Battery Arizona

Battery Arizona (1943-1948) - Battery Arizona was a reinforced concrete, World War II 14 inch coastal gun battery on Kahe Point Military Reservation, Honolulu County, Hawaii. This battery was constructed using a U.S. Navy triple gun turret removed from the sunken battleship USS Arizona (BB-39). Named Battery Arizona on 21 Oct 1942. Battery construction started in 1943 and was almost completed 1 Aug 1945 when construction was halted. The Battery was placed in caretaker status at the end of the war and abandoned by 1948. World War II (1941-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of Pearl Harbor. USS Arizona Sunk in Pearl Harbor with Turrets 3 and 4 Exposed. Five Guns Removed. February 1942 Built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with three 14" Mark VIII Navy guns and a turret removed from the sunken USS Arizona. Battery construction started in 1943 and continued through the end of the war and was almost completed 1 Aug 1945 when Construction was halted. The battery structures were mostly underground and included the central barbette that extended 70' underground and mounted the three gun turret on the top. At the base of the barbette column two separate entrances brought the powder and projectiles to the lifts for transport to the loading level. These entrances lead to the powder and projectile magazines which were in two parallel underground corridors. A power generator room was at the far end of the projectile magazine. A separate corridor housed the radar equipment, plotting room, switchboard and offices. Access to the three underground corridors was provided by two access tunnels that led to the outside road. The left hand tunnel led to the power room and projectile magazine. The right hand tunnel led to the power room, powder magazine and the equipment/office corridor. The above ground structures included the Battery Commander's Station (BCS) and a 100' steel tower for the SCR-296A radar antenna. By Aug 1945 the turret and the guns had been mounted, the SCR-296A radar was installed but missing some components. Construction was halted on 31 Aug 1945, the battery was placed in caretaker status at the end of the war and abandoned by 1948. The guns and the turret were scrapped. Battery Arizona Timeline Date Events 7 Dec 1941 USS Arizona Sunk at Pearl Harbor 14 Jan 1942 Coordination with the Navy indicates that the two rear 14" triple gun turrets (turrets 3 & 4) on the Arizona could be available for use as coastal gun batteries 16 Jan 1942 Potential sites identified ?? Jun 1942 Potential sites surveyed 21 Oct 1942 Battery Arizona and Battery Pennsylvania named 26 Oct 1942 Military reservation occupied ?? May 1943 Design layouts completed for both batteries 13 Aug 1943 Army AG Approves both batteries 30 Aug 1943 Lifting of turrets from Arizona ready to begin 6 Dec 1944 Support work "practically complete" except for the turret installation 1 Sep 1945 Estimated completion date for Battery Pennsylvania 1 Jan 1946 Estimated completion date for Battery Arizona 1 Aug 1945 Battery Arizona Construction halted even though the turret and guns had been mounted, SCR-296A missing some components. Battery placed in caretaker status and abandoned by 1948. Current Status Underground structures largely intact the site is the on the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill. Restricted access. Fire Control Station now has a locked door to secure the upper ladder access. Lower entry gate's access "hole" had been blocked. No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Waimanalo Gulch Landfill site, Honolulu County, Hawaii Maps & Images Lat: 21.3517454 Long: -158.1253088 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 325' See Also: Kahe Point Military Reservation Battery Pennsylvania Sources: Lewis, E.R. and Kichner, D.P., The Oahu Turrets, Warship International, 1992, Issue 3, pp. 273-301 Bennett, John D., Battery Arizona and the Kahe Point Military Reservation, Coast Defense Journal, Vol. 19, Issue 1, February 2005, page 61-80 Links: North American Forts - Kale Point Military Reservation Hikes - The Secret Battery (Pictures) Battery Arizona Hike - Youtube Video CDSG Visited: No