06/20/22013
WWII 40mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Round Discovered
A reminder of WWII Santa Catalina Island history.
The City of Avalon's Fire Department conducting a routine fire inspection of a local business discovered a
World War II 40mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun round in a storage unit. The Fire Department immediately
contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in Avalon. Deputy personnel at the Station contacted
the Department's Bomb Disposal Team and the round was ultimately disposed of properly.
During the initial interview with one of the business owners, she mentioned that she believed it to be inert due
to the fact that the primer had been safely removed from the shell of the round. After speaking with Arson
explosives, they confirmed that the tip of the round was active and carried 1/3 ounce of TNT.
Recently the veil of secrecy was lifted with the declassification of documents pertaining to the role that Santa
Catalina Island played during WWII. During WWII the United States Army Signal Corps established Camp
Cactus, a top secret radar facility which served as our early detection and the Bofor's, 40mm L/60 Anti-Aircraft
Machine Guns were placed on the island to be the United States first line of defense.
If you discover any kind of ordnance, please do not disturb the ordnance, contact the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department immediately. Public safety should be the primary consideration and responsibility of every
citizen.
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WWII 40mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Round
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