U.S. Army divers commenced its annual underwater demolition training at Puuloa Range Complex near Hawaii from April 12 to 14.During the exercises, members of the 7th Engineer Dive Detachment within the 8th Theater Sustainment Command set off a total of nine explosive charges 65 feet underwater using time-delay fuses, the Army said Monday.
“It entails all of our guys going in and doing their checkoffs for dive as well as getting hands on demolition, making charges, inspecting the charges and then detonating,” said 1st Lt. Charles Masters, the executive officer for 7th EDD and training lead.
The logistics support vessel Harold C. Clinger supported the mission and served as the transportation for the divers and explosives.
Masters noted that the exercises were conducted to train the troops, complete diver checkoffs as well as monitor and collect data on the effect of underwater demolition to marine life using a hydrophone and underwater cameras.
“[We] have a 500-yard radius for mitigation zone for the underwater demolition range where we have three Zodiac boats looking for any marine life that might come into the mitigation zone, where we have to stop the demolition,” he added.
