During my time as the 1SG of an Instructor Company the Hand Grenade range had a missing grenade.
After about four days of lockdown all the agencies in power believed my Range NCOIC.
One of the cases was short a grenade from the factory the lot was dated from 1969 that was a bad experience.
The man gave the two grenades and two mortar bombs to a co-worker from St. John, who then brought the items...
grenades are no joke.I had a friend who was a pit safety and the trainee fumbled the grenade in the pit. My friend physically piched up the kid, threw hin clear, turned his back and took the brunt of the explosion. He was back on light duty after a few weeks, but didn't sit comfortably for a long time.
During my time as Drill Sergeant we had several memorable times at the Hand Grenade range. This one sticks out the most I was the staging bay DS I issued the grenades to the privates. I personally took much joy at dropping at least one grenade a rotation while handing it over. The privates rotated up to the ready bay then into the pit. Normal boring day of a DS calls of "short" are normal the private just didn't get it out quite far enough. Standing around bored thinking about the road march back.
I hear the call "LOOSE" oh sh&$ that means it out of the pit. Loud explosion sulphuric smell followed by "cease fire" checked the privates all good. Then the ready bay DS walked down to me blood all over his cheek. The grenade rolled off the privates hand backwards exploding about 4ft behind me. A sliver of shrapnel went though the ready bay DS,s cheek and burnt his tongue and the roof of his mouth.
No privates injured keep on training!
grenades are no joke.