The Nebraska State Patrol Bomb Squad and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams from the Nebraska Air National Guard’s 155th Air Refueling Wing safely destroyed 3 pieces of old military ordnance found in the past week, including one in Rushville.
The Rushville incident was the most recent, occurring on Monday. The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office contacted the bomb squad after finding what was believed to be a round for a cannon.
When the bomb squad arrived, the troopers identified the device as the fuze for an artillery shell and that it was still live.
The troopers and Guard members eventually moved the fuze to a safe location where it was destroyed with an explosive charge.
That was 4 days after the two bomb units had gone through a similar process to dispose of a live hand grenade found by a Fremont resident in the belongings of a deceased relative and reported to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.
The other incident was Sunday in northeast Nebraska when the Antelope County Sheriff’s Office was told a piece of ordnance had been found at a residence in Oakdale.
The two bomb units again responded and determined the device was a practice bomb but since it might contain explosive material, it was taken to a safe location and destroyed.
NSP Bomb Squad Commander Trooper Gabe Skalka says explosive devices can be extremely dangerous, so if you ever find a similar device, contact authorities immediately and don’t try to move it.
Trooper Skalka says the State Patrol has Hazardous Device Technicians stationed throughout Nebraska to work with local authorities in such situations and frequently partners with the National Guard EOD unit, as it did with these 3 cases.