Latest news with #WWII-era
The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
WWII bombs defused in Cologne after city's largest postwar evacuation
BERLIN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in the western German city of Cologne successfully defused three large unexploded World War II bombs on Wednesday, following the city's largest evacuation operation since 1945. According to a statement from the Cologne government, explosive ordnance disposal teams rendered all three bombs safe by 7:19 p.m. local time. Roads and bridges were gradually reopened, and evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes. However, officials cautioned that traffic disruptions could continue for some time. More than 20,000 residents were evacuated from a 1,000-meter radius around the bomb site in the city's Deutz district. The affected area included nine schools, 58 hotels, a hospital, several large companies, care homes, and museums. The discovery also forced the closure of the Hohenzollern Bridge - Germany's busiest railway bridge - causing a temporary suspension of train traffic across the Rhine River and into Cologne's main station. River traffic was also halted. The three bombs, two weighing 1,000 kilograms and one 500 kilograms, were equipped with impact fuses and are believed to be of American origin. They were discovered on the eastern bank of the Rhine River. Cologne was among the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. According to the German press agency DPA, between 1,500 and 2,000 unexploded WWII-era bombs are discovered annually in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia alone, including around 200 large bombs similar to those found in Cologne.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
AP top stories June 4
Here's the latest for Wednesday, June 4th: Israeli strike kills 7 at Gaza port; Muslims in Mecca for the Hajj; WWII-era bombs force evacuations in German city; California wine country town installing novel backup power source, spurred by wildfire-forced outages
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Winged Victory' honors vets at air museum
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — Under billowing skies and the occasional roar of a plane from Bradley International Airport, hundreds of visitors sat in World War II-era planes and honored local veterans as part of the New England Air Museum's 'Winged Victory' event on Saturday. The event, named for Connecticut's own 43rd Infantry Division 169th Regiment, was staffed with re-enactors of the 169th Regiment who wore military-green uniforms, brandished WWII-era weapons, and set up an outdoor field camp packed with period water tanks and food rations. Some members of the group are descended from soldiers who fought in the unit, including Doug Crawford, 58, whose father, Charles B. Crawford, was a technician in F Company. The 169th regiment fought in multiple campaigns during World War II, including Guadalcanal. Sisters Emma and Amanda Loefflad of Tolland, Connecticut, wore vintage clothing and custom dresses to portray citizens during the war. 'It's a very different world now and people dress so differently,' Emma said. 'You put a lot of effort into wearing this every day.' At noon, the museum held a short memorial to honor all fallen soldiers. 'We gather here not to glorify war but to honor the sacrifice of those who gave their last full measure of devotion in the cause of freedom,' Crawford said in his opening remarks. Crawford has been participating in military reenactments for over twenty years, he said, and his son, Mason, 23, of Tolland, Connecticut, has taken after him as a way to honor his grandfather, Charles, who passed away in 2014. 'It's kind of a way to connect with him now that he's not here and to show people what he went through,' Mason said. 'These were kids going into war.' Affixed to his uniform was a poppy pin, a symbol of remembrance taken from John McCrae's poem, 'In Flanders Fields,' which was recited during the museum's memorial ceremony. The museum also hosted Robert Garabedian, 100, of Tolland, Connecticut, who served in the Army Air Corps during WWII and flew P-40 and P-47 fighter jets. He sat at a table in front of a 1945 Republican P-47 D Thunderbolt and told visitors his story. Garabedian trained in New Mexico and overseas, and had been scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan as a fighter pilot. Those plans were scrapped after the United States dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and effectively ended the war. Garabedian called it 'an honor' to attend the ceremony and pay tribute to fellow soldiers and those who built the planes he flew. But he also considered the futility of war in general. 'War is a terrible way to settle disputes,' he said. Garabedian has 12 children and a total of 71 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and wants them to live in a 'peaceful world.' 'We have to share with others,' Garabedian said. 'We have to give them a chance. We have to listen with respect to what their problems are and, instead of adding to them, try to help solve them.' Lego fans have block party at MassMutual Center in Springfield Mass. man convicted in savage 1990 Springfield rape denied parole again Mass. casino winner: Big jackpot won playing card-based game Not rubbish! These UMass grads have recycling all sorted out with their trash robot Speed bumps petition gains support after child killed by car in Springfield Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WWII-era mural from Camp Crowder saved by Neosho Arts Council
NEOSHO, Mo. — A piece of American military history has been saved. The Neosho Arts Council says they have completed the first stage of what they call their mission to save a mural that is a piece of American history. WWII-era mural from Camp Crowder saved by Neosho Arts Council Service of Remembrance hosted in honor of fallen officers Former youth football league prez might have clean record after admitting to $55K theft Gov. Kehoe renames highway to honor missionary couple Neosho High seniors make memories with 'paint the hill' event The mural, created by an unknown soldier stationed at Camp Crowder during World War II, has been carefully removed from the structure where it had stood for over eight decades. 'When we learned about this piece of art, we knew it had to be protected and preserved. After consultation with art preservation experts, it was determined that the wall board the mural is on needed to be removed from the structure,' said Sarah Serio, President of the Neosho Arts Council. The first extra step of care the council says it took to ensure the safety of the mural was to choose a local contractor with prior experience in historic restoration. For the job, the council decided on John Clear, owner of Clear Construction. The council says Clear Construction completed on-site assessments of the structural integrity of each panel, also checking the building's structural integrity. Clear's team then carefully removed each panel of the mural's wall. 'I approached this project the same as I've approached other sheetrock or wall board removal, slow and steady,' said Clear. Clear says some elements of the project, like the removal of over 250 individual nails mounting the panels to the stud walls, proved difficult at times, but certainly not impossible. 'Getting the panels off of the wall without breaking proved to be more difficult than anticipated. There were several panels that were cracked, some from age and some from water damage,' Clear added. The Neosho Arts Council tells us another extra precaution team members took was to wear gloves to prevent their skin oils from tarnishing the arts surface while they worked to stabilize and lower each panel. The individual panels were walked to a staging area where a second team carefully wrapped each panel and prepared them for packing into a custom-built wood crate. The council says panels will now be stored until funds can be secured to begin the next phase of preservation. 'We will never find a piece of World War II mural art like this again,' said Serio. 'Before this work is lost, we want to save it, and we need support from the community to accomplish this goal.' Camp Crowder was a Signal Corps training facility during World War II. The Neosho Arts Council tell us at one time it covered over 42,000 acres and housed up to 47,000 soldiers, a number approaching the population of present-day Joplin, for perspective. 'The mural we are working to save is unique in the fact that the artist was unable to complete it,' added Serio. Portions of the mural remain only in their early stages of a detailed sketch, as duty called the artist was forced to answer before he was able to complete the painting. 'The carefully crafted grid is still visible which the artist used to transfer his design from paper to wall,' said Serio. 'Against all odds the detailed pencil sketches that show the artist's true vision for the work are still on the wall.' The artist had just started the process of painting, and the paint pigment he used still holds fast to this mural of American history. The council says it has set a goal of raising $25,000 to remove, restore, and preserve the mural. Donations can be made online at or by mailing a check to Neosho Arts Council, PO Box 605, Neosho, MO 64850. Additional information about the mural and Camp Crowder can be found on the group's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Wales Online
17-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Bomb squad called to primary school after boy brings grenade to assembly
Bomb squad called to primary school after boy brings grenade to assembly The incident took place in Derbyshire, when the youngster unexpectedly produced the WWII era explosive, prompting a full evacuation of the school Osmaston CofE Primary School in Ashbourne, Derbyshire was evacuated after the incident (Image: Facebook/Osmaston CE Primary School ) What began as an ordinary show-and-tell assembly at a Derbyshire primary school took a dramatic turn when a pupil brought in a World War Two grenade — prompting a full school evacuation and a visit from bomb disposal experts. The incident happened at Osmaston CofE Primary School in Ashbourne on Friday, May 16. During the assembly, a pupil presented a WWII-era grade 5 explosive device to the astonishment of those at the assembly, prompting Head teacher Jeanette Hart to take swift action. Unsure about the grenade's status, Mrs Hart confiscated the grenade from the boy and placed it behind a solid tree in the school's car park while emergency services were alerted. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Police commended the staff's rapid response as the children were escorted to safety and military bomb specialists were dispatched to the location. Upon examination, the army confirmed that the historic relic was non-active, having been inadvertently brought in by the child who had picked it up from home unknowingly. The head teacher recounted the turmoil: "It was quite an eventful assembly. It was going fine and there was a boy who brought an old bullet case in, which I knew about, but then his friend produced a hand grenade from his pocket. That, I was not expecting." Speaking to the BBC about the incident, Mrs Hart explained how she 'tried to avoid a panic' when she realised the pupil was holding the grenade. Article continues below She said: "It looked old and I thought it might be safe but I didn't want to take the risk. I ended the assembly, took it off him and slowly carried it outside and put it behind a far tree in the car park. I wasn't 100 percent happy carrying it to be honest.", reports the Mirror. "It was entirely innocent,' she added. 'I don't think he ever really knew what it was. We'd been talking about VE Day and he knew it was from the war and just thought it was an interesting thing. His family didn't know and they were a little taken aback." Derbyshire Police stated that army explosives experts determined the grenade was safe using X-ray equipment and urged parents to check what their children are taking to school after the shocking incident. Article continues below In a statement on the Matlock, Cromford, Wirksworth and Darley Dale Police Safer Neighbourhood Team Facebook page, the force said: "We even got to see those [X-ray] images and [were] told a detailed analysis of how there was nothing that would set the grenade off." The post concluded with some important advice for parents: "Just a word of guidance for parents and guardians - double check what your kids are taking to show-and-tell, especially when they are family heirlooms."
