About three months ago, a Yaffe Iron and Metal Plant worker in Arkoma, Okla., was killed after he inadvertently detonated an unexploded ordnance while working with old military munitions. Fearing there might be more UXOs in the scrapyard, authorities contacted Fort Sill's 761st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company to come in and identify any more potential threats.
The 761st EOD team responded immediatly, made a quality assessment, took quick action and created a safe environment without any more injuries. During two days of inspections and cleanups, the Soldiers went through 141,000 pounds of munitions and discovered another UXO.
"They did great. There were no major hiccups," said Capt. Clinton Shelby, 761st company commander. "I can't imagine an operation going any smoother."
On Nov. 4, a day after the Yaffe plant explosion, two 761st Soldiers arrived in Arkoma, which is near the Oklahoma stateline and Fort Smith, Ark., to assess the situation and come up with a plan. The Soldiers worked with officials from numerous agencies, including the Yaffe plant, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Fort Smith Fire and Police departments, McAlester (Okla.) Army Ammunition Plant and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"It was surprising, slightly shocking the scope of the mission, the amount of scrap," said Sgt. Robert Blanco, 761st EOD team sergeant. "Additionally, someone had lost their life. That was the most impacting thing."
Not only was the volume and variety of munitions a challenge, but much of it was more than 15 years old. This required the EOD team members to research and catalog munitions so they knew what they were dealing with and how to handle it, Blanco said.
Blanco, who has been deployed to Iraq, doing similar duties, said it was different working in Arkoma.
"This was a little bit easier. Time is more on your side when you're in America," he said.
Many of the munitions were old tank rounds, Shelby said. Once the munitions were verified to be safe, workers could handle them. They were separated into hazardous and nonhazardous materials. The one UXO was turned over to the Fort Smith Bomb Squad, who disposed of it.
Sgt. 1st Class Don Cochran, EOD team leader, acknowledged the assistance of the bomb squad.
"For me to look at them and say, 'that's safe to move' and they take that for the gospel and pick it up and start moving the stuff that's very humbling," Cochran said.
The explosive experts were also sent to another Yaffe facility about a mile away where more munitions were discovered. The next day three more EOD Soldiers joined the operation.
EOD Team Sergeant Sgt. Jeremy Mackey said the operation was a lot of work done in a safe and fast manner.
"Overall, it went quick. We were able to use equipment (already) on site," he said. "I learned a lot."
The safe munitions were stacked together and loaded onto trucks by a magnetic tractor, Mackey said. McAlester's Mobile Ammunition Renovation Inspection Team hauled the munitions back to their facility.
On Friday, members of the 761st gave a demonstration of how they would respond to a UXO incident. Afterward, the five Soldiers who responded to the Yaffee accident were recognized for their efforts.
Shelby, Cochran, Blanco, Mackey and Staff Sgt. Michael Tarvin each received a Department of the Army Explosives Safety Certificate of Achievement and the Forces Command commander's coin.
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