WWII-era bomb unearthed, destroyed at Yokota

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  • By 347th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  A WWII-era bomb was unearthed at a construction site in front of the base fitness center here at approximately 1 p.m. Dec. 6, 2011.

Yokota officials responded to the discovery by immediately establishing an initial cordon of 500 feet around the construction site after the object was unearthed.

Once the nature of the object was determined by explosive ordnance disposal technicians from Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, as a World War II-era bomb, base leadership opted to take the most cautious course of action.

"The safety of our people and this installation is our first priority in responding to any situation," said Col. Bill Knight, 374th Airlift Wing vice commander. Service members throughout Yokota came together with the EOD team to resolve the situation.

Due to safety concerns regarding current inclement weather conditions, Airmen from the 374th Security Forces Squadron established and maintained a 500-foot cordon through the night, ensuring the security of the site and the safety of Yokota residents.

During this time, members from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron began preparing materials and manpower in preparation for the controlled detonation of the UXO, which was neutralized on Dec. 7 at approximately 3 p.m.

Throughout the two-day incident, Airmen from the 374th Operations and Maintenance Groups worked to maintain Yokota's mission capability with continuous airfield and airlift operations, all while working around the established safety cordon.

"As the sole airlift hub in the Pacific, it is critical for us to always be operational," said Maj. Michael Fugett, 36th Airlift Squadron director of operations. "Even during the incident, we ensured Yokota's mission was carried out."

The device had an estimated explosive weight of 110 pounds and was detonated one day after it was discovered at the construction site.

Prior to its detonation, the UXO was covered with wood, sand bags and sand to suppress the blast.

The bomb is believed to have been left behind back in 1945, according to the EOD team.

"At this point we have to speculate about why the UXO was buried and who buried it," said Dr. John Treiber, the historian for the 374th Airlift Wing. "The bomb could have been buried by the Japanese troops or the U.S. Army troops during the early years of the occupation. Often times burial was the preferred way of dealing with unwanted and potentially dangerous munitions, which basically meant leaving them for future generations to deal with."

After the bomb was neutralized by the EOD team on Dec. 7, base officials declared the 'All Clear' order and base operations resumed as normal.