Battery Bluff

Battery Bluff (1937-1945) - Battery Bluff was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located on Fort Funston, San Francisco County, California. Initial construction started in 1937 and was complete in 1938. Erosion of the initial site caused the battery to be moved to more stable ground. Construction on the new site started 29 Dec 1941, was completed 18 Feb 1942 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 19 Jul 1943 at a cost of $ 13,904.71. Deactivated in 1945. Also as Battery 155 - Bluff. Original Battery Bluff Aerial View 1938 World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco. Originally built in 1937 as a temporary coastal gun battery with four 155mm M1918MI rapid fire guns mounted on M1918MI mobile carriages emplaced on fixed circular Panama mounts. The concrete Panama mounts were located close to the edge of a cliff about 1200' north of Battery Davis (2) to defend to defend that battery. Over time, erosion threatened the Panama mounts and the battery was moved to a different location at the south edge of the reservation. Traces of the original Panama mounts can now be seen at the base of the cliff, in the surf. No traces of the second location can be found. The guns and carriages were ordered scrapped in November 1945. 155mm M1918 Gun at Fort Morgan Panama Mount at Fort Pickens Battery Bluff Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 155mm Rifle 240" M1918MI 46 Unk Mobile, M1918, #64, Unk 1943-1945 See note 1 2 155mm Rifle 240" M1918MI 578 Unk Mobile, M1918, #89, Unk 1943-1945 See note 1 3 155mm Rifle 240" M1918MI 80 Unk Mobile, M1918, #1117 Unk 1943-1945 See note 1 4 155mm Rifle 240" M1918MI 45 Unk Mobile, M1918, #1145, Unk 1943-1945 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 18 Jan 1943, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 190-191 Note 1: Guns and carriages ordered scrapped 8 Nov 1945 New Battery Bluff Plan Current Status Part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area (GGNRA) administered by the National Park Service. No period guns or mounts in place, the remains of three original Panama mounts can be seen in the surf at the base of the cliff. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Fort Funston, San Francisco County, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.722337 Long: -122.50605 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of San Francisco, (CCA-P-SFB), 15 Nov 1945, CDSG Kent, Matthew W., Coast Defense Journal: The Fort Funston Panama Mounts of Battery Bluff, Vol 26, Issue 3, August 2012, CDSG, ISSN 1085-9675, page 51-61 Links: CDSG California Military Museum - Battery Bluff Visited: 24 Aug 2009