Explosives that may have been left behind during World War II are the focus of a new search at a South Carolina park, officials say.
The project is set to begin Dec. 14 at Croft State Park, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday in a news release. The Upstate recreation area roughly 10 miles southeast of downtown Spartanburg was once a military center called Camp Croft.
“This camp’s primary function was training infantrymen to replenish units currently fighting in World War II,” according to the University of South Carolina Libraries. “The camp also housed 900 German prisoners of war.”
While training efforts stopped in the mid-1940s, it’s possible that “munitions and explosives” remain at the park, according to officials.
To look for potential dangers, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the Pennsylvania-based company Weston Solutions Inc. will survey and dig up the area. Any explosives will be taken from the park and discarded.
The project is expected to cover a nearly 1,300 acres of the park, which has a 7,000-acre footprint. Croft is one of the largest state parks in South Carolina and offers trails, horseback riding facilities and camping areas, according to the S.C. State Parks website.
Work on the ground is scheduled to go through fall 2022, and visitor limitations “will be kept to the minimum required for public safety,” officials said.
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