Ten years ago, two bombs were discovered beneath the surface of the Rhine River in Germany. They had been dropped by American and British planes during the last years of World War II and had been lurking under the water for 65 years. When water levels dropped, the bombs were found.

            Fortunately, bomb squads successfully defused the bombs after 45,000 residents of the riverside city of Koblenz were evacuated. This was the largest German evacuation since the end of the war, involving nearly half the population of the city. One of the bombs was a 4,000-pound British “air mine,” with the potential to destroy the city’s center. The other was a smaller American explosive bomb. The American bomb was transformed by its impact on the earth, making it more difficult to deactivate.

            When the bombs were discovered, life came to a virtual standstill in Koblenz. Hundreds of volunteers evacuated two hospitals and seven homes for senior citizens. Numerous hotels and a prison were also affected. When the bomb squad began its work, authorities declared the center of Koblenz a “forbidden area,” and a thousand authorities searched the town for stragglers.

            The people of Koblenz are accustomed to bomb findings, and there may still be unexploded bombs in the area. Throughout Germany, the deactivation of bombs is a common practice, although it can end tragically when explosions kill members of bomb-disposal squads. Fortunately, no one was hurt or killed in Koblenz, and the evacuated residents were allowed to return home after the bombs were safely defused. ¹

Unexploded bombs

   &nb

...approximately 1,289 words remaining. You are not logged in. Please see options at the top of this page to view complete sermon.