dropping a bomb by mistake in SF

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I heard that there was an incident which US Air Force dropped a bomb by mistake in San Francisco and it hit the corner of a building. I would like to know if it is true or not and if true, I would like to know more details.

-- Kumi Oya (kateoya@aol.com), August 16, 2004

Answers

I don't know about that one but I can tell you that I personally found something which was either a torpedo or a bomb at ocean beach about a half mile south of sloat boulevard during the period when they had that 2 mile long jetty built out there when they were building the new sewer something like 15 or 20 years ago. It had a length of maybe 4 to 5 feet and was painted all green. It also had a propeller and a shield surrounding the propeller. I really wanted to take it home as a souvenir but had no idea if it might explode though I didn't think it would since the waves would have pounded it hard enough so that if it was still explosive it would have done so all ready. I thought it over that night and went back the next morning to get it and it was gone.

-- Harry Murphy (harrymurphy*@bigmailbox.net), August 28, 2004.

I can't give you too many details, but apparently something like what you described did happen in the 1950s. Check out this photo from the S. F. Historical Photo collection:

http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/search/i?SEARCH=AAB-5041

It doesn't say where the bomb came from, but it does show the path the bomb took. "Diagram shows path of bomb which dropped from sky onto Market st. Friday. The bomb struck Market st. (1), a fragment shattering a seventh floor window of the IBM building (4). It bounced over center buildings and smashed against cornice of the Phoenix building (2) on Pine st. and fell to street below (3)."

-- bug (bugmo@myrealbox.com), September 01, 2004.


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