Hawaii man finds remains of bombs which were dropped on erupting Mauna Loa volcano in 1935 to redirect the lava flow and save the town of Hilo

  • A local on a walk in Hawaii discoverd the remains of a 1935 bombing campaign
  • The leftover bombs were used during the island's first ever aerial bombing mission to redirect lava from a volcano eruption
  • In total, 40 bombs were dropped on Mauna Loa to direct lava away from the nearby city of Hilo

Researchers in Hawaii have retrieved the remains of bombs that were dropped onto Mauna Loa volcano in an effort to divert lava and protect the nearby city of Hilo.

The remains were part of a cluster of 40 bombs dropped on the big island of Hawaii just two days after Christmas in 1935, the first time bombs had been used in Hawaii to redirect lava.

The old bombs were discovered Kawika Singson, a local who was exploring the lava fields at the foot of Mauna Loa, who alerted the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, which dated the artifacts.

The bombing mission was originally organized by Dr. Thomas A. Jagger, who founded the HVO, according to a Newsweek report.

Jagger had originally been tracking the flow of lava from an eruption in late November of 1935, which appeared to be heading in a northwestern direction that didn't pose any immediate threat to Hilo. 

The remains of an MK I bomb dropped on the big island of Hawaii in 1935, one of 40 that were used in an attempt to redirect lava from an unexpected eruption on Mauna Loa volcano

The remains of an MK I bomb dropped on the big island of Hawaii in 1935, one of 40 that were used in an attempt to redirect lava from an unexpected eruption on Mauna Loa volcano

The mission was organized by Dr. Thomas A. Jagger, who founded the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, and supported by 10 B-3 and B-4 biplanes from a nearby Army base

The mission was organized by Dr. Thomas A. Jagger, who founded the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, and supported by 10 B-3 and B-4 biplanes from a nearby Army base

The bombing, which took place on December 27, 1935, marked the first ever use of aerial bombs to redirect lava on Hawaii

The bombing, which took place on December 27, 1935, marked the first ever use of aerial bombs to redirect lava on Hawaii

After a month, a second eruption caused a new vent to open on the norther flank of the Mauna Loa, creating a new channel that was heading directly toward Hilo, which had an estimated population of more than 20,000 people at the time.

The lava was moving at a rate of about a mile a day, and was less than 50 miles from the city center.

Jagger had originally considered planting TNT at various points around the surrounding countryside to try and redirect the lava. 

Mauna Loa volcano is the largest volcano on Earth and has been actively erupting for more than 700,000 years

Mauna Loa volcano is the largest volcano on Earth and has been actively erupting for more than 700,000 years 

Originally, lava from Mauna Low appeared as if it would flow in a northwestern direction safely missing Hilo, but after a month a new eruption opened a second vent on the volcano and put a new flow of lava on a course for Hilo

Originally, lava from Mauna Low appeared as if it would flow in a northwestern direction safely missing Hilo, but after a month a new eruption opened a second vent on the volcano and put a new flow of lava on a course for Hilo

The lava from Mauna Loa was moving at a rate of about a mile a day, and with less than 50 miles between the volcano and the city center of Hilo, Jagger knew he had to act fast

The lava from Mauna Loa was moving at a rate of about a mile a day, and with less than 50 miles between the volcano and the city center of Hilo, Jagger knew he had to act fast 

A local sugar chemist named Guido Giacometti convinced him that bombs dropped from Army planes would be quicker and more accurate.

Jagger requested help from the local US Army Air Corps, which provided 10 B-3 and B-4 biplanes for the mission.

The planes dropped two groupings of bombs, first 20 'pointer bombs' that contained black gunpowder intended to mark the target.

A second wave of 20 MK I demolition bombs were then dropped, each of which contained 355 pounds of TNT.

'I have no question that this robbing of the source tunnel slowed down the movement of the front,' Jagger wrote at the time.