About 10 pounds of a high-powered explosive that disappeared in January of 2021 from the Twentynine Palms Marine base during an exercise has been recovered. At the time, the 10 pounds of C4, a malleable plastic explosive with a texture like modeling clay, was thought to have been stolen. In a release today (June16, 2021) the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) said the missing C4 has been Recovered aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. The release said, “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) initiated an investigation in January 2021 upon notification of missing C-4 explosives aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. Those explosives have been recovered and the NCIS investigation remains ongoing. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed at this time. Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS will not provide further details while the investigation continues.” At the time the explosives went missing, the Marine Corps was holding an exercise called Winter Fury through mid-February at Camp Pendleton with units from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Division, and Marine Logistic Group participating. The commanding officer in charge of the unit with the missing explosive had offered a reward for its return and had reportedly threatened to extend the exercise until the C4 was found. C4 is more powerful than TNT but needs a detonator in order to explode. When detonated, one pound of C4 can demolish a vehicle.
