In Jacksonville, Florida, a dog’s routine dig in the backyard led to an extraordinary find that you wouldn’t expect to see in your own backyard or anyone else’s for that matter—a piece of unexploded military ordnance.
Matthew Sims experienced a surge of panic when he realized what he had stumbled upon in his backyard on a Wednesday. “OK, is this live? You panic, then you drop it,” Sims recounted the moment of discovery. He was spending time with his dog, Baby, ensuring she didn’t pick up anything harmful. His vigilance led him to a rusted object buried in the ground. Upon extraction, the realization dawned on him that it was military ordnance, a term encompassing ammunition and weapons.
“You couldn’t tell what it was until you started to pull it up. Once I got it halfway out, I was like, ‘Oh, I know what this is, let me gently put this back down,'” Sims explained. He estimated the ordnance to be about a foot long and weighing around 10 pounds.
According to the police report, the object had been buried for quite some time, as indicated by its decay. Sims noted that it was buried at least six inches deep, with about two inches protruding above the surface.
The discovery prompted a swift response, with a bomb squad seen heading towards the house. Authorities evacuated residents from the vicinity before safely removing the munition.
Neighbor Carla Smith observed the operation with interest rather than concern. “We just watched. I wasn’t scared because I’ve been around people who have found artifacts in the land and stuff like that,” Smith said. “To me, it was interesting to watch. They did their thing, and they were out of here in minutes.”
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the unexpected surprises lying dormant beneath our feet, sometimes with historical and potentially hazardous implications.