The Most Dangerous Job on the Planet

Army Air Force Photo

Between 1940 and 1945 allied air forces dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on Europe – half of that on Germany alone.  Of that tonnage as much as ten percent failed to detonate.  

Today – almost eighty years later - thousands of tons of unexploded ordnance is uncovered and removed from German soil every year.   Before a construction project can commence the site must be surveyed and certified as clear of any unexploded munitions. 

On May 15, 1945, 600 aircraft flew over the town of Oranienburg in Germany dropping 1,500 tons of explosives.   Almost all of these bombs were fitted with a time delay device.  And as a consequence a much higher proportion than usual of these bombs did not explode.  To this day Oranienburg is considered the most dangerous city on earth.   

To learn more about this fascinating and dangerous situation and the bravery of Germany’s bomb disposal technicians you should check out this Smithsonian link.