A team of Army bombers has successfully completed the defusing and blasting of an aircraft bomb dating back to the 2nd World War. The device weighing over 225 kg of American manufacture, type GP-M64 containing 124 kg of explosives, was found last October 16 by two mushroom hunters along a hiking trail on the Emilian Apennines, in the municipality of Montecreto (MO ).
The operations to secure the device were completed in full compliance with the program thanks to the perfect synergy of all the institutional subjects involved, coordinated by the prefecture of Modena. At 09.30 the evacuation of the approximately 500 inhabitants resident in the municipalities of Montecreto and in the hamlet of Roncoscaglia, in the municipality of Sestola, was completed within 1800 meters from the place where the device was found.
During the reclamation operations, the airspace, the road system of the 324 SP and all the road / pedestrian movements in the indicated area were banned. At 10.00 the Army specialists proceeded with the removal of the quills, using special equipment such as the "rocket key", which allows operating at a safe distance. Subsequently, the bombers transferred the bomb to the Roncobotto quarry in the municipality of Zocca (MO), where it was sparkled inside a deep hole 6 meters. The operations ended successfully at 17.30.
The 10th Guastatori Engineers Regiment of Cremona, together with the other Engineers Regiments located throughout Italy, is one of the 12 Army units responsible for the reclamation of war remnants throughout the national territory and each year there are about 2.500 reclamation interventions performed by them.
In particular, from the 2015 the genius regiment of Cremona carried out 180 interventions, reclaiming 3300 bombs, of which 10 air bombs. The Army, thanks to the dual capacity of its departments, in addition to its operational use in international missions, is able to intervene at all times, in cases of public calamity and utility to support the population, proving to be a ready and flexible resource for service of the country.
