FORT WAINWRIGHT – The 65th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company based at Fort Wainwright was called by the Alaska State Troopers late Sept. 19 to evaluate an unexploded ordnance item found by a North Pole homeowner.

Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Schneps and Spc. Preston Johnson responded to the call and discovered an AN-M41A2 bomblet, which is a component of a larger fragmentation bomb that is no longer in use by the Army.

According to Schneps, the device “did not have a fuze, so it was less dangerous” and safe enough to transport away from the site. Because it did contain explosive material, however, it was detonated by EOD personnel at a range in the Yukon Training Area.

The homeowner had been digging on his property with an excavator when he discovered the device. It is unclear how the object ended up in the location where it was found.

Should local residents ever find a suspicious object on their property or while outside in the greater Fairbanks area, they are advised to leave the object in place and call 911.

  65th, bomb, disposal, found, north pole, troopers