Old Army training grounds stuff........

[Zeke]

Went to an area today that was used by the Army years ago as a training ground. Bullets everywhere......live rounds, shell casings, fired bullet projectiles, blank shell casings, etc.

I did manage to find 51 cents including one 1951 wheatie and an old compass. The area now is included in some state Gamelands. You can ride for miles in that place. Got to fool around on an old tank that sits on the now defunct artillery range. That was cool

The first place we looked was beside of a lake that 8 airborne soldiers died by drowning one night when they did a night jump. Landed in the lake and got caught up in their chutes with all their gear on. I took a pic of the monument erected for them but it might be too large to post......I'll try.

******** The tank and monument pics were too big

 

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[wolfhnd]

Interesting site. I'm sure it will keep you busy for a long time. Do you have to be worried about the live ammo?

 

[Zeke]

Not really........its easy digging since this place is in the Sandhill area of NC. Just move the pine straw aside and I used my beach sand scoop. Most of the stuff is small arms ammo. The Army has all of the big ammo dumps on Federal land that you cant access.

Would like to find a round from this baby!

This is the lake where the paratroopers drowned and the monument.

 

[lonewolfe]

Looks like a cool site!

keep diggin and posting!

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[TOWcritter]

Hey Zeke where is that area located? That M-60 tank looks to be in great shape. Do you know who owns the property and the tank? I might be interested in buying it if it's for sale.

 

[rvbvetter]

Nice finds! Shame about the soldiers. Theres a boot camp or training base near me that was used for training the troops for WW II i think its called camp pendleton. No longer used, just maintained by a skeleton staff of officers I went in to get permission to hunt it. And while waiting for the captain that had the say so, i took a look around. Theres old buildings for acres and big lawns every where. By the time he showed up i was drooling. He turned me down. Said too much live ammo in the ground, to much liability. Eventually i'll go back and see if a new officer is in charge and try again.

 

[Zeke]

Hey Zeke where is that area located?? That M-60 tank looks to be in great shape.? Do you know who owns the property and the tank?? I might be interested in buying it if it's for sale.

Its located in Hoffman, NC off of Hwy 1. The training grounds are part of the old Camp Mackall....where the tank is anyway. There is so much land down there that the Army used to train back during WWII, you can ride for miles, get out and find stuff from where they were. I definately wouldnt want to go in there with a compass or GPS.

One of my buddies had been there before, and it still took the 3 of us to watch all the turns so we could get back out. Alot of the land is on public Gamelands, but there is some that you have to watch the signs and markings to know not to go in.....like where they have the ammo dumps. The bad part is, they have put up constantine wire up where the old buildings were from the camp.....its close to the backside of the new base.

I would have liked to have brought the tank home too........I can see it now......Look what I dug up honey!?

Heres another shot of it.

 

[hikermike]

Nice digs....and cool pics too!! Sure would hated to be the enemy looking down the wrong side of that barrel!! It's sad about the soldiers who died there....they gave their life just like they were in a real battle scenerio......True heros!! Everyone in our Military past and present deserves honor, respect and a great big Thank You!! Sounds like a site that will keep you plenty busy!! Good luck and H.H.

 

[JARMAN]

VERY NICE ZEKE,Be careful with the live rounds when your diggin.Love the pic,s,Probley just a matter of time untill that large round comes up.The weather is so great over the hill from youall week, but i'm leaving out for the gat-burg
this afternoon for a week long work meeting and not get a chance to get out.Sucks to couse the little one cant come up becouse of school.HH