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And That's How The Dahlgren Naval Proving Ground Was Approved


Subdeacon Joe

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 · May be an image of 4 people and outdoors
 
'In testing the "NEW" 16-inch gun for the Colorado Class (think post World War One) a test shell left the Indian Head Testing facility . . . Shortly after Congress approved the Dahlgren Naval Proving Ground. "Swann House after being hit by 16" (40.6 cm) test shot from Indian Head. The projectile hit at the second story windows on the other side of the house and plunged down through the house before exiting here and finally coming to rest at the bottom of the steps. Photograph courtesy of NSWC Dahlgren."
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Come years ago, at the Grafenwor Training Center, 155mm Howitzers were doing live fire.  One Gun Captain pulled in the "wrong" ammunition for training and wouldn't listen to his crew.  Fired one round.  Was an Air Burst War Shot.  Detonated over the Parking Lot at the Base Exchange.  The entire crew was relieved and spent the next 4 years awaiting Courts Martial.  The Gun Captain was found to be negligent and Discharged.  The rest of the crew were found to be "not at fault."

 

Good thing that 16 incher was a "Dud Training" round.  There wouldn't have been anything left larger than a Quarter.

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I worked in Washington DC in the late 1950's at PEPCO Hq. with a guy who had a summer cottage on the Potomac south of Dahlgren near Colonial Beach VA. He got a call one day that a short round AA shell went off course and blew holes in his roof. Luckly no one was there at the time. He then spent a bunch of time dealing with the Navy trying to get paid for a new roof.

 

The PEPCO lead key punch operator worked at Dahlgren during WWII making explosives for torpedoes. Came to work one morning and found out that two coworkers had evaporated the night before due to an accident. The assembly building had completely vanished.

 

Also had a friend who worked there about 20 years ago and came in one morning to find the entire base coated with white powder. It's where the US makes its air bag powder. Another building had vanished.

 

They still do live firing down the Potomac. In the 1950's you had to stop at a picket boat to get an OK to go down the river. Guess it's all online now.

 

  

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On 9/23/2022 at 9:00 AM, Pulp, SASS#28319 said:

National guard soldiers at Ft Sill dropped a couple of 105 rounds into the parking lot of a restaurant near Medicine Park.  Damaged some cars, but no injuries.

Thats because they were 105s.

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