Battery McKinnon

Battery McKinnon (1906-1943) - Battery McKinnon is a concrete Endicott Period 12" mortar battery located on Fort Winfield Scott, California. Named after Capt. William McKinnon, 3rd U.S. Cavalry, a veteran of the Spanish-American War who died 25 Sep 1902. Originally built as mortar pits C & D of Battery Stotsenburg in 1898, these two pits were re-designated as Battery McKinnon in 1906. Battery inactivated 1943.

Battery McKinnon History

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.
Battery McKinnon was originally mortar pits C & D of Battery Stotsenburg, each of these two pits were built with 4, 12" M1890MI rifled mortars on M1896MI mortar carriages in a concrete battery. These two mortar pits were re-designated as Battery McKinnon in 1906. In 1917 four of the mortars, the two front ones from each pit, were relocated to Battery Howe (2) in Fort Funston. The Battery was inactivated in 1943 during World War II.

Each of the mortars was capable of firing a seven hundred pound shell eight miles.

Battery McKinnon Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
A-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		34	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 91, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
A-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		36	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 95, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 2
A-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		23	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 94, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 1
A-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		28c	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 96, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
B-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		39	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 85, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
B-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		46	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 79, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
B-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		28d	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 86, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
B-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		22b	Bethlehem	Mortar M1896MI, 80, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Mar 1920, 1 Sep 1923, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 140-145 Note 1: Mortars and Carriages transferred to Battery Howe (2), Fort Funston 18 Jun 1918 Note 2: Mortars & carriages salvaged 19 Nov 1942

Battery McKinnon Plan 1920

Current Status

No guns or carriages are in place.

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Location: Fort Winfield Scott, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.795012 Long: -122.474953 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 339'

Sources:

• Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums
• Angelfire
• California Military Museum
• National Park Service

Links:

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