Bombs in the Woods

[slowp]

I knew about the Bly incident, but didn't know how common these were or that they'd still be out there.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/npr-history-dept/2015/01/20/375820191/beware-of-japanese-balloon-bombs

 

[2dogs]

Probably partly my fault this article has been written. I've been working on Cody's Toyota and cussing out the Japanese engineers so much I have awakened the evil spirits living in the balloon bombs. Sorry.

My dad was a career firefighter during WWII and I remember him talking about the threat of balloon bombs in later years.

 

[madhatte]

We do run into UXO occasionally on the base, as well. Of course, we can call the EOD's on the radio, as well, which the average person out in the woods can't. I remember one incident where we found a big shell in a permanent measure plot, and while I was trying to explain to the boss EOD why I didn't want him to detonate it in place, as was their procedure, the apprentice EOD's announced that it was an empty flare. Nice. They packed it out over a shoulder and that was that. I'm not paid to get close enough to them to make that determination. The structure guys won't even get off the roads during fires in the impact areas due to UXO hazard. They think us forestry guys are nuts even being out there.

 

[peakbagger]

We had some sort of special forces exercise in northern NH about 20 years ago. For a few months after, all sort of simulated bombs were found on places like bridges and firetowers. The military would send a crew up and remove them with a no comment.

 

[Spotted Owl]

Didn't some gal throw a bomb in her stove a few weeks back? I thought I remember reading about or hearing about something like that. Landed in a tree, no detonation, tree turned firewood, firewood into stove. BOOM. I thought it was in France or Germany or something. I think I would rather take my chances in the woods, rather than toss something in the stove. Anyone else hear anything about this?



Owl

 

[madhatte]

A forester I know once found a stove packed full of TNT in an abandoned cabin in the woods. The EOD's destroyed that one in place because it was far too unstable to move.

 

[slowp]

The State Patrol bomb squad visited this area one day to blow up an old case of dynamite. I was the traffic stopper. No traffic came along to stop and the shock wave was impressive.

 

[Spotted Owl]

Who says this job isn't exciting? I do say if I needed EOD on speed dial I may consider a different area, but at least you have them.



Owl

 

[northmanlogging]

Nate yer making me want to log for the gubamint...

 

[4x4American]

Interesting read...I can never help myself and end up reading the comments below it, and then next thing you know you're late!

 

[slowp]

The most interesting comment was from the geologist, who said our people figured out where the balloons were coming from and bombed the heck out of it. They figured it out by the type of sand used for ballast.

I wonder if that is fact or fiction?

 

[madhatte]

if I needed EOD on speed dial I may consider a different area, but at least you have them.

To clarify -- I have Dispatch on the radio, and Dispatch calls EOD. I don't have a direct line to them except during an incident, when we have made contact previously. BUT: I can call Dispatch any time.

 

[2dogs]

Didn't some gal throw a bomb in her stove a few weeks back? I thought I remember reading about or hearing about something like that. Landed in a tree, no detonation, tree turned firewood, firewood into stove. BOOM. I thought it was in France or Germany or something. I think I would rather take my chances in the woods, rather than toss something in the stove. Anyone else hear anything about this?



Owl

I think that was in Europe.

 

[hanniedog]

It was a hand grenade in the. firewood

 

[madhatte]

Which reminds me... one of our seasonals found a WWII-era gas grenade, in a cardboard shipping container from the proper era, near a road a few years ago. Theory is that somebody's grandfather had kept it and the family got rid of it when he passed. There's really no way that it could have sat out more than a few weeks, considering the condition of the container, which was a cardboard tube with two parts that fitted together concentrically.

 

[SliverPicker]

You had me right up until "concentrically". That's about 3 silly bells more than I can 'cipher at one time...

 

[Gologit]

We found a couple of drop tanks...external wing fuel tanks...from an Air Force jet. They were kinda sleek looking things and at first we thought we had bombs. They were pretty big. Once we figured out what they were I called Beale AFB, talked my way slowly...very slowly... up the chain of command through several different people who kept referring me to somebody else. Took most of the morning. They weren't particularly interested in getting them back. If we wanted to haul them clear down to Beale they would accept them but they weren't coming up to get them.
The loader operator made a barbecue out of one and I used the other one for a watering trough for my cows

 

[SliverPicker]

Go, that must be what they are talking about when they mention making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Good old Yankee ingenuity!

 

[madhatte]

Oh, I know where a drop tank is, forgot about that. This place is lousy with discarded military nonsense.

 

[M_S_S]

We found a couple of drop tanks...external wing fuel tanks...from an Air Force jet. They were kinda sleek looking things and at first we thought we had bombs. They were pretty big. Once we figured out what they were I called Beale AFB, talked my way slowly...very slowly... up the chain of command through several different people who kept referring me to somebody else. Took most of the morning. They weren't particularly interested in getting them back. If we wanted to haul them clear down to Beale they would accept them but they weren't coming up to get them.
The loader operator made a barbecue out of one and I used the other one for a watering trough for my cows

Gologit, I remember Beale, I day worked for a rancher that had pasture leased on Beale. It was after 9-11 so we had to get security clearance just to check the cows. It was funny when we shipped cows, the guards ar the gate inspected the trucks., They had a little mirror on a stick they would check the bottom of the cow trailer, lol it was funny when an old cow on the top deck **** or pissed thru the air holes in the trailer, seen more than one guard get his uniform messed up lol.By the time we shipped out they quit that practice lol. Ed