Built back in 1956 to detect submarines, Naval Station Cape Hatteras could be seen near the old site of the lighthouse. It is believed to the be the first site to detect a Soviet submarine. After being turned over to the Coast Guard in the 1980s, the Army Corps of Engineers agreed to get rid of Building 19. They signed an agreement to take out the entire foundation, but parts of it are still poking out of the beach. Chunks of the building, large cables, septic drain pipes and metal pipes — some are testing positive for petroleum, according to the National Park Service. They seem to be leaking into the ocean, with surfers reporting an oily sheen on their wet suits when they come out of the water. Storms will occasionally cover up the old Navy site with sand, but it repeatedly emerges.