Battery AMTB 11 - Miller Field (1943-1946) - Battery AMTB 11 - Miller Field was a reinforced concrete World War IIAMTB rapid fire 90mm gun battery on Miller Airfield near Fort Wadsworth (1), Richmond County, New York. Battery construction started 12 Apr 1943, was completed 11 Jun 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 10 Aug 1943. Deactivated in 1946.
History
Part of the Harbor Defense of Southern New York.
The AMTB battery at Miller Airfield consisted of two 90mm M1 guns mounted on 90mm T3-M3 gun mounts. Concrete pads for both these guns were laid in back of the beach at Miller Field. The battery had a dual mission of defense against fast enemy motor torpedo boats and enemy aircraft. The effective range of the guns was about 8,000 yards. Each weapon required a crew of 15, 9 men in the gun squad and 6 men in the ammunition squad.
From FM 4-91:
"This weapon consists of the 90-mm gun M1 and top carriage M1A1 on the 90-mm gun mount M3. The mount M3 is of the turret type, the shielding being constructed of boiler plates. This boiler plate shield provide fragmentation protection only. No shielding is provided at the rear due to the requirements for service of the piece. A sighting port in the shielding in front permits sighting in direction by the gun pointer."
References:
FM 4-91 - 90-MM Gun, Fixed Mount Service of the Piece
FM 4-126 - Antiaircraft Artillery, Service of the Piece, 90-mm Antiaircraft Gun
TM 9-373 - 90-mm Gun M1 and 90-mm Gun Mount T3 (M3)
Battery AMTB 11 - Miller Field Armament(edit list)
Source: RCW Form 1, 8 Dec 1943, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 80-81, 208
