24" to 30" Mystery sphere with access port(?) on the end.

[PetesPockets55]

I was at a new permission (described in this link http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/651514-new-permission-bizzarre-american-arms-type-day.html) on Sunday at a newer development when I came across an area about 5' feet inside the privacy wall (about 20'-25' from a neighbors home outside the development) and littered with debris from a home demolition.

I got a nice signal (low to mid 80's if I remember correctly). The dirt was dense and packed which is more indicative of fill for a home slab, not loose beach side type sand like I expected. It took some time since it wasn't easy digging and I see what looks like an old plumbing clean out for large diameter cast iron pipe.
This is what I saw.

And this is a real clean-out plug. (Almost all old ones are iron not brass like this image)



I enlarged the hole just to confirm that it is indeed a plumbing pipe but instead of whatever the "plug" is attached to being cylindrical like a pipe it starts to curve back from the "plug" in all directions like a sphere. This is where I finally got cautious and more careful with my digging since this area of Florida has the WWII training facility in FT. Pierce about 8-10 miles away. (Navy Seal UDT Museum Link- https://www.navysealmuseum.org/about-the-navy-seal-museum/the-origin-of-the-national-navy-udt-seal-museum )
Munitions and ordnance are still found every couple of years so it is best to be cautious.

More images to see if anyone can shed light on this being something dangerous or some benign garbage. Notice the grooved notches emanating from the "plug". They seem like they may be intentional and are not just a byproduct of the manufacturing process.




I stopped when the hole got about 18"-20" in diameter. But I would say the "sphere" is about 24" -30" across. I can't imagine an older propane tank having this access point.

Thanks for looking and any input on an ID.

 

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[ARC]

PETES ALIVE ! ! !

This calls for a toast... someone get some Rum quick.

 

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[ARC]

Hmmm "petes alive"... is that like / similar to "pete's sake". :P

 

[PetesPockets55]

Hmmm "petes alive"... is that like / similar to "pete's sake". :P

LOL. Or... "For Pete's sake" stop digging already before you hit a detonator on the Q 36 Imodium Space Modulator
!!

 

[Al D]

I am following this discussion with great interest, and I pray that all involved remain safe.
I am also reminded of the scene in the “detectorist” where the club leader finds something big and while digging, he sets off a WW2 German incendiary bomb, he was OK and for those not familiar, the show was a comedy, however
DON’T BE THAT GUY. and please keep us posted.

 

[PetesPockets55]

I am following this discussion with great interest, and I pray that all involved remain safe.
I am also reminded of the scene in the “detectorist” where the club leader finds something big and while digging, he sets off a WW2 German incendiary bomb, he was OK and for those not familiar, the show was a comedy, however
DON’T BE THAT GUY. and please keep us posted.

Thanks Alan. Love that show and all it's dry British comedy. It dealt as much with life in general as it did detecting.

Hope to have some kind of info/answer today. The job site superintendent said someone from the local PD was coming to look at it and make a determination.

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

I was at a new permission (described in this link http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/651514-new-permission-bizzarre-american-arms-type-day.html) on Sunday at a newer development when I came across an area about 5' feet inside the privacy wall (about 20'-25' from a neighbors home outside the development) and littered with debris from a home demolition.

I got a nice signal (low to mid 80's if I remember correctly). The dirt was dense and packed which is more indicative of fill for a home slab, not loose beach side type sand like I expected. It took some time since it wasn't easy digging and I see what looks like an old plumbing clean out for large diameter cast iron pipe.
This is what I saw.
View attachment 1910517
And this is a real clean-out plug. (Almost all old ones are iron not brass like this image)
View attachment 1910524


I enlarged the hole just to confirm that it is indeed a plumbing pipe but instead of whatever the "plug" is attached to being cylindrical like a pipe it starts to curve back from the "plug" in all directions like a sphere. This is where I finally got cautious and more careful with my digging since this area of Florida has the WWII training facility in FT. Pierce about 8-10 miles away. (Navy Seal UDT Museum Link- https://www.navysealmuseum.org/about-the-navy-seal-museum/the-origin-of-the-national-navy-udt-seal-museum )
Munitions and ordnance are still found every couple of years so it is best to be cautious.

More images to see if anyone can shed light on this being something dangerous or some benign garbage. Notice the grooved notches emanating from the "plug". They seem like they may be intentional and are not just a byproduct of the manufacturing process.
View attachment 1910519 View attachment 1910520 View attachment 1910521

View attachment 1910522 View attachment 1910523 View attachment 1910523

I stopped when the hole got about 18"-20" in diameter. But I would say the "sphere" is about 24" -30" across. I can't imagine an older propane tank having this access point.

Thanks for looking and any input on an ID.

Yikes, I sure hope it ain't something nefarious like a mine. That's worrisome indeed.

If it had a place for a spout somewhere I would guess an old vintage oil/gas can.

 

[PetesPockets55]

Yikes, I sure hope it ain't something nefarious like a mine. That's worrisome indeed.

If it had a place for a spout somewhere I would guess an old vintage oil/gas can.

Thanks for offering that up Ol'Kentuck. Some similarities but that oil can is smaller than the "something" I found. The circle in the center was about 3" in diameter and had a rusted bolt(?) and washer through the middle of it.

I checked on Friday but haven't heard anything new from the job site superintendent. I'm anxious to hear if the local PD is concerned.

 

[villival]

I can almost bet once your super reports to his superiors, the whole issue will "disappear" like a puff of smoke. Nobody wants their jobs and profits to go up in smoke over rumours of unexploded land mines on a new development gold mine.

Here in Tangipahoa Parish, there is a whole subdivision built on unexploded shells, etc, from the WWII training area at Zemurry Gardens, right down the road from me. No one "knew about it" until a land owner was digging in his yard, and the whole sordid secret came out. No one wants their visions of sugar plum profits from a new development dashed to pieces. I'll bet it's all smoothed over and forgotten in short order.

i hate to be so cynical, but that's the way it seems to work these days. I'm just being realistic.

A, ahem, "friend" found unexploded land mines while metal detecting her property, around the same area. These were smaller, but as she didn't want the government crawling all over her property, she counted herself lucky they were unexploded after she found them, and moved on.

 

[augoldminer]

one problem was after WW2 a lot of the left over navel mine casings were sold as scrap and reused as tanks or mooring buoys .
even some anti torpedo net buoys and navel mine casings became water tanks. propane tanks ect.

when i was in minepac one minesweep was sent to invesagate a reported WW2 navel mine found by a diver.
it was found to be one of these old caseing that some harbor department had reused as a mooring buoy and later rusted through and sank.
https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/naval-mine.html

Wooden Ships and Rusty Crusty Iron Men USS Enhance MSO 437

 

[PetesPockets55]

I can almost bet once your super reports to his superiors, the whole issue will "disappear" like a puff of smoke. Nobody wants their jobs and profits to go up in smoke over rumours of unexploded land mines on a new development gold mine.

Here in Tangipahoa Parish, there is a whole subdivision built on unexploded shells, etc, from the WWII training area at Zemurry Gardens, right down the road from me. No one "knew about it" until a land owner was digging in his yard, and the whole sordid secret came out. No one wants their visions of sugar plum profits from a new development dashed to pieces. I'll bet it's all smoothed over and forgotten in short order.

i hate to be so cynical, but that's the way it seems to work these days. I'm just being realistic.

A, ahem, "friend" found unexploded land mines while metal detecting her property, around the same area. These were smaller, but as she didn't want the government crawling all over her property, she counted herself lucky they were unexploded after she found them, and moved on.

Thanks Villival. Sounds like your Parish has the same type of issue we have around here. And you're right about them wanting to be discrete and not draw a lot of negative attention to their subdivision. That's why I was trying to contact someone to send images to before alerting anyone else. I didn't want to lose a nice permission.

I was talking to another superintendent at another project who said an anti-submarine torpedo (500lb?) dropped by planes was discovered on one of his jobs by a backhoe operator last year about 2-3 miles from this site. The operator was lucky he contacted the side of the device and not the business end. They said it would have created a hole about 100' across.It was about 60'-100' inland from the beach. The authorities moved it to the beach, towed it offshore, attached an explosive charge, sunk it, and then detonated it. In hindsight, that would have been a great beach to detect and see what treasures they may have unleashed from the depths.

one problem was after WW2 a lot of the left over navel mine casings were sold as scrap and reused as tanks or mooring buoys .
even some anti torpedo net buoys and navel mine casings became water tanks. propane tanks ect.

when i was in minepac one minesweep was sent to invesagate a reported WW2 navel mine found by a diver.
it was found to be one of these old caseing that some harbor department had reused as a mooring buoy and later rusted through and sank.
https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/naval-mine.html

Wooden Ships and Rusty Crusty Iron Men USS Enhance MSO 437

Thanks AUGoldminer. I never thought of the government selling off old mine casings as surplus but I can see it happening. That's an interesting link with some neat images of mines.

Thanks for your service working to remove old mines. I haven't heard of Minepac before. Is that an international organization?
PP55

EDIT: Just did an online search and it took a little tweaking of the search words to find info on Minepac.
Here's a link- https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/minewarcom.htm

For those not wanting to visit the link, a quote from the site-
"The structure of the Navy's Mine Force has changed dramatically throughout history, in stride with the structure of the Navy in general. During World War II, the Navy's mine warfare assets were in the charge of Commander, Service Squadron FIVE in the Atlantic. Commander, Service Squadron SIX commanded assets in the Pacific Fleet early in the war, followed by the first true MCM type command, Minecraft, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In the postwar reorganization of the fleets, seven type commands were created, each responsible for the condition and readiness of different types of ships, including the Mine Force. In 1946, Mine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (MINELANT) was created. The Pacific Fleet followed suit in 1947, establishing MINEPAC. "

 

[villival]

No problem Pete. You did what you were supposed to do by telling the super.

Here's one article on the test site down the road:

https://www.fox8live.com/story/3497...ised-to-learn-of-wwii-er-bomb-detonation-site

Residents near Robert surprised to learn of WWII-er bomb detonation site


By FOX8Live.com Staff | March 22, 2017 at 8:24 PM CDT - Updated July 2 at 1:10 AM

(WVUE) - People who live near Robert, LA say they wish they had had some notice after the Corps of Engineers detonated a World War II-era bomb.

The detonation occurred in the middle of what once was a huge bombing target range used during World War II.

We visited a covered bomb crater from a bomb that was detonated about five weeks ago on a site east of Hammond.

"It was a surprise to us not disclosed by the real estate agent or our neighbors," said Byron Landry, who moved to a property near Robert four years ago not knowing that it was once was part of a 15,000-acre bombing range.

"I heard one then two explosions. It really rattled the house," said Landry.

Landry and his neighbors were stunned to hear two loud explosions on Feb. 10.

"There was an enormous explosion. The ground shook slightly," said neighbor David Lirette.

Clay Church with the Fort Worth division of the Army Corps of Engineers said the blast came from a 100-pound bomb dropped from a bomber over 70 years ago.

"Army Corps team was doing investigation and found the ordnance," said Church.

The detonation was part of an ongoing effort to clear areas known as formerly used defend sites or FUDS.

"Dug 6 inches and came across this 50 caliber projectile," said Lirette.

The range was used for target practice for bombers and small fighters like the P 51, which fired lighter artillery.

"Today after a rain you find these quite profusely," said Lirette.

Residents say concerns about bombs keeps them from plowing their fields.

"I would like to plant but we've been cautioned not to dig, and if we strike an object we should contact the authorities," said Lirette.

"I just wish I'd known. I probably wouldn't have bought the property," said Landry.

As the Army Corps continues to look for bombs, many say they will live with a threat they consider minimal.

"These structures were built after the fact. I could be sleeping over a bomb," said Lirette.

While some people worry about bombs on the site, a lot of people say this area was farmed for decades and they feel fairly comfortable but nothing will happen now.

The former bombing target range stretched over a wide area between Highway 445 and the Saint Tammany Parish line north of highway 190 in Tangipahoa parish.

Copyright 2017 WVUE. All rights reserved.

 

[SusanMN]

If it doesn’t end up being a bomb, this is what I thought it might be. These are carbide gas generators

 

[Vermont treasure hunter]

This is in interesting thread! Be very careful around that before it is fully identified!!

 

[PetesPockets55]

If it doesn’t end up being a bomb, this is what I thought it might be. These are carbide gas generators
View attachment 1912736

I've never heard of them and learned something new again today. Thank you.

This is in interesting thread! Be very careful around that before it is fully identified!!

I definitely am. I wish the superintendent would call me back and let me know if he found out anything.

 

[ARC]

Pete... So what the heck is the update if any ? ? ?

 

[xaos]

Your find appears to have a hex nut at the top....from what I have seen, the mines have a round fixture at the top...it seems like the find has a more rounded, instead of a flat top?



are there bolts at the edges?
EDIT: Sanitary sewer cleanouts are usually located just inside a property line...

Be careful....

 

[xaos]

Update or are you blown up?

 

[PetesPockets55]

My apologies guys and gals following this thread. It seems this reply was still in "Auto-save" and not posted.

LOL, I'm still here Xaos!

Pete... So what the heck is the update if any ? ? ?

I've reached out to the superintendent but he hasn't replied. The airforce base said assessing it had to go through the local PD.

I did find out the local PD comes out, assesses whether there is a potential threat. If they see potential danger they call in their own bomb squad who determines if the military bomb squad needs to be called in. Lots of channels to go through when it seems like letting me send an image to someone might have expedited things ..... a lot.

Your find appears to have a hex nut at the top....from what I have seen, the mines have a round fixture at the top...it seems like the find has a more rounded, instead of a flat top?

View attachment 1912871

are there bolts at the edges?
EDIT: Sanitary sewer cleanouts are usually located just inside a property line...

Be careful....

Xaos, Thanks for the insight, questions, and concern. I definitely was alarmed.
It was located near the property edge and about 100' west of the dune.

Yes, it was curved/rounded at the top and I got alarmed when I realized it wasn't clean-out for a cast iron pipe and stopped before I got to the edges, so I'm not sure about bolts. The hole I excavated was about 18"-20" in diameter and about 12" of the curved metal object was visible. If you put a straight edge across the top of the round disc the body would have dropped away from the straightedge about 2" on each side.

If you look at the circular disc, it isn't flat like a huge washer. The outer edge seems to be raised or elevated from the central part. That seems to be similar to a deflector shield used to keep gasses or liquids from being discharged in a stream. That doesn't compute with anything I have knowledge of so I'm still baffled.

Unless it is a really old propane tank and this disc is some sort of pressure release valve?

ps. BTW- Me no go boom! :-)))))

 

[xaos]

ps. BTW- Me no go boom! :-)))))

Great news!

 

[RTR]

Explosive Poop ?