Battery 206

Battery 206 (1943-1948) - Battery 206 was a reinforced concrete, World War II 6 inch coastal gun battery on East Point Military Reservation, Nahant, Essex County, Massachusetts. Battery construction started in 1942, was completed in 1943 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use in 1943 at a cost of approximately $ 250,000.00. Deactivated in 1948.

East Point MR, Battery 206, Gun Emplacement #2 with damaged Gun Block Apron
East Point MR, Battery 206, Gun Pad #1

World War II

Part of the Harbor Defense of Boston, Massachusetts.

Originally built as an World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" M1903A2 rapid fire guns mounted on M1 Shielded Barbette Carriages (SBC) placed on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete magazine and support structure. Power was supplied by internal generators and commercial power.

During World War II Battery 206 was designated Tactical Battery #15 at location 131.

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 206 Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	6" Rifle	302.9"	M1903	A2	35	Watervliet	Shielded Barbette (SBC), M1, #107, Wellman	1943-1948	See note 1
2	6" Rifle	302.9"	M1903	A2	3	Watervliet	Shielded Barbette (SBC), M1, #108, Wellman	1943-1948	See note 1
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 Note 1: Guns transferred from Watervliet 10 Nov 1943, carriages transferred from Wellman 2 Jun 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA.

In 1944 the war reserve and battle allowances of ammunition for the battery was:

Battery	Range Yards	Weight Pounds	Type Shell	War Reserve	Battle Allowance
Battery 206	27,500 yds	90 105	HE AP	300 400	200 300
HE = High Explosive AP = Amour Piercing

Current Status

No period guns or mounts in place.

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Location: Nahant, Essex County, Massachusetts Maps & Images Lat: 42.417231 Long: -70.905917 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....'

Sources:

• U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG

Links:

• CDSG

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