Mojave desert WW2 relic discovery

[rufrdr]

I live about a two hour drive from the mojave desert in southern California. the desert is a mix of federal, state, and private land. From early WW2 through the 70s sections of the desert were heavily used for military training. Even today several very important military bases exist in the desert area and it isn't unusual to see military aircraft making low altitide, high speed runs overhead when out enjoying the public lands. Last spring some friends and I spent the day poking around in the nearby reaches of the Mojave.



Our trusty vehicles




A well camoflaged desert denzien



A dry lake bed that apparently was used as an aircraft gunnery range during WW2. Why do I think this?




We discovered WW2 dated .50 Browning MG cases on the lake bed along with several .50 bullets complete with rifling marks. The bullets apparently just ran out of velocity and dropped to the lake bed where they sat until we found them! I am guessing that these have been covered and uncovered over the years by the rising of water during wet years, and scoured out of the alkaline powder by the wind and uncovered when it is dry.

By the way if the federal government is reading this, we left the cases and bullets where we found them!

[greenshoots]

nice finds and i like that jeep as well

greenshoots

[ovenpaa]

Well I liked the outcrop of rocks and the stunning scenary. Middle Bedfordshire is not quite the same.... However we do have quiet neighbours

[Christel]

Lovely landscape, what is that animal?

Thank you for the pictures :shakeshout:

[ovenpaa]

Horned Lizard?

[Watcher]

Wouldn't like to break down! How far away from the nearest town were you?

[rufrdr]

We were probably about 20 miles from the nearest well traveled highway but these days with cell coverage we could've summoned help if needed. That's why we always travel in pairs, in the event one gets stuck. My youngest son's boy scout troop has driven to this lake in the past to fire off model rockets and sometimes a vehicle has gotten stuck to the frame. You have to know when to stop spinning the wheels and start digging yourself out! I have more photos of our desert and mountain trips and will post them if folks are interested. Until pretty recently there was much to find from previous generations in the desert but the feds have started a pretty aggressive campaign to clear out the old mining claims, abandoned homesteads, jeeps that broke down and were abandoned and the like. Also the increased use of off road motorcycles and quads has brought out the vandals who have destroyed shacks that sat untouched for decades with the possessions inside from the owner who died and left no one behind to care.

[Doz]

Well, can't speak for anyone else but I'd certainly be interested in more photos please.

[Watcher]

Likewise.

[Michael Sproul]

Ya, I'd be interested. Don't always comment on these type of threads but read 'em with interest.