Crazy News #1

Along and along I hear news stories that I think are wild and interesting and feel like I have to share my useless knowledge.
This news story is a good example. As I was waking up this morning from a very heavy sleep I rolled over to punch the snooze and then sat up and laughed because I thought my ears were deceiving me.... took me a while to find the obscure news on the internet this morning, but I did hear it correctly. (I'm hoping they didn't literally drop it on the beach though.)

OLD BOMB WASHES ASHORE IN FLORIDA

By LYNETTE WILSON
FLORIDA TODAY

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. - Residents clearing storm debris on the shores of Santa Rosa Sound found a 100-pound bomb partially submerged in shallow water on Tuesday. It is believed to be from the World War II or Korean War eras.

The Air Force's 16th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team retrieved the bomb, sealed it in a metal container and transported it in the back of a Chevy pickup to Hurlburt Field for detonation, said Escambia County Deputy Stan Reed.

Rick Sundstrom, 60, found the bomb, three-quarters of it exposed and covered with barnacles. He thought it was an old cannon.

He and Al Bartholomew, another beach resident, used a front-end loader to scoop the object from the sand. It then became clear that it was a bomb, and the two men dropped it on the beach, Sundstrom said.


Sundstrom reported the find to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, which responded within 10 minutes, he said.

At first, because the airmen believed it was too dangerous to drive more than 30 miles with the bomb to Hurlburt Field, they planned to detonate the bomb at Fort Pickens, pending permission from the National Park Service, Reed said.

Later, however, after environmental concerns for the park were raised, they determined it was safe to travel with the bomb.

The squadron detonated the bomb using 10 pounds of explosives on its training range.