Training bomb snagged by fishermen near Ripsaw contained no explosives
By Wayne Specht, Misawa
bureau chief
MISAWA, Japan — Air Force officials haven’t yet determined
whether a training bomb found by fishermen in the Pacific Ocean near Ripsaw bombing range
was dropped by U.S. Forces.
Misawa Fishery Cooperative Japanese fishermen found the munition
around 10 a.m. Sunday, about a half of a mile east of the range.
A Japanese civilian diver discovered the munition snagged in a
fishing boat’s net.
U.S. and Japanese pilots use Ripsaw Range to hone their bombing
skills. They drop non-explosive practice bombs on the range, about 12 miles north of
Misawa Air Base.
The training bomb was hoisted aboard a co-op fishing vessel and
returned to the Misawa fishing port.
On Tuesday, U.S. and Japanese explosive ordnance specialists examined
the bomb at the port and determined it did not have a fuse or explosives. It was heavily
encased in rust and appeared to have been in the water for many years. It was taken to
Ripsaw Range for further disposition.
Japanese officials said the bomb resembles the 500-pound, late 1950s
to early 1960s types used before Japanese pilots began using Ripsaw range for training.
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