Battery 248 (1944-1946) - A World War II era reinforced concrete Coastal Artillery gun battery on Fort Ebey (2), Island County, Washington. Battery construction started on 18 May 1942, was completed on 1 Feb 1944, and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use on 22 Mar 1944 at a cost of $ 349,000. Guns were removed about 1946 but the concrete Battery support structure and fire control post remain.
Battery 248 Main Entrance in the rear of the Support Structure
Battery 248 Fire Control Position, Camouflaged Battery Support Structure in the Background
Battery 248 had two, 6" rapid fire M1905A2 guns mounted in Barbette M1 carriages on either side of an earth-covered reinforced concrete support structure. A separate earth-covered reinforced concrete fire control post is located about 300 feet in front of the support structure. The support structure contains powder and shell rooms, a plotting room, a power room, and several support rooms. A long corridor runs from emplacement #1 to emplacement #2 with access to the powder and shell rooms. A rear entrance provides access to the complex.
The M1905A2 guns were transferred to the battery on 17 May 1943 and the M1 carriages were transferred on 11 Mar 1943. The mounting of the two 6" guns and carriages was completed on 1 Feb 1944.
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.
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 104-105, 217 Note 1: Guns transferred from Watervliet 17 May 1943, carriages transferred from York 11 Mar 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Battery 248 Plan
Current Status
Part of Fort Ebey Washington State Park. No guns or carriages in place. The support structures are in relatively good condition, dry and clean but some graffiti, especially in the fire control structure. Spectacular view of Admiralty Inlet to Puget Sound.
