Bazooka shell in ditch closes Oregon road
SALEM, Ore. - Workers clearing roadside ditches found an almost 2-foot long Bazooka shell Tuesday afternoon.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office closed the road to all traffic after a public works employee discovered the shell in a ditch 5 feet from the road and reported it to her supervisor around 1:45 p.m.
Specialists from the 142nd Explosives Ordnance Disposal unit of the Oregon Army Natonal Guard in Salem responded to the scene. They determined the device was an inert Bazooka training round.
Meanwhile, sheriff's deputies redircted school busses and other traffic away from the road. The route reopened to normal traffic around 4:30 p.m.
The sherifff's office said the 3.5-inch in diameter shell was 22 inches long and likely a training round from the World War II era.
The Bazooka is the common name for the WWII man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon, widely fielded by the US Army during conflict in Europe, the sheriff's office said. Also referred to as the "Stovepipe", the innovative Bazooka was one of the first-generation of rocket propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat.
Wait...yesterday it was a hand grenade in Sweet Home, just S.E of Salem and now a Bazooka shell in Salem? What's up?
 @UsaidWHAT Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my!
And both were "inert".
What the hell is wrong with people that they have to possess a bazooka round? Â And then to discard it in this manner??
Where is Paul Kersey? He should be here to defend the rights of all the Good 'Merkins who are against rape and luvv them sum 'Merkin Freedoms! Whoever took them thar bombs is tramplin the secunt amminnmint!
@necron99 A bully say what ..A ss Hole...did I spell it correctly cron.
so basically, an object you can buy at any army  surplus store, big deal.(sacrcasm)
Fear alert!... Fear alert... Which rights should I give up this time... oh wait bazookas are allready illegal.
that'll clear the ditch in a hurry.Â