Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka

Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka (1941-1943) - Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located on Fort Schwatka, Amaknak Island, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. Battery construction started in the summer of 1941, was completed in 1943. Deactivated and partially overbuilt by Battery 402 in 1943. 155mm GPF Gun & Partial Crew at Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka. World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of Dutch Harbor. Originally built as a temporary World War II coastal gun battery with four 155mm M-1918A1 rapid fire guns mounted on M-1918 mobile carriages. These guns were originally emplaced in field artillery positions while concrete Panama mounts were constructed. The chosen battery site on Ulakta Head did not have road access so the 13-ton guns and carriages were pulled up the steep hillside on wooden sleds by a "donkey" engine. A road was constructed to the battery site later in the summer of 1941. Remaining Panama Mount at Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka. The maximum range of the guns was about 12 miles. Each of the guns required a crew of 18 men who were quartered nearby. Elements of the National Guard 250th Coast Artillery served at Fort Schwatka until May 1943. This Battery was not formally named. Current Status No period guns or carriages in place. Of the four Panama Mounts, two remain exposed, one is buried in earth and rubble, and one was destroyed by the construction of Battery 402. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Fort Schwatka on Amaknak Island, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska Maps & Images Lat: 53.92379 Long: -166.51614 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' GPS Locations: 53.92379, -166.51614 See Also: Fort Schwatka Harbor Defense of Dutch Harbor Battery 155 - Fort Brumback Battery 155 - Hill 400 155mm Rifle M1918MI Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of Dutch Harbor, (SRHDDH), 1944, CDSG Denfield, Colt, Dutch Harbor Coastal Defenses, Coast Defense Study Group Journal, Volume 7, Number 1, February, 1993, page 30-36. Willford, Glen M., Visitation to Alaskan WWII Coast Defense Sites, August 1997, The CDSG Newsletter, The Coast Defense Study Group, Inc., November 1997, page 2-3. NPS - Fort Schwatka Self Guided Tour (large pdf) Excellent source Links: CDSG Visited: No