Battery AMTB 23 - Parrott

Battery AMTB 23 - Parrott (1943-1946) - Battery AMTB 23 Parrott was a World War II rapid fire AMTB 90mm gun battery built into Battery Parrott on Fort Monroe, Virginia. Battery construction started on 1 Jun 1943, was completed on 8 Aug 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 1 Nov 1943 at a cost of $ 17,289.00. Deactivated in 1946. World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay. The AMTB battery at Battery Parrott consisted of two 90mm gun mounted on 90mm M3 gun mounts. Concrete pads for both these guns were laid on top of the existing gun emplacements of Battery Parrott 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. AMTB Front View AMTB Interior View AMTB Side View AMTB Back View The above photos were taken at Fort Monroe, Battery Parrott 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 23 Parrott Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 1442 Wheland Pedestal Mount, T3, #29, GM 1943-1946 2 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 6913 GM Pedestal Mount, T3, #102, GM 1943-1946 M 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 5842 Watervliet Mobile M1A1, #2717, Y? & L 1943-1946 M 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 7305 Watervliet Mobile M1A1, #4528, WP & MC 1943-1946 Source: 1. RCW Form 1, 1 Nov 1943. 2. 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. 3. NARA RG165, E257 Box 68 - Bolling Smith. Battery AMTB 23 Parrott Plan The battery is shown on the 1 Nov 1945 HD Supplement as active on the Tabulation of Seacoast Armament (dated 15 Nov 1943) as Tactical Battery #23 with four 90mm AA M1 guns, two with T3 mounts and two with M1 A1 mounts, there were also two 40mm M1 guns with mobile M2 A1 mounts. Current Status One AMTB gun and carriage is in place. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Fort Monroe, Virginia Maps & Images Lat: 37.00206 Long: -76.30485 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: Gun #1=33.702', Gun #2=33.572' GPS Locations: 37.00206, -76.30485 Battery AMTB 23 - Parrott 37.00186, -76.30499 Gun emplacement #1 37.00220, -76.30463 Gun emplacement #2 Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Chesapeake Bay, (HDCB-AP-45), 1 Nov 1945, CDSG Links: Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library Visited: 22 Jul 2010