Whiteman EOD safely disposes UXOs in Kansas City

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Danielle Quilla
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Five Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians assigned to the 509th Civil Engineer Squadron recovered and safely disposed of 13 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in the Kansas City metropolitan area April 2-6, 2018.

The UXO recovery mission is part of the collective effort of the Kansas and Missouri Bomb Tech Working Group, which includes local, state and federal bomb disposal technicians. The group was on standby during the Explosive Ordnance Recovery Week and requested the public’s assistance in recovering the items.

Many of the UXOs may have been brought home as mementos of war by service members. Some of the devices, such as grenades and artillery shells, were possibly purchased at swap meets or similar venues. Ordnances like these can contain high explosives or dangerous chemicals that become less stable as time passes.

“Off-base UXO recovery accounts for almost 50 percent of our responses all year,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jason Kons, the EOD flight commander assigned to the 509th CES.

The Air Force Response Team from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, led by Tech. Sgt. Paul Hartzog and his EOD technicians Staff Sgt. Justin McCaleb, Staff Sgt. Brian Jones, Senior Airman Tyler McConnell and Senior Airman Conner Walsh, recovered several munitions that hailed from the World War I and World War II eras.

“The items are rarely found in their original condition, making the process of identification very challenging and a time consuming effort,” said Kons. “The process requires the team to find out where the item came from, who made it and how it works in order to verify its safe condition.”

Hartzog had the opportunity to see the entire recovery through to completion.

“Getting to work hand-in-hand with local bomb techs and the FBI was priceless,” said Hartzog. “True operational alignment throughout the local community was achieved during the recovery effort – and that’s something that just cannot be discussed in a meeting.”

The Whiteman EOD technicians will continue to work with the Kansas City Bomb Tech Working Group.

“Our participation in these types of operations is driven by safety,” said Kons. “When the next opportunity arises to remove multiple hazards from the local community and keep people safe, you can bet that Whiteman EOD is all in!”