Battery 239

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Battery 239 (1943-1946) - A World War II era Battery built in 1942-43 as a reinforced concrete coastal artillery battery on Fort Emory, San Diego County, California. Named Battery Grant in G.O. 69, 22 Dec 1942, for Colonel Homer Blackie Grant, CAC, USA. Construction began 5 Jun 1942 and was completed 8 Dec 1943. The Battery was turned over for service 25 Apr 1944 at a cost of $218,851.95. Decommissioned in 1946.

Battery 239 Rear Entrance
Battery 239, Emplacement #1 Entrance
Battery 239 Emplacement #2 Entrance, Covered Gun Pad on Lower Left

History

Battery 239 was a battery of two, 6" rapid fire Barbette mounted guns on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure designed to protect the entrance to San Diego Harbor. Decommissioned in 1946.


6" Gun at Fort Columbia Originally at Fort McAndrew, Battery 281, Argentia, NL, Canada
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.

6" Gun Crew


Battery 239 Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 6" Rifle 302.9" M1905 A2 24 Watervliet Barbette M1,
#56, York
1942-1946
2 6" Rifle 302.9" M1905 A2 20 Watervliet Barbette M1,
#57, York
1942-1946 Gun originally from
Battery Valleau, Fort Casey (1)
Source: CDSG
Battery 239 Plan


Current Status

Active military facility. The battery has been repurposed for other military uses. No public access. No period guns or carriages in place.


Location: Fort Emory, San Diego County, California.

Maps & Images

Lat: 32.597068 Long: -117.130156

Sources:

Links:

Visited: 3 Oct 2014

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