Vietnam Era Training Mortar Discovered In Pontiac Basement
PONTIAC (WWJ) - A potentially dangerous device has been removed from a Pontiac home.
Oakland County Sheriff's Office Sunday evening responded to a home in the 200 block of W. Ann Arbor Ave. where a woman reported she'd found a "suspicious package" — described at two cylinder-shaped objects — inside of a green ammunition box in the basement.
The homeowner, who explained the items had been left behind by her late husband who was a Vietnam veteran, moved the box outside to the backyard and called the OCSO to investigate.
Finding what appeared to be a military ordnance, along with two boxes of 9 mm ammunition, deputies called in the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad which determined it to be a U.S. military training device that was used to simulate a mortar round and an incendiary element.
The Bomb Squad took the objects away to have them safely destroyed.
Law enforcement always advises resident who find anything that appears to be a suspicious or explosive device not to touch it or move it, but to immediately contact local authorities for help.
Although this incident was resolved without a problem, sheriff's officials say the object could have caused injury if it wasn't handled properly.
