WW2 bombs found in Italy, thousands evacuated

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050529/wl_nm/italy_bomb_dc;_ylt=AtYIvdOs.VAECv4ALfoznVkUewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5dWwwN3QwBHNlYwNsbjcyMQ--

ROME (Reuters) - The discovery of two World War II bombs in southern Italy has forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate their homes, snarled train travel and shut down a vital highway leading to the port city of Naples.

The most dramatic of the two discoveries was in the Italian town of Formia last week, where explosives experts are preparing to detonate on Tuesday a 250-kg (500-pound), 2-meter long device dropped by the British air force more than 60 years ago.

Local authorities believe the device's malfunctioning time-release mechanism was accidentally triggered upon its discovery near the train station, Formia's spokeswoman said.

[Kellanved]

That is still a pretty frequent event all over Europe.

A good reminder, IMHO.

[smoogatz]

1. Hey, W--they found

Saddam's WMD! The Eye-talians been hidin' em since 1945!

[Spinzonner]

2. Munitions, the gift that keeps on giving

[barb162]

3. I am surprised no one was killed discovering the bombs

[paulk]

4. when my wife was a little girl

she and some friends found a live mortar shell from the first world war while playing in the Isonzo River in Gorizia, Italy. They played with it for a week before an adult figured out what they were doing and alerted the authorities, who detonated it.

Scary stuff.

[oneighty]

5. In 1958-59

U.S.Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Two.

In Charleston, South Carolina rendered safe numerous un-exploded cannon balls and projectiles uncovered during the renovation of Fort Sumter.

One never knows where old un-exploded explosive ordnance will turn up. Much of it very dangerous.

180

[pfitz59]

6. when i was a kid in the '60's......

floating mines from wwII would occasionally wash up on pacific beaches, or show up in fishing nets. this stuff will never disapppear...

[Turbineguy]

7. There was a terrific French film

in the late 50's or early 60's about a simple Shepperd who had an unexploded bomb in his pasture. One day he decided he was tired of worrying about it and tried to set it off by shooting it (from a safe distance). The casing slit open and the thing was filled with cash banknotes. The rest of the film deals with how the man's life was ruined by this sudden wealth. I cannot remember the main actor's name but is was a single name I think.

[Bigmack]

8. The next generations get ...

to deal with old nukes and nuke fuel, chem & bio weapons, Depleted Uranium, etc, etc, etc....

500 pounds of HE is going to seem like a walk in the park.