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Home My WebLink About11/13/1942 ~ - ~".r , , SWCIA-131 StJ!i'FO:r..x ComJTY 'llAR COIJNCIL Office of the Director of Civiliun Protection Griffing Avenue Riverheao., New York November 13, 1942 TO: Deputy County Director of Civilian Protection FROM: Director of Civilian Protection SUBJECT: NEW TYPES OF ENEMY BOMBS, INCEl11:>'tAB! AND ANTI-PERSONm The following letter from the Office of Civilian Defense, Washington, D. C" dated October 28, 1942 is quoted fo~ your information: "1. The enemy recently has employed new types of bomb--both large incendi- aries and the usual small type with a more powerful explosive charge set off by a time fuse. Expgrienoe with these bombs in other countries and our own study of the techniques developed to cope with th~m make it clear (a) that fire continues to be a most important ~oapon and (b) that, against fire, water is still the best weapon. ~Then heaVier, delayed-t<ction explosive charges are added, they are primaril;y" intended to hold off attack on the fire until it has gained dangerous h~adway. 2. New types of enemy incendia:!';ji- f'.nd anti-personnel bombs are: A. The usual 2.2-pound firebomb, with an extension of the nose containing a largar explosive cha7ge. The total weight is i:1creased. to five potmd.s. The bomb is 17 bot.as long with- oV.t its tail, or abo\:.t 21 inches long over all. !rhe inoen- dia~- section of the bomb ignites upon landing, but the ex- plosive oharge may go off at any time up to seven ~inutes later. It would be possible to i~orease this lapse of time without major alteration of design, so the.t there can be little dependence upon the present time interval. The ex- plosivlJ pIJ.rt may become detached, but thiz does not lessen its effect ivenes s. !l'h~.s type of bomb has been employed by the Ge~"'IIl!l.l"'"s. B. A combin~tion incendiary and h\gh explosive bomb, in a casing the Sfime size and shape as tae llO-pound high explosive 'oemb (about 30 inches long and 8 Incr.es in diameter). On irr.pact it th~ows out 60 small metal containers with thermit- type filling and six larger tumbler-shaped fire pots contain- ir-g a magne~ium-t~~e filling which is pre-ignited. Almost iremediatdly after ejecting the incendiary units, a 12-pound ct~rge or T:~ in the nose of the uomb explodes. C. A phosphorus-oil bomb \n a casing similar to that of the J.lO-pot'.lld 'lig'l e'<:plosi""e l-o!lib, but containing only the usual type of fu~e to ~plit the casing open on impact and scatter its stIcky Hquid conkntf>. The conter-ts ignite spontaneously bec~uso of the phos?ho~s. T~e phosphorus may be extinguished by '..at"r but 'fill b:;,'eak ir.to fira again if allowed to become dry. 3. ~1e most affective methods of attaaking fires caused by these bombs is t~e same as was outlined in revised instructions last July concerning the orQi~ary magnesil~tnermit tyPe of fire bomb--a jet or direct stream of water. ~he small fire b~mb without explosive charge is still the mest widely used of all types except by the Japanese. If bombs fall where they cannot start a fire anJ cannot be saen fr~m the air, they should be left~olllrn thomselves out, but elsewhere they must be attacked. The bombs wHhout hea-;y explosive cha:'ges 01' those which explode upon impact present only the problem of dealing with fire and thus require no additional instruc- t ions 0 4. The small fire bomb with dell\Yed-action explosive charge requires a revision of instructions conce.ning the types of cover that provide full ':)IotecHon from the bll'_s-,;. A. A brick wall four and one-half inches thick is considered full protection egainst the explosive charge now being used with a ti~e fU4Q in smlIU magnesi-<1Ill bombs. In walls buill of outside bricks "' 1 - . '"' \ SWOlA-131 - 2 - lovember 13, 1942 ll. of the best quality, a three-1I:Ich thiclenelS 'Will prevent penetra- hon. Lath andp1alter wal11, wooden doors, tab1ee or chairl do not offer full proteotion from the exp1olion of thil cherge. Perianal rhk ma:v be croat:i.y recluced by aSl1lIIIing a crouching or prone position beh1l:l~ the bost available cover. Where fires /l.re llke1;v to spread rapidl;v--u in 00.. - Ited dhtl'1ctB and where there 18 relaUvel;r Uttle f1re:?lJOof conetruction--1V8D bombs w!li:ili may exploda lhouU be c.ttaeked promptlf from bell.1nd the bestwaUable cover. c.'\re Ihould. be exorche4 -to expo.e no mora t~ onu htuld while :pl~ing a It ream of wateJ' ~n the area surro!l!ld1.-.g unexploded bombs, tyI1t this rhk is conitdered necelS&17 where unchecked. fh'es might utart c. oonflf.lgJ"ii.tion. Water ma:v be thrown fr~ /l. s~al1 (or one pint) container, dipping from & larger cont!l.bor, i: !l. pUJ;lp lUls not al'1'1vo~. Al~hough 1e&8 efficient than a jet ~f ~~t~r. th1$ method ~y permit thu wotting of infl~muable ~ teI'ial with1r. rc.nge of too bom'b. Vater shou::.d be thrcnm from & crouohiJlg podtiol1. fl'OJI the covtJr ofa 1l011d w.ul, an in other methode. Ir.. this case the water need not be thrwn on the bomb itself. c. Use of a jet of water enables the operator to work at a mach poeater d:\.stc.nco th!lZ1 the tishort-l'8llge" Itathods emplo;v1ng eand, other IIIOther- ing agents, or a opr~ cf wa.ter. Sand in the form of baca or _ts cannot ba depended upon, bed8uso thello bOMos, upon explosion, have a great.er f~entation effect t~~ the eT.plnsive i~~endi&r7 bombe formerly llSdd.. The pu'l;lic sl'>oilJi bo w'Un<:ld c.gainst tho use of all such s1:lothel'~.ng agents as "bomb an 1.ng:~1s)-,inf;" powders I alia .taet such davie-ss !loS scoops. grabe ar..d L:luffllru. ThGy are ant1re1;v without ~llrit and mP~- endanger t~ l~ves of pe~so~s who d~eJld upon them, :!he use of sI'M.Y NlJ. sdlld 19 no lcnger relJo=ended bllClal:aa the posB1- bnay o~ fr&g1'lWta"i'.ln maJrea ..t too dl.lr.garQus to approaoh the bomb Il'.':f.f!cic:'ltl:' cJ.oaf) to ap.?J.y th'lm" D. Tha new typ". of bombs lncriJaso the im:!)ortance of etoring vater in the !:orne, as heavier explosive charges and larger bombs make it more hazardoUll to d"'Per,d \:pOn no:rmal water seI'V'loe. (ContaineI'l prev1ous1;v Utled for sand (;ho~d now" if poss1ble, be used for water.) It should also 'be po111te<1 'lu.t thtl.t vat,,:!, stol'l'lge ta.r.ks used in connection vi th ',fatal' heaters, hot water l'lr steam'flU'llnces or other home etUipuent ma.v 1;>13 useful, if t'wf can 'oe dr!\l.nod '1uiflkly. The 10oat1on of the 'rain valve should ':'0 !'larked so that it enn b3 found promptly 11:1 tho w.rk. 5. A th'll'OClg'.1 sov.rch of tho pl"90iSeE sbould be mrlde altOI' eV8ll7 raid. J.ny unexplod.ad bombs sho'.:J.d 'l:le reportod llroll'pt1y to the bomb reconnaiuanoe agent fcr inspoction, l:1lere phos:Jho'!'Ull-oil bcmbll he.-,e beer. used, all areae touched by the on ;;ho',;.ld be 1rept wot .~tn :[;1'01='131' authorities have oxamined tbt1D to see whether pk.sphoI'\:s 13 pres3Ilt. I'hydcsl eQntD.ct with f:!'~ents of such a bomb 01' a'"1Y Gronnd o:r 3qutprnont splashed with. t:::.8 liquid should be aV1lided. 6. Thee') d,~veJ.opl!lant3 b o'lolll] air E>ttsck :near. that the forceD of workere trainad to :lea;. with all types of bom'bll 'IlU8t bo increased as rapid.ly as pc:ssible. l'lru-.s for recruitma:1t and training of "uch an expanded force ~.y co expecte~ at ,~ aarly date. Mcthois of attcek may be changed fro- quentl~r. S;u:h cl:lwlg<.tl3 ray -oe "val. mOloa rnpld. as _ our e~emies dasparate17 Sv~k t~ inc!te f3ar in ci~i~i~l ranks, but t~ay sbo'lld serve only to in- "ells1f,' ocr d"fcl'ts to de'lelC'p a la!'ge, alert ani w-)ll.-treJ.ned force that is '~ea1y for an;r Chll.llJng".'1 jhf lH..oYD D. HOUSTON Director Civilian Protection