Head, Rocket, Grapnel, Wadsworth Mount

This is a grapnel rocket head developed at the end of World War II by the inventor Wadsworth W. Mount (1907-1985). This grapnel was one of a series of especially adapted heads to be used with standard U.S. Navy 1.25-in (3.175 cm) or other caliber rockets for throwing lines. The grapnel rocket could throw life lines for rescue work at sea or from ship to shore, for climbing cliffs, and for breaching beach defenses. During tests, the rockets were able to successfully throw out lines more than 1,000 ft (305 m). However, Mount's rockets were not adopted by the military.

Mount donated the rocket head to the Smithsonian in 1977 as part of a full kit.