Battery 222

Battery 222 (1943-1947) - Battery 222 was a reinforced concrete, World War II 6 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Miles, Sussex County, Delaware. Later named Battery Hunter after Col. Charles H. Hunter, Coast Artillery Corps, US Army. Battery construction started 15 Apr 1942, was completed 29 Oct 1943 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 13 Dec 1943 at a cost of $ 150,200. Deactivated in 1947.

World War II

Part of the Harbor Defense of the Delaware.

Originally built as an World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" M1903 rapid fire guns mounted on M1 Shielded Barbette Carriages (SBC) placed on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure.

Both guns were transferred from Watervliet on 19 Apr 1943 and both carriages were transferred from Wellman on 9 Apr 1943.

6" Gun at Fort Columbia Originally at Fort McAndrew, Battery 281, Argentia, NL, Canada

These 6" World War II coastal gun batteries were designed to replace obsolete Endicott Period Batteries. Of the 87 planned only 45 were completed and many of those were not completed until late in the war (1944-1945). The 6" guns fired a 105 pound armor-piercing projectile with a range of over 15 miles at a rate of up to 5 rounds per minute. The gun crews were protected by a thick shield around the gun. Only six of these guns remain in the world, two at Fort Columbia in Battery 246, two at Fort Pickens in Battery 234, and two at Fort McAndrew in Battery 282 in Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

6" Gun Crew

Battery 222 Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	6" Rifle	310"	M1903		17	Watervliet	Shielded Barbette (SBC), M1, #102, Wellman	1943-1947	See note 1
2	6" Rifle	310"	M1903		32	Watervliet	Shielded Barbette (SBC), M1, #104, Wellman	1943-1947	See note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, 1 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 104-105, 208 Note 1: Guns transferred from Watervliet 19 Apr 1943, carriages transferred from Wellman 9 Apr 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

Battery 222 Plan

Current Status

No period guns or mounts in place.

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Location: Fort Miles, Sussex County, Delaware Maps & Images Lat: 38.7883077 Long: -75.0887552 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 21'

Sources:

• U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of The Delaware, (HDDEL-AN-45), 1 Jul 1945, CDSG

Links:

• Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library

Visited: 3 Aug 2010

Battery 222 Picture Gallery

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