13th MEU destroys 19 tons of explosives
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 19:41:23 EDT

Marines uncovered almost 19 tons of explosives in five separate weapons depots and one bomb-making factory north of Karmah, Iraq, last week in an effort to halt the funneling of homemade explosives into civilian populations, the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit announced Saturday.

The bomb-making factory discovered July 6 by members of Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, contained almost seven tons of homemade explosives and nine tons of ammonium nitrate — a common explosive material — along with equipment to produce the bombs and vehicles to transport them, according to an official Marine Corps release.

Three more weapons caches were found by the battalion’s Weapons Company on Thursday north of Karmah, including more than 500 pounds of chlorine, almost four tons of bagged fertilizer, 200 jugs of nitric acid and 11 tons of ammonium nitrate. About 50 shaped charges — a conical bomb designed to be dug into roads — were also found on site.

The collection of bomb-making supplies was destroyed by an F/A-18 Hornet airstrike. The mushroom cloud caused by the destruction of the cache could be seen for more than 4 miles, according to Sgt. Andy Hurt, a 13th MEU spokesman.

Weapons Company also found a collection of artillery shells and rounds east of Lake Thar Thar on July 4, including a dozen 155mm projectiles and thousands of other weapons and mortar rounds, the release said.

Explosive ordnance disposal teams from Combat Logistics Battalion 13 destroyed all caches other than the one annihilated by the airstrike.

The MEU deployed from San Diego aboard the ships of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group on April 10. They entered Iraq in May.

Ellie