Battery 240

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Battery 240 (1942-1948) - A World War II era 6" gun battery built in 1942-43 as a reinforced concrete coastal artillery battery on Point Vicente Military Reservation, a sub post of Fort MacArthur, in Los Angeles County, California. The Battery was turned over for service in 1943 at a cost of $219,000. Renamed Battery Barnes in G.O. 1, January 1948, after Colonel Harry C. Barnes, U.S. Army, CAC. Battery decommissioned late in 1948.

Battery 240, Center Entrance
Battery 240, Emplacement #1 Entrance
Battery 240, View from Emplacement #1

World War II (1941-1945)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Los Angeles.
Emplacement #2 Entrance

Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" M1903A2 rapid fire guns mounted on M1 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. The guns were proof fired 25 Oct 1943.

The battery was decommissioned in 1948.


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 240 Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 6" Rifle 302.9" M1903 A2 63 Watervliet Barbette, M1, #105, Wellman 1943-1948
2 6" Rifle 302.9" M1903 A2 64 Watervliet Barbette, M1, #106, Wellman 1943-1948
Source: Coast Defense Study Group Note:Serial numbers may not be in the correct gun emplacement
Battery 240 Plan


Current Status

Owned by the US Coast Guard who uses it as a radio beacon and aid to navigation. No period guns or carriages in place.


Location: Point Vicente, Los Angeles County, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 33.744684 Long: -118.406741

Recent Blog Posts:

See Also:

Sources:

  • Berhow, Mark A. and Gustafson, David, The Guardian at Angels Gate Fort MacArthur Defender of Los Angeles, CDSG ePress electronic edition, 2011, 99 pages, Large pdf
  • USACE, FUDS - Archives Search Report Findings - Point Vicente Seacoast Defense Sites, USACE Project Number J09CA055802, April 1996, USACE St. Louis District, 301 Pages, Large pdf

Links:

Visited: 5 Oct 2014, 4 Jan 2013

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