Woman finds WWII-era grenade in late father’s possessions

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A couple in Otis, Oregon was surprised to find what appeared to be a live hand grenade when they were clearing out the garage of a deceased family member Friday afternoon, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Sheriff’s deputies received a call around 4:30 p.m. during which a woman said she found a World War II-era hand grenade. She and her husband came across it while going through boxes of stuff that belonged to her later father, and said what they found appeared to be live and intact.

Deputies drove over to the house to investigate and they confirmed that it was, indeed, an “original World War II-era, MKIIA1 fragmentation grenade,” possibly packaged in its original container.

As a precaution, the Oregon State Police Bomb Squad was called out to the Otis home to secure the grenade. Authorities took possession of the active relic to further investigate “if the grenade contained the necessary internal components to be deadly.”

It is unclear if it will be deactivated and returned to the family.