COMPTON, MD – During a Sunday afternoon walk along the shoreline March 15, some unidentified visitors to Newtowne Neck State Park made quite a discovery. Unexploded ordnance, likely from the World War II era, was discovered on the beach. The park is surrounded by Breton Bay, St. Clements Bay and Potomac River.
“People have been discovering them and we’ve been disposing,” said Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Duane Svites, who explained federal money was allocated to clean up the area of lost ordnance. Svites said the sweep went well but obviously not all of the potentially explosive weapons were retrieved.
“I don’t think there’s an epidemic,” said Svites.
During World War II, the Piney Point area of St. Mary’s County was home to a torpedo testing range. While most of the ordnance that have been discovered are most definitely remnants of the World War II era, Svites said experts aren’t sure about the item discovered March 15.
“This one was in a different shape, possibly from a bazooka,” he said. “This one was in a different shape, not in its original form but unstable.” Svites said the ordnance still had its propellant and charge and could have posed a danger to any bomb neophyte attempting to pick it up.
Fortunately, the beach walkers did the right thing. The Maryland Natural Resources Police were contacted immediately. At around 4:25 p.m. the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and their Bomb Squad was dispatched. “They rendered it safe,” said Svites.
The park, which was closed while authorities conducted the procedure for rendering the ordnance safe, has since reopened.
Svites reminds anyone discovering anything resembling military ordnance that the adage “if you see something, say something” is the proper reaction. “Leave it alone,” he warned.
For more information on military ordnance, contact the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Southern Regional Office at 443-550-6820.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
Previous report
UPDATE – Police in St. Mary’s County have confirmed that an unexploded ordnance was found Sunday, March 15 at Newtown Neck State Park in Compton. The ordnance reportedly washed up on shore. Personnel from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office Bomb Squad and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources responded to the incident. No injuries were reported.
Further details will be released by the state agencies involved in the investigation.
ALERT – Authorities are currently at Newtown Neck State Park in Compton where an unexploded ordnance has been found. The park is currently closed. More details when they become available.