JACKSONVILLE, N.C., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A Marine sergeant stationed at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina discovered a 6-foot training missile in his yard last week as he prepared for Hurricane Irene.
Sgt. Parker Radcliffe told the Jacksonville (N.C.) Daily News he and his wife had heard a loud noise the night before. When he found the missile Thursday outside his home in Hubert, he realized what had caused the sound.
Radcliffe said he realized immediately the missile was not armed.
"My initial thought is that this was 50 feet from my house; it could have ended up in my living room," he said. "If people are negligently discharging missiles off aircraft, that's just ridiculous."
Maj. William Klumpp of the 2nd Marine Aircraft at New River said the missile was from a Marine helicopter. Investigators are now trying to determine why it ended up in Radcliffe's yard.
"Things of this nature are extremely rare," he said.
