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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ace Fry, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, prepares a container to move an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in Gualala, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. The UXO was confirmed as a World War II AN MK-23 Practice Bomb, EOD technicians then coordinated with local authorities to relocate the UXO to a remote location and utilized C-4 explosive material obtained from an approved munitions storage area prior to the mission to safely dispose of the UXO. (Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana/U.S. Air Force via Bay City News)
MENDOCINO CO., 12/12/25 – The U.S. Air Force safely disposed of a World War II–era practice bomb found on private property in southwestern unincorporated Mendocino County on Tuesday, the Air Force said.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Air Force after an object believed to be a military weapon was discovered.
Federal law requires military explosives teams to respond when a suspected military weapon is found off base and ownership cannot be determined. In this case, the Air Force assisted local authorities with the investigation and disposal.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryce Schott, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operations non-commissioned officer in charge, assesses an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in Gualala, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. The 9th CES EOD team responded to a call after local authorities reported a UXO on private property. The UXO was confirmed as a World War II AN MK-23 Practice Bomb. (Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana/U.S. Air Force via Bay City News)
The 9th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County responded to the site near the community of Gualala.
The object was identified as an AN MK-23 World War II practice bomb. While designed for training, the bomb contained a small explosive charge that required professional handling.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ace Fry, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, secures a container to move an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in Gualala, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. The UXO was confirmed as a World War II AN MK-23 Practice Bomb, EOD technicians then coordinated with local authorities to relocate the UXO to a remote location and utilized C-4 explosive material obtained from an approved munitions storage area prior to the mission to safely dispose of the UXO. (Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana/U.S. Air Force via Bay City News)
Explosives technicians moved the device to a remote location and destroyed it using controlled explosives. Afterward, the team confirmed the area was safe and free of explosive hazards.
Officials emphasized that anyone who encounters a suspicious object that could be explosive should stay away from it and contact law enforcement rather than attempt to move or examine it.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryce Schott, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operations non-commissioned officer in charge, and Senior Airman Ace Fry, 9th CES EOD technician, brief local authorities on the disposal procedures for an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in Gualala, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. The 9th CES EOD team responded to a call after local authorities reported a UXO on private property. The UXO was confirmed as a World War II AN MK-23 Practice Bomb. (Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana/U.S. Air Force via Bay City News)
