Battery 243: Difference between revisions

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== {{PAGENAME}} History ==
== {{PAGENAME}} History ==
Part of the defense of the entrance to San Francisco Harbor.
Part of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco.


Battery 243 was a battery of two, 6" rapid fire guns mounted in an M4 Barbette carriage on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Decommissioned in 1948.
Battery 243 was a battery of two, 6" rapid fire guns mounted in an M4 Barbette carriage on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Decommissioned in 1948.

Revision as of 09:51, 13 December 2008

Battery 243 (1942-1948) - A World War II era Battery built in 1942-43 as a reinforced concrete Coastal Artillery Battery on Fort Miley. The Battery was begun 30 Jan 1943, completed 14 Aug 1943 and turned over for service 18 Sep 1944 at a cost of $245,808. The guns were not mounted until 1948. Decommissioned late in 1948.


Battery 243 History

Part of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco.

Battery 243 was a battery of two, 6" rapid fire guns mounted in an M4 Barbette carriage on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Decommissioned in 1948.


6" Gun at Fort Columbia Originally at Fort McAndrew, Battery 281, Argentia, NL, Canada
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.

6" Gun Crew


Battery 243 Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 6" Rifle 302.9" T2-M1 26 Watervliet Barbette M4, #15, Wellman 1944-1948 See Note 1
2 6" Rifle 302.9" T2-M1 27 Watervliet Barbette M4, #16, Wellman 1944-1948 See Note 1
Source: Coast Defense Study Group
Note 1: Gun serial numbers may not be in the correct emplacement, guns from Fort Stevens Battery 245 mounted 1948, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
File:Battery243 Plan.jpg
Battery 243 Plan


Current Status

Battery 243 is overgrown and used as a storage area for the Department of Veterans Affairs San Francisco Medical Center. Only Emplacement 2 is accessible, emplacement 1 is completely overgrown. No period guns or carriages in place.


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Location: Fort Miley, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 37.782604 Long: -122.508245

Sources:

Links:

Visited:

Battery 243 Picture Gallery

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