F10AK029804_01.09_0500_a.pdf

24-29Jul02 COMBINED INCIDENT TO KODIAK AND FORT GLENN ALASKA SSG Tom Ferris

SGT John Bivens

CONTAINS

Incident log Transportation considerations Lessons learned Recommended actions Actions taken by EOD personnel Photo log Point of contact listing

INCIDENT 716-43-02 INCIDENT LOG

24Jul02 0530 Team arrives at Building 650 and loads equipment into vehicle. Team departs for Ammunition Supply Point to load explosives.

24Jul02 0630 Team arrives at security checkpoint between Fort Richardson (FRA) and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EAFB). Team Leader notifies SSgt Wellman of EAFB Base Operations and requests escort to Hazardous Cargo Loading Point.

24Jul02 0700 Team arrives HCLP and begins loading “Pat 488”, a military C-12 piloted by CW5 Showers/CW4Jim Hill. Explosives were kept in original shipping containers, and then packaged in a foam-filled lockable Pelican case. Initiators were loaded in DOT certified containers and then placed into a separate Pelican case. Team departed for Kodiak Airport, Kodiak, Alaska as soon as equipment was loaded.

24Jul02 0800 Pilots called Kodiak Airport Manager Mr. Bruce McNeil. Mr. McNeil in turn notified Mr. Curt Law of the Kodiak Military History Museum. Mr. Law will be waiting at gate of airport upon team’s arrival.

24Jul02 0845 Team arrives at Kodiak Airport and is met by Mr. McNeil. Mr. McNeil transports Team Leader to front gate were Mr.

Law was waiting. Team leader secures 40mm AA round. Item was unfired and in transportable condition. Team leader packaged round and returns to Pat 488 with Mr. McNeil.

24Jul02 0945 Pat 488 departs Kodiak Airport enroute to Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

24Jul02 1230 Pat 488 arrives in Dutch Harbor and is directed to park next to abandoned buildings for safety reasons. As cell phones don’t work in this area, and all buildings are vacant, team is forced to have pilots radio tower to have tower phone local charter boat company Shuregood adventures. Co-owner Mrs. Chris Graves will drive to airport and bring team to charter dock.

24Jul02 1245 Pat 488 departs Dutch Harbor airport, team waits for Mrs. Graves.

24Jul02 1310 Mrs. Graves arrives, team departs airport for charter boat dock.

24Jul02 1600 Team departs Dutch Harbor on FV Miss Peppers, captained by Mr. Don Graves.

24Jul02 1645 Team returns to Dutch Harbor to allow Mr. Graves to repair engine.

24Jul02 1730 Team again departs Dutch Harbor enroute to Bering Pacific Ranch, Fort Glenn.

24Jul02 2240 Team arrives Bering Pacific Ranch. Mr. Tim Webb, ranch employee, rents team two quad runners and a cabin away from the main ranch house. There are currently ten people on ranch property. Mr. Webb and his wife, and eight volcanologists from University of Alaska Fairbanks. Team has a helicopter and a medic available in case of emergency.

25Jul02 0930-1730 Team accompanies Mr.Webb around ranch grounds. Mr. Webb located all ordnance reported by Jacobs Engineering and Eco-Munitions Site Surveys. Mr.Webb also produced numerous pieces of ordnance that had been carried to the ranch house over the last eleven months. Team took GPS locations of all ordnance items and coordinated with Mr. Webb for a disposal shot. All moveable ordnance was stacked into what appeared to be a crater from a prior explosion. After conducting a thorough reconnaissance, the armor-piercing bomb that was reported by JEG was determined to be a fragment from an earlier detonation. At evening meal team briefs volcanologists on demo procedures. Volcanologists will avoid OB/OD area and pilot will avoid flying over disposal area. Since communication with volcanologist team is difficult at best, EOD team will detonate a signal shot 1 minute prior to disposal shot. The volcanologist’s pilot is former military and has a healthy respect for explosives.

26Jul02 0930 Team builds shots, while prepping shot area team unearths numerous boxes of practice AN-M40 cluster munitions, along with the parachute stabilization canisters. While evidence of additional boxes is visible, team stops digging when water table is reached.

26Jul02 1145 First detonation, small surface shot next to large crater. The purpose of this shot was mostly for signaling purposes.

Helicopter pilot was instructed to avoid area and given times and quantities of detonations. The signal shot also served the purpose of scaring away any livestock missed by ranch employees. Second detonation occurs one minute after first.

26Jul02 1200-1745 Team return to shot area to find all ordnance destroyed and scattered about shot hole. All casings were cracked open to avoid another false identification. Area around new shot hole had been disturbed allowing team to see numerous boxes buried in side of crater. Team believes that boxes of ordnance were either dropped over side of crater or were left on lip of crater and eventually fell into the crater, subsequent run-off buried the boxes. Team excavated new boxes, locating more AN-M40 practice bomblets, cases of 50 caliber ammunition, and electric blasting caps. All ordnance was stacked away from shot hole and inventoried.

27Jul02 0930-1830 Team traveled by quad runner to sites listed in the ACOE site visit report searching for ordnance. Numerous small arms were discovered as well as large fragments and craters. The most obvious craters were located at the southern end of the northern airstrip and were consistent with cluster bomb tactics of the WWII era. Team also visited the reported chemical weapons storage area. No evidence of weapons was found. The long dead carcass of one cow lay in area of the dirt-covered bunkers. All three bunkers had open fronts and were empty except for cattle droppings. According to Mr. Webb, cattle huddle there in inclement weather.

28Jul02 900 Team contacts Don Graves from Shuregood Charters. Mr. Graves agrees to pick up team on evening of 28Jul02, and makes reservations at Grand Aleutian, the only hotel in Dutch Harbor.

28Jul02 0930-1600 Team again briefs volcanologists, and prep OB/OD area for disposal operations. Signal shot fires at 1130 and disposal shot fires one minute later. Team inspected shot area and wasn’t surprised to find that the shot had unearthed additional ordnance. Team dug until water table was reached and stacked/inventoried all ordnance. All Class V consumed at this time. Team returns to ranch house, recovers equipment and departs Umnak Island via Miss Peppers captained by Don Graves.

28Jul02 2300Team arrives Dutch Harbor and checks into Grand Aleutian hotel. At this time team arranges for earlier flight with Alaska Airlines for transportation back to Anchorage area.

29Jul02 1200 team departs Dutch Harbor via Alaska Airlines and is met at Anchorage International Airport by duty team for transportation back to Fort Richardson.

Mission Complete.

REASONS FOR TRANSPORTATION CHOICE.

SFC Losey Rotary wing operations NCO Ft Richardson 907-428-6353 stated that Army helicopters would not be used for this operation. Among the reasons he stated was the regulation stating they were not authorized to fly that far over open water.

AK State Troopers Fixed wing craft was unavailable, as were their boats in that area. Doug Norris, AK State Troopers Central Dispatch (907) 428-7200

USCG vessels were committed to another operation and unable to meet mission requirements.

LESSONS LEARNED

Prior coordination made the operation run smoother. Numerous phone calls familiarized all concerned with their portion of operation.

As a result, there were few questions and no surprises for the duration of the incident.

Civilians work on their own time lines, flexibility is important. Team had to wait for charter boat Captain to get off from his 9-5 job before he could run boat to island.

While the plane appeared to be the most efficient transportation on paper, the weather did not cooperate. As a result of weather not a single flight landed at Ft Glenn for the duration of the operation. In comparison, the charter boat made four separate trips to and from the island

All agencies involved use different coordinate systems for map work. Recommend investing in a mapping program that has conversion capability. All locations are given in Deg/Min/Sec for the sake of this report using current map datum

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

-Immediately post signs in possible UXO contaminated areas to increase awareness. Ranch visitors are currently required to sign an acknowledgement of possible hazards located on island.

-Ranch employees have requested durable signs to mark OB/OD areas

-Full burn of vegetation in ordnance contaminated areas. Due to vegetation conditions, ranch employee Mr. Tim Webb recommends April time frame for most effective burn.

-After burn, conduct a full sweep of area, concentrating on known or documented OB/OD areas

-Collect ordnance residue, both on the surface and subsurface in shot holes, taking precautions for possible live ordnance

-Separate hazardous and non-hazardous items

-Dispose of hazardous residue by detonation / thermite burn

-Certify remaining items as scrap

ACTIONS TAKEN BY EOD IN OB/OD AREA

Reported ordnance located and collected at an existing detonation site (53 deg 22 min 56 sec North, 167 deg 56 min 51 sec West).

Items reported Items recovered and treated 2ea Hand Grenades 2ea MK2 Grenade, hand – Disposal by detonation 1ea AN-MK33 or 1 AP bomb Item located by grid coordinates, location confirmed by photo and marker tape. Item determined to be fragment from AP bomb, nomenclature unknown.

Various small arms ammunition 24ea small arms ranging from .30 - .50 caliber located and disposed of by detonation

(Approx) 15ea Electric blasting caps (Approx) 200ea Cap blasting electric, located in shot hole during course of clean-up operation. Disposed of by detonation

Bomb tail fuze residue Numerous pieces of residue locate, no explosive hazard discovered.

Residue from numerous 20 and 23 pound cluster bomb munitions Fragmentation coils from M Residue from M61 AP bomb As expected, residue was all metal and posed no immediate hazard Additional ordnance recovered in OB/OD area 3ea fuze, bomb M100 series

1ea Fuze projectile M51 series 10ea Bomb, Cluster AN-M40 20# Cluster munition 2ea AN-M1 Cluster munition rack 200ea Cap, blasting, electric – Copper 20ea misc small arms 50cal and smaller 8ea projectile, 40mm Anti-Aircraft 5ea Fuze, Base Detonating 6” APHE Projectile 2ea Grenade, hand MK2 68ea Bomb, cluster AN-M4 23# parachute retarded

Incident 716-43-02 Combined incident to Kodiak Island and Fort Glenn, Umnak Island, Alaska

Photo Log Fort Glenn Open Burn / Open Demo Site located at

53 deg 22 min 56 sec North / 167 deg 56 min 51 sec West

Item reported as AP bomb by Eco- Munitions, located at Open Burn / Open Demo Site - USCOE Photo

After recon, item was discovered to be just a portion of bomb casing

37mm projectile – USCOE Photo

20-mm projectile –

MK2 Fragmentation grenade 1 of 2 –

Mk2 Fragmentation Grenade 2 of 2 –

20-lb. Cluster bombs residue, frag coils with small amounts of HE. –

Residue from M61 armor piercing bomb, converted projectile. 1 of 2

Residue from M61 armor piercing bomb, converted projectile. 2 of 2

23-lb AN-M40 cluster bomblet, forward section separated from parachute canister

23-lb cluster munition tail section, parachute assembly found in ground in original packaging 1 of 2

23-lb cluster munition tail section, parachute assembly found in ground in original packaging 2 of 2

23-lb practice cluster munitions. Due to growth team was unable to determine condition. Team assumed ordnance was empty due to packaging.

Team trenched to drain area around ordnance, exposing more ordnance. As more ordnance was unearthed a dumping pattern was discovered.

Numerous pieces of ordnance were exposed by first detonation. Ordnance was collected and broken up as much as possible with the limited amount of HE on hand.

One of numerous electric blasting caps.

Caps were in original shipping container buried below water-table in shot hole

Approximately 200 electric blasting caps.

Caps were made of copper with corrosion forming over entire surface

2nd set of detonations. Cloud to left is from warning shot, right hand cloud is disposal shot.

Water filled shot hole after second shot was set off. More ordnance was exposed by detonation.

Chemical Weapons Storage Area magazine east of the runway and other populated areas -

USCOE Photo 1 of 7

All bunkers were empty except for cow manure. Bovine carcass was long dead, ranch employees said cattle uses buildings as shelter during inclement weather

155-mm gun emplacement located on the eastern side of the island. This is one of several - USCOE Photo

155-mm gun emplacement on the north side of the island (note ready service bunker for ammunition directly behind gun mount). - USCOE Photo

Unknown structure viewed from the southwest side (note lip is elevated). -

Unknown structure viewed from the east (beach) side. Area is steeper than pictured (note lip in center-top of structure). - USCOE Photo

Barrel dumps such as this are common over the entire island. This particular dump was located at the southeastern end of the airstrip.

Multiple bomb craters located on the eastern side of the northern runway.

Holes were is groups of three tightly packed. These craters are consistent with WWII era cluster bombing techniques.

Craters have grown over. No ordnance was found in area, although a full burn would be required to be positive.

One bunker in a string of bunkers overlooking airstrip. Containers were filled with soil and neatly stacked. A shallow hole next to this was of similar construction

Remains of a building on western side of northern airfield. Building is assumed to be a maintenance building from equipment found in area.

POINT OF CONTACT LISTING

Fort Richardson / Anchorage Area Rotary wing aircraft flight operations SFC Losey Hanger 6 FRA (C-12/23) Landline 907-428-6353 / 6309 Cell 907-223-2448

Fixed wing aircraft flight operations SSG Connolly Hanger 6 FRA (C-12/23) Landline 907-384-7869

C-12 Pilots for mission with “Pat 488” CW4Jim Hill / CW5 Showers 907-552-0495 CW4 Verlon Pearce 907-428-6323

EAFB Base operations SSgt Wellman 907-552-2107

EAFB Haz-Mat Loading 907-552-0495

Carey Cossaboom / SHAH ALAM FUDS Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(907) 753-2689 / (907) 753-5539 Carey.c.cossaboom@pos.usace.army.mil Shah.Alam@poa02.usace.army.mil

Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.

4300 B Street, Suite 600 Anchorage, AK 99503-5922 Mr. Grace 907-563-3322

EcoMunitions Jeffrey D. Anderson 907-688-3846

EPA

Matt Carr 907-271-3616

(206) 553-1263 24 hour EPA

Kodiak Portion of Incident Mr. Curt Law Kodiak Military History Museum Kodiak, AK Work – 907-486-4700 Home – 907-486-9781 Pager – 907-486-1336

Trooper Scott Laufenberg Alaska State Troopers – 907-486-4122 scott_laufenberg@dps.state.ak.us

Dutch Harbor Portion of Incident Peninsula Air Services – 907-581-1383 $1250 per trip Haz-Mat certification – Norm 907-581-2485/2779

Shuregood Adventures – $185 per hour (approx four hour trip one way) for the entire boat. Each leg ranges from 4-12hours in duration, worst case scenario is $4440/trip 907-581-2378 Landline 907-391-2378 Cell email shurgood@arctic.net don.graves@unisea.com

Dutch Harbor Police Department – 907-581-1233, explosive storage POC SGT Betzen AK State Troopers – Dutch Harbor (SGT Sharp) – 907-581-

Fort Glenn Portion of Incident Bering Pacific Cattle Ranch (Sat Phone) 011-872-76-126-9950 (Sat Fax) 011-872-76-126-9952 - when working POC Tim Webb, escorted surveyor to UXO site

Lodging will be provided by the BPCR for $120.00 a night.

Transportation will be provided by BPCR at a cost: quad runner $150 / Truck $200 a day

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