Press release, James Singleton, Hempstead County Sheriff

On June 27, 2021 at approximately 2150 hours, HCSO Deputies were dispatched to Highway 29 North regarding an un-exploded ordinance. Dispatch advised that a female subject called stating that her brother brought home and un-exploded ordinance and it was in his vehicle.

Upon arrival Deputies made contact with a male subject, who stated that he was down on a logging track that his company has been working on near Washington on Hempstead 16. Subject stated that he located that ordinance on the logging track, picked it up and brought it home believing that it was a dud.

Deputies observed that the ordinance was in the trunk of the subject’s vehicle laying on top of a towel. Deputies made contact with a representative of the U.S. Army EOD team who asked for pictures of the ordinance. Deputies sent pictures to the EOD team, who advised by the photo of the ordinance it looked to be a live round. Deputies were advised to leave it inside the trunk of the vehicle and secure the vehicle. The Army EOD team arrived and disposed of the ordinance.

Please use caution when finding ordinance some of it is still live after over 70 years and could explode if moved. The Hempstead County Sheriff’s Regularly responds to discoveries of old ordinance in the area of the old Southwest Proving Grounds which covered over 50,078 acres during its use by the U.S. Army between 1942 and 1945 to test small arms ammunition, 20 to 155 mm projectiles, mortars, rockets, grenades, and up to 500-pound bombs. Other munitions tested at the site were 20-mm, 37-mm, 40-mm, 57-mm, 75-mm, 76-mm, 90-mm, 105-mm, 120-mm, and 155-mm projectiles, and 81-mm mortars.

If you come in contact with any of the old ordinance please do not touch or move it call 911 immediately.

Attached are some of the types of ordinance the HCSO has responded to. So please don’t touch and call 911 immediately.