Marines burst onto scene, leave with bang

[thedrifter]

Marines burst onto scene, leave with bang
Submitted by: MCAS Iwakuni
Story Identification Number: 20031214233927
Story by Cpl. Anthony Pike



ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam(December 12, 2003) -- As Exercise Cope North drew to a close, one important task remained - disposing of explosive material left over from the exercise.

Two Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 burst onto the scene to defuse the dangerous task with an unnerving calm. Before leaving Guam, these Marines will work with their U.S. Air Force counterparts to detonate 40 pounds of C-4 explosives.

Getting to the explosive ordnance disposal range itself takes a four-wheel-drive vehicle, down a road in need of repair, past the small arms range, before coming to a dirt road blocked by a locked gate. Separated from the rest of the base by an ocean, a cliff and a small jungle, this range sits quiet, an almost inhabitable place.

"This is a live range, so be careful not to pick anything up," said Staff Sgt. Brian Eagmin, MWSS 171, EOD, to the Marines and airmen on the range.

"It's important to practice safety techniques," said Sgt. Mike Nutting, MWSS 171, explosive ordnance disposal. "As long as you keep those in mind everything is going to be OK."

Two explosions will take place, the first, a single stick of C-4, and the second, two satchel charges of 16 sticks of C-4 that will be used to destroy extra detonation cord not needed for the exercise.

Preparing the first charge, Nutting puts two holes in the single stick of C-4. "We always double up everything. This way if something should go wrong there is a back up charge that will detonate the C-4," he said.

After placing the C-4 in the sand, Nutting prepares the time fuses. First he determines how long he wants the fuses to burn before the blast. Cutting the time fuses to the appropriate length he keeps them away from each other for the rest of the time. After placing the blasting cap on one end and the safety pin on the other, he moves back to the C-4.

"Keep the wires separated so they don't touch," said Nutting. "If they cross after pulling the pin, it could cause the timing to be off."

After the blast is ready, everyone jumps in the trucks and begin moving down range. "Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole!" someone outside the bunker yells. The two fuses are set and a three-minute countdown begins.

The Marines watch from a safe distance away. A muffled boom is followed by quick flash as smoke bellows from the explosion.

The next set up is two satchel charges prepared in the same fashion by Eagmin. For this blast the Marines retreat to a bunker even further back. This set up uses blasting cord, said Nutting, unlike the first one using a time fuse.

In the bunker two exposed wires are connected to a hand-held detonation device.

"Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole!" In a fraction of a second the explosion is heard and felt by those inside the bunker. Outside, a dark cloud looms over where the explosion was.

With the explosions complete, the Marines return the empty ammunition boxes to the storage area to be used again in carrying materials needed in the future.

"Our job is one of the only ones where training like this is exactly how you would see us work in real-world operations," said Nutting. "We go into a place set up, detonate and then get out. Working with the Air Force is good to see how they do things. We all learn our job together so things run good."



A single stick of C-4 explosive is detonated on the Explosive Ordnance Disposal range of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Photo by: Cpl. Anthony Pike

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn20...8?opendocument


Sempers,

Roger