Task Force Baghdad destroys tons of weapons

Photo By Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley | Half-buried munitions found in the Taji Ammunition Dump known as Area Echo, 15 miles north of Baghdad. 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division was tasked with management of the Area Echo, and diligently worked with contractors and explosive ordnance disposal teams to clear the compound of all munitions. Nearly twenty-thousand tons of munitions were destroyed in Area Echo and the removal these munitions was a significant task that added to the safety of Coalition Forces and the Iraqi people. Explosive ordnance disposal technicians detonated the last seven, one thousand pound bombs in Taji, Dec. 16. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley, C Team, 100th MPAD, 3rd Bde., 1AD PAO)  

TAJI, IRAQ

12.16.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley
3/1 AD PAO

TAJI, Iraq - "Fire in the holeâ?¦.Fire in the Hole," shouted Sgt. 1st Class Neil Morrison right before he detonated seven one thousand pound bombs nearly simultaneously Dec. 16.

The resulting explosion and shockwave shattered the afternoon's post-rain silence and signaled the end of a year-long project to rid an old Saddam regime ammunition dump of its deadly stores.

The ammunition dump, known as Area Echo, located north of Baghdad housed tons of ordnance stockpiled by Saddam Hussein's military. The area contained everything from small caliber ammunition, mortars, and artillery shells to larger weapons such as one thousand pound bombs, and surface to air missiles.

Sgt. 1st Class Neil Morrison, and Spc. Joshua Peltz, of the 710th Ordnance Company busied themselves in the early morning preparing the last of the munitions for destruction.

"Each of the bombs contains almost 450 pounds of explosive material," said Morrison. "We don't usually get to detonate aircraft bombsâ?¦we don't get to blow up this much material very often."

Morrison and Peltz, prepared the bombs by placing plastic explosives and blasting caps in each one.

"We use three to four times the amount of explosives normally used in the fuses to detonate these bombs," said Morrison. "We want to make sure it functions."

3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division was tasked with management of Area Echo and diligently worked with contractors and explosive ordnance disposal teams to clear the compound of all munitions.

"Coalition Forces started clearing Taji around May 2003," said Capt. Eric Swenson, Assistant Brigade Engineer.

Once the munitions are deactivated, the empty casings are de-milled by a contracting company. The de-milling operation gives jobs to local workers and infuses much needed revenue back into the local economy.

"We have a contractor that cuts the empty casings up and sells the scrap metal," said Swenson. "The sale of scrap pays for the contractor's operation and the salaries of the local citizens they employ."

Swenson estimated that nearly twenty-thousand tons of munitions had been destroyed in Area Echo and the removal these munitions was a significant task that added to the safety of Coalition Forces and the Iraqi people.

"It means that insurgents can't use the materials for building bombs and the Iraqi government can re-use the land for other purposes."

• Date Taken: 12.16.2005
• Date Posted: 12.21.2005 08:42
• Story ID: 4149
• Location: TAJI, IQ