Battery Lewis S. Kirkpatrick

Battery Lewis S. Kirkpatrick (1942-1949) - Battery Lewis S. Kirkpatrick was a reinforced concrete, World War II 8 inch coastal gun battery on Wiliwilinui Military Reservation, Honolulu County, Hawaii. This battery was constructed using a U.S. Navy twin gun turret removed from the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. The originally known as Battery Wilridge and renamed in G.O. 96, 27 Aug 1946, after Lt. Colonel Lewis S. Kirkpatrick (Cullum 7435), who commanded Fort Drum during the Japanese siege of the Manila Bay forts during World War II, he died as a prisoner of war on 27 Apr 1943. Battery construction started 15 Jun 1942, was completed by 16 Dec 1942. Placed in caretaker status at the end of the war and disarmed in 1949. World War II (1941-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of Honolulu. Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with four 8" Mark IX M2 Navy guns mounted in two turrets removed from the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. The battery mounted two turrets each with two guns. Both guns in a turret traversed and elevated together. Construction began 15 Jun 1942 and was completed by 16 Dec 1942. Placed in caretaker status at the end of the war and disarmed in 1949. Battery Lewis S. Kirkpatrick Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 8" Rifle 449" Mark IX M2 519 ? Turret, ?, #?, Naval Gun Factory 1942-1949 See note 1 2 8" Rifle 449" Mark IX M2 520 ? Turret, ?, #?, Naval Gun Factory 1942-1949 See note 1 1 8" Rifle 449" Mark IX M2 521 ? Turret, ?, #?, Naval Gun Factory 1942-1949 See note 1 2 8" Rifle 449" Mark IX M2 522 ? Turret, ?, #?, Naval Gun Factory 1942-1949 See note 1 Source: CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 118-119 Note 1: The actual assignment of specific serial numbered guns to positions is unknown and the assignments here are arbitrary Current Status Private property, both turret rings are visible on Google Maps, no period guns or mounts in place. Location: Wiliwilinui Military Reservation, Honolulu County, Hawaii Maps & Images Lat: 21.298626 Long: -157.7622369 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: Turret #1 = 1201', Turret #2 = 1199' See Also: Hawaii Turret Batteries Sources: Grobmeier, Alvin H., Officers of the U.S. Army and Others in Honor of whom Coast Artillery Forts and Batteries in Hawaii Have Been Named, CDSG News, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1992), pp. 66-67 Lewis, E.R. and Kichner, D.P., The Oahu Turrets, Warship International, 1992, Issue 3, pp. 273-301 Links: CDSG Visited: No