ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — That nor’easter we saw about a week ago yanked up a piece of history from the ocean floor. Part of a WWII era plan came ashore on a St. Johns County Beach.
"It’s a really neat piece of history," history buff Tommy Keisler said.
He was told about the object after it came ashore on South Ponte Vedra Beach last week.
"It’s about 8 feet long, 5 feet in diameter," Keisler said.
He believes it’s the tail end of a World War II-era Navy plane called an F4F Wildcat.
"We cross-examined it with old photos and I took measurements," he explained. And he said the images and measurements are a good match.
"I do believe it went down in the ’40s in, more than likely, a training accident," Keisler said.
Marine archaeologist Chuck Meide with the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program has been looking into the find.
"We know there was an aircraft carrier operating out of Mayport Naval Station during the war and that carried planes," Meide said. "Planes were departing and landing."
"They would run into all kinds of electrical problems, engine problems and they’d have to down the plane," Keisler said.
Some old planes have been sunk on purpose in order to make artificial reefs. However, Keisler and Meide doubt that’s the case here.
It's because of the tail hook.
Keisler explained, "The tail hook is still lodged into the tail section."
And that tailhook most likely would’ve been moved before an intentional sinking.
Keisler said he has the plane part and he has notified the Navy which technically owns the artifact.
"I haven’t been able to locate any identifying marks at this point," he said. "It's a piece of history and it needs to go to a museum or organization that can take care of it."
Meide noted, "We’ve recently opened a WWII exhibit here at the Lighthouse."
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is interested in seeing what this elaborate piece of metal can reveal since it was dislodged from the decades.