While browsing Ebay, I found was is described as a B-17 exhaust part. The seller mentions having "found numerous other parts from a B-17 at a local military base where they used to scrap airplanes and bury them." The seller's location is Elizabeth City, NC, where the Coast Guard flew B-17s.
Here is the item for sale:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW
Has anyone ever looked into this area or is it a restricted area? Or could this open up another can of worms with the US Navy?