340 kg US bomb from Vietnam War days successfully neutralized in NE Thailand

[webfact]

Picture: Naew Na

 

A huge bomb that first came to prominence in the Korean War in 1950 and was later widely used in the Vietnam War was discovered on land in Kalasin, NE Thailand.

 

The 340 kilo (750 lb) M117 was found on private land by a hill in Ban Dong Suan Pattana in the Kham Muang police jurisdiction, reported Naew Na.

 

The owner of the land had employed some excavators to build a fire defence trench. It was found three meters below the surface.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Yesterday Kalasin governor Songphon Jaiklin coordinated with DOPA, local police, airmen from Udon Thani and EOD officials to collect and deal with the bomb. 

 

The M117 was an air-dropped demolition bomb used by the US military. 

 

According to Wikipedia its use was discontinued in 2015. 

 

Why it should have been in Kalasin was unclear. 

 

Long Stay Visa Health Insurance Plans

 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-03-05

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

[bunnydrops]

The same reason there was an airstrip in VangViang, Laos

[KhunBENQ]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Why it should have been in Kalasin was unclear.

Wrong button pressed during the bombing mission from Udon Thani to Laos or Vietnam?

Or a mechanical failure. Kind of loose screw.

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[jobsworth]

4 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

The same reason there was an airstrip in VangViang, Laos

There still is only nobody uses it anymore.

Air America, the CiA and drug smuggling.

Isn't there a book about the goings on there?

The bus drops you alongside the runway which you then have to cross to get to the facilities like guest houses and restaurants.

You can swim in the river. It is a great place or should I say was.

 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The owner of the land had employed some excavators to build a fire defence trench. It was found three meters below the surface.

If it went bang he could have had a free pond.

[IAMHERE]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

It was found three meters below the surface.

What is the scenario that it is now 10 foot below the surface ?  

 

My guess is it was stolen from the Americans by the local 'reds'  and buried deep to be use later.

Second guess is it's (great shape its in) a plant to get more funding from the USA for land mines and unexploded ordinance.

Edited March 5, 2022 by IAMHERE
spelling

[KhunBENQ]

8 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

What is the scenario that it is now 10 foot below the surface ?  

Can't give technical explanations but it is completely usual.

Every other month a big WWII bomb is found on excavation works in Germany. There must be hundreds or thousands of dud shots  burried in Laos.

More bombs on Laos then all of WWII.

Edited March 5, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[kotsak]

Are they sure that it is a bomb and not the M117 Benz V8 engine used in the 300E AMG "Hammer"? ????

 

[NeoDinosaw]

5 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Wrong button pressed during the bombing mission from Udon Thani to Laos or Vietnam?

Or a mechanical failure. Kind of loose screw.

 

When they are turning back 'cos things were a bit hot over Hanoi, they had to unload their bombs before landing in Thailand - presumable at Udon Thani.  This is the reason why so many bongs were dropped on Laos.  I guess this pilot was a bit late unloading his bombs

[jollyhangmon]

12 minutes ago, NeoDinosaw said:

This is the reason why so many bongs were dropped on Laos.

 

... Freud, wishful thinking or were you just loading up a bowl, 555 ?

 

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, jobsworth said:

There still is only nobody uses it anymore.

Air America, the CiA and drug smuggling.

Isn't there a book about the goings on there?

The bus drops you alongside the runway which you then have to cross to get to the facilities like guest houses and restaurants.

You can swim in the river. It is a great place or should I say was.

 

"Air America" and "The Ravens" were two books I had read. "air America" was also portrayed in the movie with Mel Gibson.

[Tropicalevo]

6 hours ago, NeoDinosaw said:

When they are turning back 'cos things were a bit hot over Hanoi, they had to unload their bombs before landing in Thailand - presumable at Udon Thani.  This is the reason why so many bongs were dropped on Laos.  I guess this pilot was a bit late unloading his bombs

That is my understanding as well.

The Americans had to ditch the bombs before landing.

[David 111]

Thank goodness for that!

[bangkok19]

Quite possibly some of the pilots (during the "secret war" in Laos) were sampling their illegal cargo.  More bombs were dropped onto Laos than onto Europe in WWII...  maybe there was nothing left to bomb in the southern part of Lao so he disposed of it over the border... luckily it must've been a dud! 

[radiochaser]

I am going to hazard a guess.   Dropped by a U.S. Air Force aircraft, en route back to an Air Base in Korat (I think there was one there).  Returning from bombing in North Vietnam, with unexpended ordinance.   Unexpended ordinance due to damage by anti-aircraft fire or SAM.   

Dropped in an area, that appeared to be uninhabited during the bombing raids on North Vietnam. 

I forget the time of year, but when I was at Udon Thani, you could see contrails from B52's every day at 5:30 PM flying to some airbase south of Udon.  Or it could have been they were flying to North Vietnam.  One or the other. 

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by radiochaser

[radiochaser]

2 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

 

 

Deleting my inadvertent reply to my own post.

Edited March 8, 2022 by radiochaser
Deleting my inadvertent reply to my own post.