WORLD WAR II U.S. ARMY UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE TRAINING FILM 72442

Made in 1944, "Curiosity Killed a Cat``is a training film with a difference. It's a graphic explanation of what happens when soldiers discover unexploded shells and decide that duds would make terrific souvenirs. While the ensuing explosions aren`t exactly laugh-getters, the interaction between the scolding sergeant and his incredibly stupid subordinate, who delights like a child at each unexploded round, is practically a Three Stooges routine.
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[@tzisme]

This summer I will be home from VN for 50 years and I still don't pick up stuff that I didn't put down.

[@jamesanderton344]

My WW2 vet Dad never pointed or waved his arms, ever, into his 80s. Said that, and standing next to a radio man, was like pinning a bulls eye on your chest.

[@JohnDoe-pv2iu]

Welcome back and Thank you for your service.

[@Killjoy888]

Thank you for your service in protecting the freedom of the family before me

[@jool7793]

Sorry you had to fight in a bullshit war started by politicians under the false pretense that the war was necessary to keep Americans safe. I hope you have happiness.

[@abaddon4823]

Welcome home

[@coinsmith]

I love these old WWII training films that were so obviously filmed at Fort Ord or Camp Pendleton. 27 years Army, retired 1996. As Archie would say, "Those were the days!"

[@BLACKTHUMB01]

During the final hours of Desert Storm our Battery occupied a former Iraqi position littered with unexploded Ordinance. One of our Troopers kicked a small rusty metal ball lying in the sand. That ball turned out to be a DPICM bomblet, it exploded and killed him on the spot.

[@claytonmontanez2262]

Damn. Condolences

[@jamesanderton344]

My WW2 vet Dad told me that many civilians were killed and injured in English cities by “butterfly bombs”......looked like a tin can and kids especially would kick them in the street....

[@crowwing9322]

Holy shit …

[@bhoward9378]

Wow. Bummer.

[@loydevan1311]

That is a shame but everyone in the unit learned from that bloody experience. This has happened to me and my many units that I was deployed with over a 28 year career. Duds will kill you, they are unforgiving.

[@Supersean0001]

Yeah, it's a crappy training film . . . but. In Desert Storm, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment had only a single combat-related death: an 11C (mortarman) in E Trp., if I remember correctly. A few days AFTER the fighting was over, this guy found an unexploded cluster bomblet, the type with the tripwires hanging out of it. He picked it up -- by the tripwires -- and was swinging it around his head, showing off to his buddies . . . when it exploded. Didn't kill him right away; he made it back to Landstuhl before dying in the hospital there. Also, my own driver(!) -- I was a tanker, on K-43, K Trp., 3/3d ACR -- pulled an equally dumb stunt, but got away with it. The last full day of the war, we kept seeing these sort of rusty metal 'flowers' sticking up out of the sand all over the place. Jim Stalans, our driver, and like every other tank driver that ever was, got to wondering what those were, so he decided to run over one. From up in the turret, I knew what he was thinking, as he started angling the tank over to run over one. I got on the intercom, "Stalans, don't be doing that sh!t! You don't know what the f@ck those things are!" So he angled the tank back the other way. An hour or two later we stopped for fuel. We got fuel, then pulled off to provide security. Stalans got out, to check track tension, etc., and after finishing, he noticed one of those metal flowers maybe 20m away. He went over to it, and before I could say anything, he reached down to pull it out of the sand. What it was was an unexploded 120mm mortar round, presumably left over from the Iran/Iraq War. He looked shocked, and started to swing back to throw it, when I yelled at him to "STOP!!! You can't throw that thing far enough!!" Damn . . . stupid privates . . . "Hold on, let me get a shovel." So I went over next to him, with him gingerly holding this dud mortar round, and dug a shallow pit for him to gently put it in. We marked it with a stake and some engineer's tape -- like we'd do for one of our tank rounds that turned out to be a dud -- and reported it up the chain before we moved out again.

[@BLACKTHUMB01]

Jesus Christ!

[@eduardojones6411]

Natural Selection at work

[@u.s.militia7682]

We always had a dumbass who wanted to play with something he’d found. Luckily only one lost some fingers playing around with a improvised hand grenade. George and Laura Bush came to see his dumbass in Walter Reed in 2004. We usually called in EOD or Combat Engineers to handle anything.

[@mccalltrader]

At EOD school they talked about people doing that Who the f does that..I guess the stories are all true?!

[@u.s.militia7682]

McCall G. Idiots do that. You can literally tell them not to do something and as soon as your back is turned they do it. Should’ve been court martialed over it. Instead our President thought he was a friggin hero. Go figure.

[@wencroom]

Some years ago a buddy of mine told a story about how he got out of Bosnia before his tour was up. He was leading a five man patrol when they came across a Lt and a Sgt trying to defuse a mine that he learned that the Lt wanted to take back as a souvenir. He wished them luck and headed out when he heard a noise before as he put it "the lights went out and when he regained consciousness he was in the hospital in Germany with a bandage on his left shoulder. It seems that the two souvenir hunters (or more precisely what was left of them) got home before he did but they went home as cargo rather than passengers. Not a way that I would choose to travel!

[@loydevan1311]

Some folks are so smart and experienced they are stupid. There mama's raised them better than that! You can't fix stupid.

[@marksolarz3756]

Many are tamper resistant. You can’t do a thing. They go off aftertime. Months.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@marksolarz3756 Most magnetic triggered mines have built in anti-tampering triggers.

[@kelleywright1929]

I was working at the Head Shead. report we got was in was an E7 who thought he could defuse it with his Gerber tool. Because there were kids nearby. He cut a taut wire. Dumb .

[@armyinfantry11b]

@@kelleywright1929 that is hilarious in the aspect of E-7 aren’t immune to stupidity.

[@EchosTackyTiki]

Smokey is literally Lance Corporal Schmuckatelli. He's the guy you get safety briefs because of.

[@loydevan1311]

Good old Schmuckatelli. Haven't heard from him in decades. How's his girlfriend, Susie Rottencrotch doing? Semper Fidelis.

[@markreeter6227]

Looks like a short film made to be shown before a regular movie to GIs in the rear on R&R as a ‘reminder’ about what not to do when they go back to the line. Intentionally over-the-top stupid/silly in order to hold their attention.

[@punman5392]

Gotta love the token guy with the bugs bunny accent

[@drizler]

I worked with a guy who was at Normandy. He watched a fellow GI playing with a pistol he’d found. Somebody told the guy to cut it out but he persisted. It went off and killed the guy next to him.

[@terry_willis]

That's not a boobie trap. That's just stupid.

[@lifeindetale]

Was he aiming at the guy?!

[@lifeindetale]

Pistol setup as an explosive?

[@drizler]

@@lifeindetale As I recall Link said the GI was just fumbling around with it and it went off like someone who had no handgun experience. It can happen easily enough. I saw plenty of dumb stunts pulled by peace time MPs playing with their 1911s M16s and 870 12 gauges

[@ReckerFidelWOLF]

6:58 When you know whats going to happen but it still startles you

[@aquilazyy1125]

I didn’t expect that they would give that a wide shot. That man just blow up on screen.

[@RMR1]

I know, right? I figured they'd do a small explosion and we'd see the guy fall over in melodramatic fashion. I nearly jumped out of my chair.

[@yanderexrandom6865]

So I'm not the only 1 who jumped. Good, I thought it was just me.

[@bernardtaylor7768]

All the blind ammunition they found and not once did they mark its position for others to see.

[@deadhorse1391]

Is interesting they have those long 1905 / 1942 bayonets for the 1903 Springfield on those M1 Garands. Guess the film crew thought they presented better

[@noah4822]

could just be what they had laying around to film with. things like this aren't exactly playing with "avengers" money

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

I think Private Partz is Don Rickles

[@geodes4762]

Actually I thought it was Red Buttons

[@williamstillman8543]

This one takes the prize for most expletives heard in an army training film!

[@leighatkins22]

Shame about the sound... but what an old gem!

[@ernestclements7398]

Some years ago I was working as a county sheriff's officer when I was flagged down by a woman who was cleaning her late husband's belongings out of her garage, ( the late man had been a Vietnam veteran) while she was working she found some old " ammunition" that she wanted to turn in, I went with her and discovered that the old " bullets" were in fact live 40 millimeter grenades for an M-79 grenade launcher! Having been trained by the head of the county bomb squad to never change the attitude ( the way that a suspected explosive device is sitting) of a device I called backup and evacuated the area for two blocks, when the bomb squad arrived, they confirmed my find and added that the rounds were high explosive they were removed, and taken to a nearby quarry where they were safely detonated, I never heard such a loud bang before or since!

[@BIoodEnemy]

the audio is really quiet on this one

[@kiwitrainguy]

Except for the explosions.

[@gleggett3817]

i thought it was me

[@Kid_Ying]

2006-2007 in Iraq. I remember a story of something that happened about a year prior. An Airman decided it was a good idea to take a foreign UXO he'd dug up and, for whatever baffling reason, banged it against the side of a CHU. It didn't go well.

[@AR15andGOD]

good fucin riddance

[@RMR1]

Which one was Abbott and which was Costello? I never could keep them straight.

[@terry_willis]

The little guy sounded like Curly from the 3 Stooges. Nyuk nyuk nyuk.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

A German youth was spotted at X ray in departures in a small island nation on the far side of the world about to get onto a flight home with a 20mm anti aircraft shell in his luggage. A mild panic ensued, but a friendly policeman took him aside for a chat and asked the frightened fellow where he got said article. He replied that he got it from a second-hand store down town and was assured by the proprietor that it had been demilled...... "Ah", said the Australian Defence Forces veteran and policeman, "Do you see the irony in carrying an anti aircraft shell onto an aircraft...demilled or not?" He was relieved of the souvenir (which was inert but the airline said "Yeah, nah") and the youth was then turned over to his father...who, the policeman said, then verbally tore strips of his son. The policeman said he actually felt sorry for the son after that......

[@AR15andGOD]

Thats BS. It was demilled. Doesn't matter how you feel about it, pilot man. It was demilled.

[@Zorglub1966]

4:34 The harmonica played tune sounds as a french britanny fisher bawdy song " Allons à Lorient"

[@capitolabill1921]

Are you sure it's not "Ach, du Lieber, Augustin?" A decidedly German tune. Perfect to deceive a German officer.

[@Zorglub1966]

@@capitolabill1921 I'm not sure at all, that the point! It just sounds like. Maybe i'm wrong. EDIT : borrowing melody for a new song was a common use.

[@davegreenlaw5654]

@11:00 - Gotta ask, what the hell was that stuff in that box that Maloney was looking at and the German was scared of? Looks to me like harmonicas...think the German developed a phobia of them because of earlier?

[@vincentmueller3717]

Harmonicas

[@martkbanjoboy8853]

'So and so was just walkin' around breathin' 😂

[@GatCat]

Yes!!! Lol

[@ctdieselnut]

Let me guess, everything went well for him and he lived happily ever after?!

[@rfletch62]

Why do training film soldiers always have mounted bayonets?

[@mr6johnclark]

It's idiotic... Mounted Bayontets ruin accuracy.

[@noah4822]

the answer is in your question, it's a film. gi's rarly used bayonetes in real combat, but they look neat i guess

[@GatCat]

“Do you remember Earl Martin? He was walking around breathing one day…” Next shot *BOOOM* Lol

[@rikijett310]

Curiosity killed the cat, but it satisfied his soul. 😇

[@maineoutdoorsman677]

If he’s that dumb then better to weed out him out before he gets somone killed

[@WillN2Go1]

Something some of the guys in Airborne said about why they volunteered for Airborne. During basic training some of the other recruits were so dumb they figured joining an elite unit that would be sent in first was a safer bet.

[@kirkmarrie8060]

G.I.'s didn't attach their chins straps. They were taught that a nearby bomb explosion could snap their neck if strapped in.

[@timothyterrell1658]

Simple trick . something questionable, carry a roll of fishing line.put a quick loop on the end, drop loop over item in question play out line. Yank on line .for items like mortar rounds after making needed move cut line at convenient spot , leaving loop on ordenance un disturbed..

[@timengineman2nd714]

Since I've recently heard of some "items" being found in the US, probably WW2 era. Most are/were probably Training Aids. However, please remember that several different types of explosives (from that period and even some from today) get more sensitive to shock and vibrations! If it was an "over" or otherwise a miss, or some idiot did bring back a live round/or other explosive, all it takes is for a tap or a bump for the firing pin to realign and whoever it WAS is going to have issues!!!

[@timengineman2nd714]

@Colin Killian Thanks!

[@loydevan1311]

The Japanese used industrial dyes as an main charge in there large munitions that crystallize over time and become very sensitive. Indianhead NOS, Maryland graduate 1977.

[@loydevan1311]

@Colin Killian Mortars, hand grenades, artillery rounds. Japanese were forced us these sensitive chemicals due to the US NAVY successful submarine campaign denying strategic imported materials. Over time, these dyes would crystallize and grow outside the munitions, along the ground, up the wall eventually hang from the ceiling. Crushing the crystallize growth could cause a sympathetic detonation. Caution is the watch word of the day. Piezoelectric crystals are used to detonate shoulder fired rockets in modern munitions. Hydraulic fluid successful in neutralizing the explosive hazard. Civil War black powder filled cannon balls would get wet then dry out, then repeat this cycle and then get more sensitive over time. All of these munitions need to be x-rayed to verify that they are solid shot and only hazardous if dropped on your toe. I've been called out to people's homes in North Carolina with 2 powder filled munitions as a home decoration flanking an active fire place. People are scary.

[@user-wh3pr3zv1k]

Laural and Hardy with high explosives. Does anyone know the actors in this film?

[@scottgriggs2596]

Don Rickles?

[@goneutt]

I think it is

[@kellyhill430]

Im thinking same Don R. But someone else says its an actor Murry Alvors or something like.

[@fairlane2020]

7:02 🙈

[@u.s.militia7682]

I can’t hardly hear it.

[@MrLucky3576]

Maybe "his girl" works in EOD....you never know....

[@ashleymarie7452]

Shoot Maloney. Give the German his weapon. You just raised the IQ level of the unit 50%.

[@Toster79]

Do you speak american? Nein, Ich speak english.

[@samcoon6699]

I couldn't find anything for sure but the one that always wants to pick up stuff sure sounds like Mel Blanc.

[@aquilazyy1125]

The audio was so crappy that I didn’t get what the plot on the last scene (where they got into a bunker) was. Someone care to explain? Thanks a lot.

[@jezzmaninjapan]

The GI drunk from a bottle that the enemy used to piss in. Then they made him read his diary to tell them the German plans, because he spoke english.

[@aquilazyy1125]

@@jezzmaninjapan Thank you!

[@shorty808100]

I tried to go in as EOD but I failed the physical I have spina bifida

[@bigprojects2560]

6:51 he was walking along breathing one day 😂 booom

[@jrcrawford4]

1:30 Private Babra!

[@peghead]

SHAD AP!

[@xmanhoe]

@1.57... Ernest Borgnine?

[@southernkiwi8720]

yes

[@marine4lyfe85]

No

[@cameronduff884]

I'm recognizing the voice from cartoons or Private SNAFU.

[@LawtonDigital]

Threatening to beat or kill a prisoner violates the Geneva Conventions.

[@nikolai502]

The threat or the deed? everyone violates these, they're just guidelines anyways.

[@edwardgaines6561]

Oh yeah, I'm sure the Taliban follows the Geneva Convention.

[@ricdintino9502]

Always carry a harmonica.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

Yep. They blowed up REAL good!

[@scho-ka-kola2917]

Who exactly was the training film even made for?

[@ReckerFidelWOLF]

Draftees and grunts. 18 year olds etc

[@jonhunt5408]

These were short films shown to soldiers before a feature. They were designed to remind soldiers on r&r to be careful. They’re intentionally ‘Over the top’ to enhance their memorability.

[@Violetbunnyfish]

World War 2

[@LewdCustomer]

WWII was such a fun war. Hope nobody got hurt.

[@ohhimark5723]

Lol the bait was so funny nobody took it

[@fairlane2020]

9:10 🙈

[@zesalesjt7797]

The cat's a paid actor.

[@cadetsparklez3300]

reminds me of the cop that was talking to me and his dumb partner who just assumed I was under arrest or something and started telling me to sit down 12:15

[@kellyhill430]

Makes me wonder how many american soldiers were killed by booby traps and unexploded ordinance while they were hunting for souvenirs?

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Theoughout ww2? A few hundred probably...

[@tmackjr8652]

@@SonsOfLorgar I think more...lol all about items.

[@fairlane2020]

11:37 🤣🤣

[@fairlane2020]

8:06 🙈

[@Rutherford_Inchworm_III]

01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.

[@christopherwaring8285]

CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT THT WAS A 80S BAND

[@jimkon5767]

I heard this was the 1st Hurt Locker movie ...

[@Charlesputnam-bn9zy]

0:43 -> 0:44 nightmare Mickey Mouse

[@jezzmaninjapan]

There must've been a lot of dumb soldiers if they felt the need to make a 15 minute video about not touching unexploded ammo.

[@jayvanx154]

Judging form the comments there are unfortunately still some soldiers who do this...

[@edwardgaines6561]

Why would that guy drink something he just found on the street? Not too smart either.

[@wcharliewilson7004]

Let me guess, the little guy incorrectly pronounces nerve 'noive'

[@jool7793]

He said “gale” instead of girl.

[@beau1112]

Put. Your. Bayonets. Away. Yal got plenty of ammo. Endless supply. Cut it out. You gonna stick your own dude with that to.

[@IRumburakI]

"Here babe, this is a souvenir I bought at souvenir market, for you love. No, don't pull the pin!!"

[@waiting4aliens]

Is that Ronald Reagan?

[@queenmaryellen]

Right?

[@FayazAhmad-yl6sp]

In Afghanistan the USA and NATO modren armies were defeated by Taliban militia force, the Afghans are the best fighters on earth. The hungry Afghan will prefer to buy rifle inside of food.

[@texaswunderkind]

The United States easily defeated the Taliban military. What they failed to do was achieve the impossible task of making tribal Afghanistan into a Little America.

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

I think cat has nothing to do with general stupidness of an US soldier.

[@dannyarcher6163]

Sad how first worlders killed eachother.

[@Violetbunnyfish]

Yeah, only first world nations wage war (Rolls eyes)

[@SoloPilot6]

Booby traps trap booby troops.

[@brianfranklin9163]

Pathetic instruction film. I guess that the average G.I. was a moron if the characters were geared to their appeal. I wasn't too impressed with the guys I got stuck with in basic training in the A.F. After one year there were only 10/100 of us left that hadn't been kicked out. Our first training film was what happens when you toss a bolt into a jet engine when it is running. They wasted an engine to show us that. Wow.

[@50centgotshot9times]

toss a bolt into a jet engine? Why even give people that idea. Thats not something that would ever crosss my mind in the first place. I really hope the average soldier is smarter than this.

[@brianfranklin9163]

@@50centgotshot9times A lot of briefings were pointless. 99% of us never even got close to a jet engine anyway. I went through basic 39 years ago. I have had some experiences in the last ten years with civilian, enlisted, and commissioned personnel. Discipline and efficiency aren't words that I would associate with them. Apparently, those two words are not associated with any military organization throughout military history. We just hope that our adversaries are bigger messes.

[@dwightl5863]

Perhaps to illustrate the importance of a mechanic to properly secure fasteners and if you drop a bolt in the process you better find it? Just a thought.

[@wallycleaver8267]

"If you are dumb enough to be here you are smart enough to not blow us all up"

[@beau1112]

Put. Your. Bayonets. Away. Yal got plenty of ammo. Endless supply. Cut it out. You gonna stick your own dude with that to.

[@fairlane2020]

7:35 🙈