Bomb Unearthed in Guam Halted Project with Martin Doors

Aug. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- GUAM – It’s not the kind of item people expect to find when digging a foundation.

A military project on this island, involving Martin Garage Doors, took a unique turn when builders unearthed a 1,000 pound World War II bomb, during excavation for the project.  

A backhoe uncovered the projectile while digging near houses and offices at a U.S. Naval Base in June of 2010.  The bomb’s fuse was eventually removed without incident, and after delays the project site was eventually cleared for future development.

High wind-load rated Martin Garage Doors will be installed on the base as part of phase three of the North Tipaleo project. Twenty-six Martin Garage Doors will be part of the latest installation.  It is the third major installation of Martin Doors on base on the island.

Guam is an island known for its heavy winds and military buyers pursued high wind load standards in specifying doors for the project.  All of the doors are also powder coated.

The island has a long military history.  In World War II the island was invaded and occupied by the Japanese until 1944, when U.S. forces recaptured the island as part of the Pacific campaign.  Guam was later converted as a forward operations base for the U.S. Navy and Army Air Force.  The island became a strategic naval base for the United States in the early 1990s when Naval and Air Force bases in the Philippines were closed.

The base provides waterfront, berthing, munitions and other logistical services to various fleet units and operational forces that support US Pacific Command, US Pacific Fleet, 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet. It is also a base for three Los Angeles-class submarines and several surface warships.