lost Treasure Of A Different Kind Found

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,624
55,357
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
GEORGIA: AMATEUR DIVERS FIND LONG-LOST NUCLEAR WARHEAD

February 12th, 2015



Savannah| A*couple of tourists from Canada made a surprising discovery while scuba diving *in Wassaw Sound, a small bay* located*on the shores of Georgia. Jason Sutter and Christina Murray*were admiring the marine life*of the area when they stumbled upon a Mark 15 thermonuclear bomb that had been lost by the*United States*Air Force more than 50 years ago.

The couple from London in Ontario,*was on*a two week vacation in Georgia and Florida to practise their favorite hobby, scuba diving, when they decided to dive near *the shores of Tybee Island. While admiring the plants and fishes near the sea floor, they noticed a large cylindrical item*partially covered by sand. They investigated the object and*found out*that it was actually a sort of bomb or missile, so they decided to contact the authorities.

“I noticed an object that looked like a metal cylinder, which I thought was an oil barrel”*says Jason Sutter.*“When I dug it up a bit, I noticed that it was actually a lot bigger and that there was some writing on the side. When I saw the inscription saying that it was a Mk-15 nuclear bomb, I totally freaked out. I caught Chritina by the arm and made signs to tell her we had to leave. We*made an emergency ascent, went back to shore*and then we called 911.”



The couple is still shocked after their frightening discovery and say they will avoid diving for the rest of their trip.

Rapidly understanding the gravity of the situation, the 911 operator contacted every possible emergency service, including the coast guard and the military,*leading to the*deployment of more than 20 ships and 1500 men in the area. Using the*GPS coordinates*given by the couple, they rapidly located the powerful 3.8 megaton bomb.

An unmanned submarine was sent to determine the condition of the bomb, before explosive experts were sent to disarm it. Fortunately, the thermonuclear weapon*produced in 1955 seemed*in*sufficiently good shape*for a team of Navy seals**to*try*to*defuse it. They successfully deactivated the*warhead after hours of strenuous work, allowing the rest of the bomb to be moved.

The*delicate recovery operation*took more than 48 hours, but the bomb was finally recovered and transported Mayport Naval Station in Florida. A full set of tests and analysis will now be*performed on the warhead to evaluate its actual state and the possible ecological and health hazard that its presence in the bay for 50 years could represent.



Navy explosive ordnance Disposal technicians spent nearly five hours working on the warhead before*they were able to extract the detonator and the uranium core*of the weapon, allowing the fuselage*to be*moved.

The federal and state authorities were well-aware that a nuclear*warhead*had been lost in the area in the 1950′s and had never been recovered, but no efforts had been done for years to recover it.*It*was lost*on the night of February 5, 1958, when*a B-47 Stratojet bomber carrying*the 7,600-pound*hydrogen bomb on a* simulated combat mission off the coast of Georgia collided with an F-86 Saberjet fighter at 36,000 feet of altitude. The collision destroyed the fighter and severely damaged a wing of the bomber, leaving one of its engines partially dislodged.

The bomber’s pilot, Maj. Howard Richardson, was instructed by the Homestead Air Force Base in Florida.*to jettison the H-bomb before attempting a landing. Richardson dropped the bomb into the shallow waters of Wassaw Sound, near the mouth of the Savannah River, where he believed the bomb would be swiftly recovered. *The crew did not see an explosion when the bomb struck the sea and*they managed to land the B-47 safely at the nearest base.

For the following six weeks, the Air Force looked for the bomb without success. Underwater divers scoured the depths, troops tromped through nearby salt marshes, and a blimp hovered over the area attempting to spot a hole or crater in the beach or swamp. Researches were finally abandoned and the bomb remained hidden for more than 50 years until the unlucky couple stumbled upon it.

Georgia: Amateur Divers Find Long-Lost Nuclear Warhead World News Daily Report
 

releventchair

Gold Member
May 9, 2012
22,653
72,161
Primary Interest:
Other
I sleep better than if I knew what all has been lost in weaponry.
Of all the things for visiting tourists to find. They may think us odd.
Good find! If members I,d vote banner.
 

Nitric

Silver Member
Mar 8, 2014
4,796
6,249
Dallas,GA
Detector(s) used
CZ6A
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Greastart

Bronze Member
Dec 29, 2014
1,352
1,547
Far North Corner of CA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
AT Pro and a Garrett Carrot
Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
Other
Uhhmmm.....I'm new to this, but doesn't this kinda fit into the "Banner" criteria?

I'm voting banner!
 

Last edited:

Juice in the hole

Full Member
Mar 22, 2014
199
125
North Carolina
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think you've been fooled Treasure Hunter. Don't feel bad, I've been to that site before and although it looks legitimate (if not leaning a bit towards the fantastic) It's nothing more than a modern day National Enquirer.

Here's a guide to fake news sites: A Guide to Fake News Websites
 

DDancer

Bronze Member
Mar 25, 2014
2,339
2,002
Traveling US to work
Detector(s) used
Current Equinox 600
Past Whites DFX Garret GTI 2500 and others
Prospecting Minelab GPZ 7000
Past SD 2100 GP 3000 (retired)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Regardless its a good read. Thanks :thumbsup:
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,428
132,759
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There is nothing like finding something really neat/cool...
But nothing like the feeling you get when you realize what you just found could kill you.

Like the time I dug a live HUGE antitank rocket many years ago in S.C...
I was excited when I saw the fins and was prying it out slightly with my scoop...
Thinking it was just a tail section which I found often...
As the rest emerged and I realized it was live and ready to go...
And saw the tip edge of my scoop right up the arse of the thing...
My heart stopped and I freaked in a split second I bolted...
I dropped my scoop and detector and ran like hell...
I ran about 30 + yards away and turned around and just stood there for like 15 mins...
then I slowly walked back toward the spot with great hesitation...
As I called the land owner to tell him he needed to contact authorities immediately.
 

OP
OP
Treasure_Hunter

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,624
55,357
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
LOL I knew its fake, but thought some would get a kick out of it. It is actually one of the World News Daily Reports more believable stories, especially for the writer Barbara Jennings.

Check out some of her other stories..

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/author/barbara-jennings/
 

Juice in the hole

Full Member
Mar 22, 2014
199
125
North Carolina
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Gotcha. :occasion14:

Here's a real story about the bomb that almost blew up North Carolina: 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


"The 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash was an accident that occurred in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on January 24, 1961. A B-52 Stratofortress carrying two Mark 39 nuclear bombs broke up in mid-air, dropping its nuclear payload in the process.[2] The pilot in command ordered the crew to eject, which they did at 9,000 feet (2,700 m). Five men successfully ejected or bailed out of the aircraft and landed safely. Another ejected but did not survive the landing, and two died in the crash.[3] Controversy continues to surround the event as information newly declassified in 2013 reinforced long-held, public suspicions that one of the bombs came very close to detonating."
 

OP
OP
Treasure_Hunter

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,624
55,357
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I know during a crisis if planes are launched the nukes were only armed once in flight, last thing you want is nuke going off, especially on a base with hundreds of other nukes.

Don't know if you have ever seen movie Fail Safe, but if you have that was the actual procedures used, to avoid sneak attack US always had a percentage of our bombers with nukes in the air 24/7...
 

rodarian

Hero Member
Jul 20, 2014
820
483
upstate New York
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, ACE250, Garrett pro pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Thank goodness I kept reading. I couldn't believe that the govt. couldn't find a nuke, having known the exact location that it dropped. Almost lost faith in our government.:rolleyes:
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
86,310
60,072
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
WOW That would have made a Nice addition to My Relic Displays :laughing7:

Front Lawn Orniment !!!!!
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
Treasure_Hunter

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,624
55,357
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There are lost nukes...
 

Peyton Manning

Gold Member
Dec 19, 2012
14,564
18,762
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
MXT-PRO
Sandshark
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
and I bet if you found one you wouldn't get to keep it
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,010
17,138
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Tom Clancy wrote an excellent book about what might happen with a lost nuke. The Sum of All Fears.

Much, much different from the movie. It concerns a nuke lost in 1973 that was part of what Israel kept in the air during the Yom Kippur War that falls into the wrong hands. Scary stuff and allegedly well researched.
 

Msbeepbeep

Gold Member
Jun 24, 2012
15,787
24,131
MA
Detector(s) used
M-6, pro pointer, pistol probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just when I thought it was safe to go detecting! That would really spice up my day, and the family would never let me go detecting again!

Maybe that's what DCR is afraid we'll find on Mass. beaches 50 year old unexplored ordinance!
 

Trooper733

Sr. Member
Apr 3, 2013
388
315
Eastern Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Whites V3i,Whites DFX, Whites TRX, Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Other
I remember reading about this incident in a book on the Strategic Air Command and the cold war era. I believe the B47 was involved in a mid air collision with a fighter during training which damaged one of the engine pylons and the aircraft commander ended up jettisoning the device without the plutonium capsule installed, in order to be able to make a safe landing. The old MK15s had an open pit design where the nuclear capsule was inserted to make the device "live" depending on the circumstances, however the device would still contain the high explosive "lenses" which when detonated would squeeze the plutonium capsule and force it to go critical. Most of the lost nukes were lost during "Chrome Dome" alert missions, as TH said. From vets Ive talked to that flew the B47, it was considered by many to be a "crew killer" because there were so many losses during its active tenure because of lack of engine power, even with water injection boosting during takeoff, which is where most were lost.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top