Possible WWII Explosive Rocket Found Buried in Florida Backyard.
It's not every day that you dig up a World War II rocket in your backyard! That's exactly what one Florida resident did recently.
According to The News & Observer, the homeowner was using an excavator in their yard on Kindlewood Trail in Brooksville. That's when they stumbled upon the explosive.
Instead of trying to play with their new found toy, the smart homeowner called 911 and alerted the authorities. The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office didn't take any chances. They called in the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Team for help removing the rocket. They also called the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at MacDill Air Force Base for backup.
Once the experts arrived, they determined that the homeowner had indeed dug up the military ordnance with his excavator.
WWII Rocket:
Experts determined that the ordinance found was a World War II practice rocket after conducting several X-rays and research. They deemed the rocket safe to move and the MacDill EOD team safely removed it and transported it back to Tampa.
While it remains a mystery as to how the rocket ended up buried in someone's backyard, it is reassuring that it was safely disposed of and did not cause any damage. This discovery follows closely behind another incident where a World War I anti-ship personnel round was brought to a pawn shop in North Port, Florida, which had never been fired and was also taken by the Air Force for safe disposal.
So, the moral of the story is, if you're digging in your backyard and come across something that looks like a bomb or a missile, don't hesitate to call the authorities. You never know what kind of treasure (or explosive) you may find. And let's be honest, it's not every day that you can say you found a World War II rocket in your backyard. The homeowner got lucky!