Combat Control Team Eliminates UXOs in High-Stakes Mission By Chief Master Sgt. William Smith, 123rd Combat Control Flight

Combat Control Team Eliminates UXOs in High-Stakes Mission By Chief Master Sgt. William Smith, 123rd Combat Control Flight

Sweat dripped from Tech. Sgt. Chris Emly's nose as he knelt over the 81-millimeter mortar round in front of him. The Kevlar helmet and flak vest he wore added to the searing heat from the August sun as he concentrated on the task before him. But the temperature was not the most pressing concern to the 123rd combat controller.

Vaporizing this old piece of unexploded ordnance (UXO) was.

Emly carefully placed five blocks of C-4 explosive over the rusted target and primed the charges by inserting a blasting cap into the putty-like demolition material. Snaking out the nine-foot section of time fuse that he had crimped onto the blasting cap, Emly signaled the demolition supervisor that he was ready.

Nearby, Maj. Larry Zummach, CCT commander, and Senior Master Sgt. Mike Moore, a Kentucky combat controller, waited for the command to activate the charges that they, too, had placed.

"Fire in the hole!" yelled the Army master sergeant as the plunger on the first fuse igniter was pulled.

At 30-second intervals, the remaining igniters were fired. Seeing smoke waft from each fuse, the men almost nonchalantly gathered up their tools and walked away from the pending explosion to watch their handiwork from a safe distance, more than 1,000 feet away.

Eight minutes later, a sharp report thundered across the abandoned airfield, sending dozens of startled killdeer birds flying from their grassy cover. On cue, each of the four remaining charges detonated with a large blast of black smoke and shattering noise.

Mission accomplished: UXOs eliminated.

Emly took off his hot protective equipment and grinned with satisfaction at his teammates.

The 123rd Combat Control Flight members are no strangers to handling live munitions. They routinely practice their demolition skills as well as train with grenades and other ordnance. During real-world missions, some operators have been shot at, while others have come under artillery fire.

But this "demo shot" at the old Jefferson Proving Grounds (JPG) in Indiana was the first time any of them had dealt with the dangers of actual UXOs.

"JPG was used for over 50 years as a testing site for all types of munitions," Zummach explained. "They even had their own airfield and military aircraft to drop test bombs onto their range. After the aircraft left, JPG continued to use a small part of the old airfield to test mortars. In 1989, our wing established a drop zone adjacent to the mortar impact area, and last year, the proving ground was closed and sold at a public auction."

The 123rd's interest in the property, however, didn't end with the sale of the land to a Madison, Ind., farmer.

Lt. Col. Tom Marks of the 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron is now involved in negotiating a lease with the new owner so that the wing can continue its air drop operations there.

"JPG is perfect for us," said Lt. Col. Paul Rhodes, the 165th Airlift Squadron's operations officer. "It's reasonably close, and we can drop everything there."

To make the area safe for training, the 123rd Combat Control Flight, along with 10 Army and Air Guardsmen from across the country, gathered at the proving grounds Aug. 12 to clear unexploded mortars.

"The explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team did the hard part," Zummach said. "They spent a week cutting the grass and walking the entire 400-acre area locating the duds with metal detectors."

Staff Sgt. Ed Seuter of the Virginia Army Guard explained the search process:

"Our metal detectors are tuned to filter out bits of junk and empty aluminum casings that litter the area. When you find a mortar, you know it. The detector really lets out a different tone."

After the rounds were located, EOD members carefully uncovered them, marking them for destruction later in the week.

To reduce transportation problems, the EOD specialists struck a deal with the combat control flight to use 40 pounds of high explosives the controllers store at Fort Knox.

"Since CCT is tasked with removing obstacles and ordnance from assault zones, this was a great opportunity for us to do what we train for," Zummach said. "It was also good for us to work with other units that have a similar demolition mission."

The collaboration and combined expertise demonstrated during this mission highlight the 123rd Combat Control Flight's unwavering commitment to operational excellence and readiness. Their ability to safely and effectively clear UXOs ensures the proving grounds remain a valuable training asset for future operations.