By Lydia Crawley, The Parsons Advocate
PARSONS, W.Va. — The U.S. Forest Service announced on Friday, October 17th, that they received word on Wednesday of a possible unexploded ordinance (UXO) in Dolly Sods. The announcement, made on Social Media, was as much a warning to those visiting the area, as confirmation of the find.
The ordinance, located within the Dolly Sods Picnic Area, was disposed of by Forest Service personnel had verified the size, location and in coordination with West Virginia State Police, Tucker and Grant County Emergency Responders within 24 hours of notification.
During WWII, Dolly Sods had served as the U.S. Army’s “West Virginia Maneuver Area,” a training ground for artillery and mortar practice during WWII from 1943 to 1944. According to research, the area was chosen due to its resemblance to European terrain due to its rugged landscape. It is because of this history that munitions can still sometimes be found to this day.
The Forest Service warns visitors to Dolly Sods to stay on marked trails and if anything resembling munitions is found, do not touch – only mark or note the area using GPS coordinates, a map or nearby landmarks, back away and call 1-888-283-0303 24 hours a day.