WWII Mortar Round Found With Metal Detector 40 Miles East Of Robertson County
LEBANON TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – About 40 miles east of Robertson County today a man with a metal detector literally discovered the find of the century.
While searching in an area near the Hartmann Plantation in Lebanon TN MAP a treasure hunter unearthed a live mortar round (pictured) leftover from when the area was used as training grounds during WWII, according to the Lebanon Police Department.
In some parts of the world, finding live mortar rounds or undetonated land mines is a relatively common occurrence but in the US it’s a little unusual. To make it even more unusual, this round had gone unnoticed or discovered by anyone for over 74 years.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol sent a Bomb Tech Liaison, along with Fort Campbell representatives to confirm it was indeed a live mortar round.
The mortar was too unstable to move a long distance, so it was moved to a safe area and detonated.
Officials say the blast was heard from a distance, which caused alarm for many residents.
To reduce the odds of someone stumbling on another mortar round, the area was searched before the scene was released and deemed safe.
Metal detectorists with a love of relics often detect old battlefields. It’s potentially dangerous since there could be old artillery shells, bullets, and even mines, according to Central Florida Metal Detecting Club President Carolyn Harwick. Always dig slowly and methodically, because the weapons could still be live.
“If you register a large chunk of iron with your metal detector, don’t hit it with a shovel,” said Harwick. “If you do see that you’ve uncovered a grenade or weapon, don’t dig it up. Just contact the authorities. They’ll be able to properly dispose of it.” 
