Fort Miles: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:21, 14 March 2009

Fort Miles (1940-1948) Originally established in 1940 as the Cape Henlopen Military Reservation(MR) and built out as a Coastal Defense Fort during World War II. Named for Lt. Gen. Nelson Appleton Miles on 3 Jun 1941. Coastal Batteries declared surplus 5 May 1948.

Fort Miles History

Part of Harbor Defenses of the Delaware.

**Fort Miles World War II Battery** (edit list)
Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery 118 Battery Smith (3)	2	16"	Casemated Barbette (CBC)	1941-1942-1943-1948	$ 1,326,000	Navy Guns
Battery 119	2	16"	Casemated Barbette (CBC)	Not Built	$ ?
Battery 519	2	12"	Casemated Barbette (CBC)	1942-1943-1944-1948	$ 857,000	Guns from Battery Haslet, Fort Saulsbury
Battery 20 Battery Railway A	4	8"	Railway	1942-1942-1944-1944	$ 47,000	Navy Guns
Battery 21 Battery Railway B	4	8"	Railway	1942-1942-1944-1944	$ 50,000	Navy Guns
Battery 221 Battery Herring	2	6"	Shielded Barbette (SBC)	1942-1943-1944-1948	$ 181,300
Battery 222 Battery Hunter (1)	2	6"	Shielded Barbette (SBC)	1942-1943-1943-1947	$ 150,200
Battery 22	4	155mm	Mobile	1941-1942-1944-1944	$ 21,480
Battery AMTB 5A - Fort Miles	2 2	90mm 90mm	Fixed Pedestal Mobile	1943-1943-1943-1946	$ 11,000	Mostly Buried
Battery AMTB 5B - Fort Miles	2 2	90mm 90mm	Fixed Pedestal Mobile	1943-1943-1943-1946	$ 11,000	1 Block covered by parking lot
Battery 5	4	3"	Barbette	1942-1942-1943-1946	$ 1,400
Source: CDSG

World War II

Fort Miles was originally planned to have two 16" gun batteries, Batttery 118 and Battery 119. Battery 119 was canceled and replaced in 1942 by Battery 519 and armed with two 12" guns from Battery Haslet, Fort Saulsbury. Two standard 200 series batteries were built, Battery 221 and Battery 222, as well as two Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat batteries, Battery AMTB 5A and Battery AMTB 5B. The two AMTB batteries replaced an older 3" battery and provided a more reliable, higher rate of fire capability.

Two sets of four emplacements were also built for 8" railway guns. These emplacements were large U shaped sand revetments with railroad tracks built through the rear. The 16" guns and the eight 8" railway guns gave Fort Miles tremendous firepower and made it a very powerful coastal fort.

At peak strength, Fort Miles had over 2200 personnel assigned from many different units. To support these personnel several periods of base construction were required, the first in 1940 and another in 1942. Many temporary barracks and other facilities were constructed during during these periods and some of these remain today.

Current Status

In 1961 part of the reservation became Fort Miles Army Recreation Area. Defense Department transfered 564 acres to the State of Delaware for Cape Henlopen State Park in 1964. By 1996 the State Park had acquired all of the reservation. Some period guns and some mounts are on display.

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Location: Lewes, Delaware.

Maps & Images

Lat: 38.7857278 Long: -75.0953561

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: '

Sources:

Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 130-131
American Forts Network
North American Forts

Links:

Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library

Visited: No

Fort Miles Picture Gallery

Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!

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-'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1940-1948) Originally established in 1940 as the [[Cape Henlopen MR|Cape Henlopen Military Reservation(MR)]] and built out as a Coastal Defense Fort. Named for Lt. Gen. [[Nelson Appleton Miles]] on 3 Jun 1941. Coastal Batteries declared surplus 5 May 1948.
+'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1940-1948) Originally established in 1940 as the [[Cape Henlopen MR|Cape Henlopen Military Reservation(MR)]] and built out as a Coastal Defense Fort during [[World War II]]. Named for Lt. Gen. [[Nelson Appleton Miles]] on 3 Jun 1941. Coastal Batteries declared surplus 5 May 1948.
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 ==[[World War II]]==
-In 1942 the two guns from [[Battery Haslet]] were removed to [[Battery 519]], [[Fort Miles]] and were emplaced Mar 1943.
+Fort Miles was originally planned to have two 16" gun batteries, [[Batttery 118]] and [[Battery 119]]. Battery 119 was canceled and replaced in 1942 by [[Battery 519]] and armed with two 12" guns from [[Battery Haslet]], [[Fort Saulsbury]]. Two standard 200 series batteries were built, [[Battery 221]] and [[Battery 222]], as well as two Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat batteries, [[Battery AMTB 5A]] and [[Battery AMTB 5B]]. The two AMTB batteries replaced an older 3" battery and provided a more reliable, higher rate of fire capability.
+Two sets of four emplacements were also built for 8" railway guns. These emplacements were large U shaped sand revetments with railroad tracks built through the rear. The 16" guns and the eight 8" railway guns gave Fort Miles tremendous firepower and made it a very powerful coastal fort.
+At peak strength, Fort Miles had over 2200 personnel assigned from many different units. To support these personnel several periods of base construction were required, the first in 1940 and another in 1942. Many temporary barracks and other facilities were constructed during during these periods and some of these remain today.
 == Current Status ==
 In 1961 part of the reservation became Fort Miles Army Recreation Area. Defense Department transfered 564 acres to the State of Delaware for Cape Henlopen State Park in 1964. By 1996 the State Park had acquired all of the reservation. Some period guns and some mounts are on display.