Unexploded mortars, possibly from World War I, found and detonated at airfield in Washington state
Multiple unexploded mortars were found and safely detonated at an airfield in Washington State, authorities said Thursday.
The Vancouver Police Department said that the ordnance was found by an archaeologist at Pearson Field Airport shortly before noon Wednesday.
Once police were made aware of the unexploded ordnance, the department's Mobile Explosive Device Unit responded to assess the situation. U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel were also called to assist, the department said.
A call our officers did NOT expect to be dispatched to yesterday! 😦 Just before noon, an archeologist located what...
Posted by Vancouver Police Department on Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The teams developed a plan to safely detonate the ordnance. A hole was dug in the ground and the device was placed there, then detonated "safely," the police department said.
On Thursday, two more pieces of unexploded ordnance were found. Again, the devices were safely detonated.
The ordnance appeared to be a World War I Stokes Mortar, the department said. Such bombs were made of a steel or iron cylinder, and were used by British and American troops during World War I, according the Imperial War Museums. The mortar would have been used as part of trench warfare. An example of the Stokes Mortar displayed at the museum measures about 15 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. Photos of the ordnance found at the airport appear to show similar measurements.
The department did not say how ordnance used in combat in Europe could have ended up on in Washington state. Pearson Airfield is one of the oldest continuously operating airports in the United States, and was home to the U.S. Army Air Service between 1923 and 1941, according to the city.
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