World War II, Vietnam War-era artillery rounds wash up on Ventura County beach. Here's why
A growing number of decades-old military ordnance found on a public beach in Ventura County is raising concerns among local authorities.
For years, the artillery rounds, sometimes covered in rust and barnacles, washed up on Mugu State Beach near Naval Base Ventura County. But the numbers have tripled over the past year and a half, said Dan Turock, a major crimes detective with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
His unit responded to eight reports of ordnances found at the spot since 2023. Previously, reports came in just once or twice a year, he said. Last year, the agency got multiple reports in the same month.
“We’re all trying to figure out what is the reasoning that we’re seeing more and more of these," said Turock, also the bomb squad commander.
No injuries have been reported, but the rounds could be dangerous, he said. Some may have tumbled in the surf for years but could be just one move away from exploding, he said.
Why are more ordnances washing up on Ventura County beaches?
The ordnances date back to the World War II and Vietnam War eras, said Brian O'Rourke, a Navy spokesman based in San Diego. Navy personnel respond when military munitions are discovered on and off bases, he said.
"We have no specific evidence of origin, but they are likely from historic training exercises from those periods of time," O'Rourke said, in an email to The Star. It's unclear why the numbers have increased, but the frequency could be related to last year's storms along the California coast, he said.
Some have been live rounds. Others were used for training, Turock said. Even the training rounds could have enough explosive material to cause harm, he said.
California State Parks, which manages the beach near Mugu Rock, is discussing possible signage for the area, Deputy District Director Lori Harrod said.
What to do if you find an ordnance?
The park's records showed three, not eight, reports of ordnances found at Mugu Beach over the past year and a half, Harrod said. Previously, some of the incidents may have been reported directly to local authorities, Turock said of the difference in numbers.
If anyone stumbles across artillery rounds, Turock urged them to call 911, saying it could be an emergency. He said to alert authorities and back away. Bomb squad personnel will respond and determine whether it is an ordnance and figure out the best way to deal with it, he said.
Watch: Artillery rounds wash up in Ventura County
Earlier this month, someone found an ordnance on the beach and took it home to Thousand Oaks, likely thinking it was a training device or replica, he said. Someone else at the home recognized it could be dangerous and authorities responded. It was later identified as an anti-tank rocket.
No one intended to do anything wrong or unlawful, and no one was injured, he said. But he stressed that ordnances are not just hunks of metal and could contain explosives.
“Just leave it in place,” he said. “Don’t pick it up. Don’t bring it to anybody. Leave it sitting there.”
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Decades-old military ordnances found on Ventura County beach
