Incendiary Ammunition

bullets, artillery (and mortar) shells, aerial bombs, and hand grenades designed to ignite inflammable objects and destroy manpower and combat equipment. Incendiary artillery (mortar) shells and aerial bombs are filled with such materials as incendiary thermite compositions and phosphorus. During World War II incendiary aerial bombs were used extensively by German and Anglo-American aviation during attacks on populated areas. During the war in Korea (1950–53) and the war in Vietnam, American forces used incendiary aerial bombs and high-explosive shells filled with napalm. Incendiary ammunition that combines incendiary action with other types of destruction is also used, including fragmentation-incendiary shells and armor-piercing incendiary shells and bullets.