Fort Terry: Difference between revisions
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Two new batteries were added to modernize the Fort's defenses, [[Battery 217]] and [[Battery AMTB 911]], both designed to combat small high speed motor torpedo boats and smaller craft that might get past the larger batteries at the harbor entrances. Both of these batteries were completed in 1943 and along with the two existing 3" batteries made up Plum Island's defenses until the end of the war. | Two new batteries were added to modernize the Fort's defenses, [[Battery 217]] and [[Battery AMTB 911]], both designed to combat small high speed motor torpedo boats and smaller craft that might get past the larger batteries at the harbor entrances. Both of these batteries were completed in 1943 and along with the two existing 3" batteries made up Plum Island's defenses until the end of the war. | ||
The temporary post construction in 1940-1941 had built out the capacity of the fort so that it could support 51 officers, 16 NCOs and 1471 enlisted men. | The temporary post construction in 1940-1941 had built out the capacity of the fort so that it could support 51 officers, 16 NCOs and 1471 enlisted men. | ||
After the end of the war the post became a temporary demobilization center for returning troops and was finally abandoned in 1946. | |||
{{FtTerryWWII}} | {{FtTerryWWII}} | ||
Revision as of 21:54, 7 December 2010
Fort Terry (1898-1946) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1898 on Plum Island, Suffolk County, New York. Named in G.O. 134, 22 Jul 1899, after MG Alfred H. Terry, U.S. Army. Abandoned in 1946.
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Endicott Period
Part of the Harbor Defense of Long Island Sound.
Land for the Military Reservation at Plum Island was purchased in two sections, the first section of 193 acres was acquired on 24 Feb 1897 and the second section of 647 acres was acquired on 24 Jun 1901.
The first four Endicott Period gun batteries, Battery Stoneman, Battery Steele, Battery Bradford and Battery Kelly, were started in 1897-1898 on the initial section of land and were completed in 1900-1901. The second set of seven Endicott Period gun batteries was begun in 1902-1903 after the second parcel of land was acquired. Battery Floyd, Battery Dimick, Battery Hagner, Battery Eldridge, Battery Dalliba, Battery Greble, and Battery Campbell were completed in 1905-1906.
Post construction mimicked battery construction and the first set of post buildings was completed in 1899 for a very small garrison. The initial set of buildings included two duplex officer quarters, two duplex NCO quarters, one 65 man enlisted barracks, an admin building and a guard house. As the second set of batteries came on line the capacity of the post increased proportionally and by 1912 five more enlisted barracks were constructed with a capacity of 744 enlisted personnel. Officer housing expanded from two duplex units to eight units and a four family apartment building. Married NCO housing expanded from two units to ten units most of which were duplex units.
With the increased post population additional support buildings were required. A post exchange, a new bakery and hospital were among the new buildings added. By 1912 the post was essentially complete and very few permanent buildings were added after that.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Stoneman | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1898-1900-1901-1943 | $ 112,000 | |
| Battery Steele | 2 | 10" | Disappearing | 1897-1899-1900-1942 | $ 102,593 | |
| Battery Bradford | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1898-1900-1901-1944 | $ 50,000 | |
| Battery Floyd | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1903-1906-1906-1917 | $ 51,625 | |
| Battery Dimick | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1903-1905-1905-1917 | $ 57,500 | |
| Battery Kelly | 2 | 5" | Pedestal | 1898-1901-1900-1917 | $ 14,500 | |
| Battery Hagner | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1906-1906-1932 | $ 15,924 | Guns to Battery Hoppock |
| Battery Eldridge | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1906-1906-1943 | $ 15,924 | |
| Battery Dalliba | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1902-1905-1905-1946 | $ 17,500 | |
| Battery Greble | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1905-1905-1932 | $ 16,687 | |
| Battery Campbell | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1905-1905-1933 | $ 16,687 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
World War I
In May of 1918 four of Battery Stoneman's mortars were ordered dismounted and prepared for shipment. This left each mortar pit with the two rear mortars, reducing crowding in the pits and the manpower required to salvo the battery.
A number of Fort Terry structures were damaged by the Great New England Hurricane on 21 Sep 1938. This hurricane killed over 600 people on Long Island and rolled right over Long Island Sound. Most of the Quartermaster records for post buildings are annotated with "9 21 1938 Damaged by storm" and several permanent buildings, including one barracks, disappear from the records at this point in time.
By June 1940 the Quartermaster reports most of the post buildings as "Habitable only after the expenditure of considerable funds for rehabilitation." Many of the support buildings were listed as unusable. One year later, in Jun 1941, the report shows all the permanent barracks in good condition and the addition of eleven temporary WWII type 63 man barracks. Five temporary mess halls, four admin buildings and numerous support and recreation buildings also appear, all in preparation for the coming war.
World War II
At the beginning of World War II there were only five operational Endicott Period batteries, all of them were obsolete and two of them were quickly scrapped. Battery Steele was the first to go followed by Battery Stoneman and later Battery Bradford. Only the two 3" batteries, Battery Eldridge and Battery Dalliba made it all the way through the war.
Two new batteries were added to modernize the Fort's defenses, Battery 217 and Battery AMTB 911, both designed to combat small high speed motor torpedo boats and smaller craft that might get past the larger batteries at the harbor entrances. Both of these batteries were completed in 1943 and along with the two existing 3" batteries made up Plum Island's defenses until the end of the war.
The temporary post construction in 1940-1941 had built out the capacity of the fort so that it could support 51 officers, 16 NCOs and 1471 enlisted men.
After the end of the war the post became a temporary demobilization center for returning troops and was finally abandoned in 1946.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery 217 | 2 | 6" | Shielded Barbette (SBC) | 1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 249,478 | Not Armed |
| Battery AMTB 911 | 2 2 |
90mm 90mm |
Fixed AMTB Mobile |
1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 12,051 | |
| Battery 155 - Fort Terry | 4 | 155mm | Mobile Panama Mount | 1942-1943 | $ ? | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
Current Status
Ruins.
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Location: Plum Island, Suffolk County, New York. Maps & Images Lat: 41.18 Long: -72.195 |
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 582
- U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Long Island Sound, (HDLIS-AN-45), 15 Feb 1945, CDSG
- Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library
Links:
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