After I return home from a DR. appointment, I will post some photos. The diving story is nonsense. The waters in the Napa River and Carquinez Straits around Mare Island are akin to diving in chocolate milk with one heck of a riptide. All of these fuzes were removed from shells during routine maintenance at the Mare Island Naval Ammunition Depot at the south end of the island, a seperate command from the shipyard. They were dumped off the end of the former Ammunition Dock into the Napa River in the 19th Century. Beginning in the 1930s, this area was dredged to allow for the passage of submarines. The dredging spoils were pumped by pipe to the southern tip of the island and redeposited forming a beach area. Formerly this area had a sheer drop off from a high rocky cliff with a lighthouse perched atop. It was well-known that ordnance items were occaisionally found in the area, but the ammunition depot had closed long before the shipyard and the area was mostly overgrown and ignored. Shortly before closure, a Navy EOD team spent 3 months digging the site, ran out of funds, and declared it clean. When it was definately decided to close, I led a team to explore the area and identify sites for ordnance removal. Large numbers were found on or just below the surface, and when the EOD Det got word, they went out as individuals to collect souvenirs. I left in 1998 to join the FUDS removal and Archives Search Team at the Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District (I've always been a Federal Employee). At that time, the removal project had not formerly begun in that area. Weston was awarded a contract and began the removal after I left, and as far as I know it is continuing in spurts as the funds are available. It recently stopped again as they are developing a plan for mechanical removal via dredging. A small number of items were given (not sold) to various individuals and museums by myself and John Wilken. Particularly Jack Bell and some ended up in Chuck Jones collection. I'd heard the "buckets full found by divers" stories at various gun shows and chuckled softly to myself. Yes, I used to dive, but no more.
