TSA Finds Civil War Cannonballs in Checked Suitcase at Alabama Airport

Five inert cannonballs likely stolen from Fort Morgan, a Civil War-era fort in Alabama, were discovered by TSA officers in a checked suitcase at Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA). The cannonballs, ranging from grapefruit- to cherry-sized, were wrapped in paper towels and spotted by officer Justin Dupree during an X-ray scan. The passenger, described as a juvenile from out of state, claimed they were picked up at a roadside stand. Authorities returned the artifacts to Fort Morgan, whose director declined to press charges. The airport director Jesse Fosnaugh called it the weirdest item ever seen at the facility, which opened to commercial passengers last year. Fort Morgan, built starting in 1819 with 40 million bricks laid by enslaved Black masons, was a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War and later a training base through both World Wars. The incident adds to a list of recent smuggled goods, including ancient Egyptian pieces confiscated at JFK Airport.