Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound

Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound (1943-1944) - Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located on St Andrews Sound Military Reservation, Bay County, Florida. Battery construction was completed in the summer of 1943. Deactivated in 1944.

Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound, Panama Mount #2 Center	Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound, Panama Mount Ring Remains
Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound, Panama Mount #2 Enclosed Under an Enclosure

World War II

Part of the Temporary Harbor Defense of St Andrews Sound, Florida.

View of Panama Mount #2 from the Approximate location of Panama Mount #1

Originally built as a temporary World War II coastal gun battery with two 155mm M1918M1 rapid fire guns mounted on M1918 Mobile high speed carriages emplaced on circular Panama mounts.

The guns for this battery were first set up in field positions on the west side of the pass into St Andrews Sound. In the summer of 1943 two 360 degree Panama mounts were constructed atop sand hills near the west jetty. A small cantonment with temporary prefab 6 man hutments was built along with several temporary frame WWII support buildings. One platoon of Battery C of the 13th Coast Artillery, consisting of about 50 men, manned the battery for only about 9 months before the Temporary Harbor Defense of St Andrews Sound was deactivated on 14 Jan 1944. The personnel and guns were removed to Fort Pickens and a small caretaking detachment remained to protect the government's fixed assets.

155mm M1918 Gun at Fort Morgan

Panama Mount at Fort Pickens

Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918	M1	789	?	Mobile, M1918, #, ?	1943-1944
2	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918	M1	831	?	Mobile, M1918, #, ?	1943-1944
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 190-191

Current Status

Part of St. Andrews State Park, Bay County, Florida. One circular Panama mount remains. No period guns or carriages in place.

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Location: St. Andrews State Park, Bay County, Florida Maps & Images Lat: 30.12405 Long: -85.73357 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....'

Sources:

• Gaines, William, Temporary Harbor Defenses in the Southern Defense Command: 1942-1944, The Coast Defense Journal, Vol 16 Issue 1, page 4-38

Links:

• CDSG

Visited: 13 Jan 2012

Battery 155 - St Andrews Sound Picture Gallery

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