Fascinating Cape Beach Find Linked To Old 'Top Secret' Program

Massachusetts' wild March weather led to an amazing find on the shores of Marconi Beach.

Last week staff with at the Cape Cod National Seashore discovered a large, mystery hunk of metal at the edge of the ocean and worked quickly to get it off the beach before another spring storm could pull it back out to sea.

Now the results are in and the mystery metal object turns out to be connected with a former 'top secret' military program run at an Army training camp in the 40s and 50s.

For nearly 19 years 1,738 acres of ocean front land in Wellfleet was a military training facility known as Camp Wellfleet.

It opened on March 19, 1943 and was used as an anti-aircraft training center until 1944.

So it wasn't too surprising when a missile-like chunk of metal washed up on Marconi Beach.

According to Cape Cod National Seashore park historian Bill Burke, the chunk of metal is "the fuselage of a RCAT (Remote Control Aerial Target)." RCATs were drone planes used for target practice and someone clearly hit this target over 70 years ago.

At that time some of the world's most dangerous weapons were covering the Wellfleet dunes. Massive 90 MM guns and 75 MM Sky Sweepers fired at these RCATs almost daily and its not uncommon to find spent rounds along the beach.

Though drones have come a long way since RCATs, this anti-aircraft training program was considered state-of-the-art and top secret in the 40s and 50s. It provided essential training for U.S. gunners potentially heading off to war.

Today these awesome pieces of history are still turning up and more drone plane parts could be waiting for their moment to surface after a storm.

Abandoned North Truro Military Base is a Peek Into 1950s Cape Cod

After closing in 1994, the North Truro Air Force Base has been left untouched. Decay, destruction and graffiti have taken over many of the buildings, but some family belongings can still be spotted. The area is now in the possession of the National Parks Service, and according to an update on Atlas Obscura from June 2021, the base had been fenced off and locked tight to visitors hoping to get a glimpse inside the historical Cape Cod site. Luckily, YouTuber @Exploring With Josh took viewers inside the base back in 2015, so we can still take a peek inside the long-abandoned property.

Gallery Credit: Kari Jakobsen

The 15 Coolest Lighthouses Along the SouthCoast and Cape Cod

There is no shortage of beauty along the SouthCoast and Cape Cod and adding to the natural beauty of the shoreline are historic lighthouses, each with its own unique story. Let’s take a trip down the coast and shine a beacon on 15 of the coolest lighthouses in the area.

Gallery Credit: Maddie Levine