Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story

Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story (1943-194?) - Battery AMTB 21- Fort Story was a reinforced concrete World War II rapid fire 90mm gun battery on Fort Story, Virginia. AMTB stands for Anti Motor Torpedo Boat. Battery construction started on 25 Sep 1942, was completed on 31 Oct 1942 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 2 Aug 1943. Cost at transfer of the gun positions was $ 5,844.80 and the building cost $ 33,622.47. Deactivated in 194?. Fort Story Battery AMTB 21 Plotting Room, BC station, Magazine and Shell Room Building Fort Story Battery AMTB 21 Ammunition Ready Shelter Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story History Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay. The AMTB 21 battery at Fort Story consisted of two 90mm gun mounted on 90mm M3 gun mounts. Concrete pads for both these guns were laid in front of the combination plotting room, BC station, magazine and shell room building. 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 #21 Fort Story Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 6848 General Motors Pedestal Mount, T3, #56, General Motors 1943-1945 2 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 1423 Wheland Pedestal Mount, T3, #69, General Motors 1943-1945 M 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 3197 Watervliet Mobile M1A1, #977, AC 1943-1945 M 90mm Rifle 186.15" M1 52 Watervliet Mobile M1A1, #1216, BTDC 1943-1945 Source: RCW Form 1, 15 May 1944, 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, 210 Battery AMTB #21 Gun Position Plan Battery AMTB #21 BC Station, Magazine and Shell Room Building Current Status No period gun or mounts in place. The gun pads are gone but the ready ammunition shelters remain as does the combination plotting room, BC station, magazine and shell room building. Now used by the Harbor Master. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Fort Story, Virginia Maps & Images Lat: 36.930349 Long: -76.016075 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 19' Sources: Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums Links: North American Forts - Fort Story, Battery AMTB 21 Visited: 21-28 Jul 2010 Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!