A Brightwaters man made an unexpected discovery when he started remodeling his basement, and some now believe his house was once a speakeasy used by officers from a nearby Naval air base.

Randy Meyn discovered mysterious and cryptic paintings in the basement of his home that he immediately thought were indicative of a cult. Meyn called his friend, Islip Town Councilman John Cochrane, to come take a look at the discovery.

"Right off the bat, as soon as I saw it I knew this was a ready room for the nearby base," said Cochrane.

Thirty hand-painted symbols were found in all, as well as a 6-foot-long bar that had been removed. The Brightwaters home is just a half-mile from the spot where a Naval air base was located during World War I.

World War I was the first time aircraft was used by the military and many of the Flying Aces trained at the Bay Shore base. Each painting found on the walls allegedly represents either a pilot's own insignia or that of a squadron.

Cochrane says several museums that specialize in World War I insignia are planning to come and document the paintings.