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Battery 209 (1944-1947) - Battery 209 was a reinforced concrete, World War II 6 inch coastal gun battery on Outer Brewster Island Military Reservation, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Later named Battery Jewell. Battery construction started 8 Jun 1942, was completed 31 Jan 1944 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use in 1944. Deactivated in 1947.
 Battery 209/Battery Jewell South Entrance |
 Battery 209/Battery Jewell Gun Pit |
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Part of the Harbor Defense of Boston, Massachusetts.
Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" T2-M1 rapid fire guns mounted on M3 Shielded Barbette Carriages (SBC) placed on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete magazine and support structure. Power was supplied by internal generators and commercial power.
There is some indication that the battery was damaged in a category 4 hurricane that hit the New England coast 14-16 September 1944. A notation in the FUDS reports indicated that the battery was unsited in late 1944 and resited in 1945.
The battery was deactivated in 1947.
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These 6" World War II coastal gun batteries were designed to replace obsolete Endicott Period Batteries. Of the 87 planned only 45 were completed and many of those were not completed until late in the war (1944-1945).
The 6" guns fired a 105 pound armor-piercing projectile with a range of over 15 miles at a rate of up to 5 rounds per minute. The gun crews were protected by a thick shield around the gun. Only six of these guns remain in the world, two at Fort Columbia in Battery 246, two at Fort Pickens in Battery 234, and two at Fort McAndrew in Battery 282 in Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
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Battery 209 Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
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Caliber
Type
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Barrel
Length
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Model
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Serial
No
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Manufacturer
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Carriage
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Service
Dates
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Notes
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| 1
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6" Rifle
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302.90"
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T2-M1
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1
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Watervliet
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Shielded Barbette (SBC),
M3, #1, Watertown
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1944-1947
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See note 1, 3
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| 2
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6" Rifle
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302.90"
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T2-M1
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2
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Watervliet
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Shielded Barbette (SBC),
M3, #2, Watertown
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1944-1947
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See note 2, 3
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Source: FUDS Project No. D01MA048202, March 1998, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 104-105
Note 1: Gun transferred from Watervliet 13 Nov 1943, carriage transferred from Watertown 1 May 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Note 2: Gun transferred from Watervliet 1 Nov 1943, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Note 3: FUDS Report indicates both carriages & shields received a/o 22 Oct 1943 and both guns received a/o 5 May 1943. Carriages & gun tubes mounted a/o 31 Jan 1944.
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 Typical 200 Series Battery Plan (Battery 238)
Current Status
Part of Boston Harbor Islands national park area managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). No period guns or mounts in place.
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Location: Outer Brewster Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Maps & Images
Lat: 42.341631 Long: -70.878602
- Multi Maps from ACME
- Maps from Bing
- Maps from Google
- Elevation: .....'
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Sources:
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FUDS Archives Search Report, Findings for the former Outer Brewster Island Military Reservation, Project No. D01MA048202, March 1998. Large PDF Download
- U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG
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