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Show ) Last Weteye bombs scheduled to j pass by Vernal ' ivDort ptan from Denver were P.". carrying the last load of nerve "S from Rocky Mountain Arsenal. fli if Army keepS ?e SamC ' as last week, around noon on S the gate into Tooele Army SSl b. closed behind the last ; Sin a heavily-guarded convoy, and 'I p.eteye operation will be over. 1 : it is an operation that has depended Jmanv people in many places, like IK Vernal who hosted 41 soldiers a Weteye Emergency Response : Team. I team has been stationed at the I ,, m Airport since the second week in Lust They were set up to respond 2 emergency equipment and per-unnel per-unnel in the event one of the aircraft ' unsporting Weteye bombs from ) Colorado to Utah experienced an in- flight emergency. "Essentially, our mission in Vernal ads when the last plane lands safely .... .... ttnn't consider it over until rt've had a chance to thank everyone or all the help, cooperation and hospitality extended to us during our stay here," said Lt. Lucas Polakowski, t commanding officer of the response ' team. Polakowski said city and county officials and airport personnel "bend over backwards" to support the response team. He said thanks is also due the Civil Air Patrol, National Guard, County Library and many other organizations and individuals who helped the team. He commended the news media for ' keeping the public informed of the l Weteye move and said the numerous ! local reports helped keep the team's ' morale high. I Fifteen flights were scheduled to : i complete the move of 888 Weteye J bombs from Denver to Dugway Proving Ground. There the bombs were loaded on trucks and taken to Tooele Army Depot for long-term storage. ! In moving the bombs the Army acted under a Congressional order to move them from Denver area by Oct. 10. The Weteye bombs are considered the best chemical weapon in the U.S. military , arsenal. Strong safety and security measures have been in force through every phase of the move. Five flights were completed Aug. 12- 15 and five more Aug. 17-19. After each set of five flights a convoy was run to Tooele Depot. This Monday and Tuesday there were three flights with the final two flights expected Wednesday. For security reasons the Army has not announced flight or convoy movements in advance. The Army said Tuesday that pre-flight pre-flight surveillance inspection turned up agent emission In ony one of the 888 bombs. That bomb had leaked a very tiny amount of agent into its airtight shipping container. As a precaution that bomb will be shipped on the last flight In a special overpack container. Also on the last flight will be three one-ton storage cylinders containing nerve agent drained from bombs. While not leaking, they too will be shipped in overpack containers as an extra safety precaution. |