemid=156

You may need to copy and paste the link

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

_______________________________________________
Military mailing list
Military@lists.cpeo.org
http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/military-cpeo.org