Battery Townsley

Battery Townsley (1940-1948) - Battery Townsley is a reinforced concrete World War II 16" gun battery located on Fort Cronkhite, Marin County, California. Named after Major General Clarence P. Townsley, a World War I veteran and superintendent of the United States Military Academy. Battery construction was begun in Jan 1938, completed 1 Jul 1940 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 24 Jul 1940 at a total cost of $595,000. Deactivated in 1948 after World War II.

Battery Townsley Construction Gun Position #2, 1938	Battery Townsley Completed Gun Position
Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #1 Today. Note the gun pit filled with water.

World War II (1941-1945)

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco. Battery Townsley and Battery Davis (2) at Fort Funston were two 16" batteries planned to guard the entrance to San Francisco harbor.

Battery Townsley was a casemated battery with two naval MarkII-M1 16" guns mounted on long range Barbette M1919 M5 carriages, each capable of shooting a 2,100 pound, armor-piercing projectile 25 miles out to sea. The guns and their associated ammunition magazines, power rooms, and crew quarters were covered by dozens of feet of concrete and earth to protect them from air and naval attack. The central traverse magazine, in addition to the two casemated guns, included two separate magazines, several storerooms and a power room.

In 1943, additional latrine facilities were installed in the main entrance to the Central Traverse Magazine and prison style bunk facilities for 150 people were installed in the corridors, storeroom and shop at a cost of $4,570.44.

Reserve Magazine Plan

A large reserve magazine was built about 2500 feet southeast of gun emplacement #1 on the reverse slope of the battery, not visible from the sea. The reserve magazine construction began June 1938, was completed 1 Jul 1940 and was accepted for service 24 Jul 1940 at a cost of $52,950.

Battery Townsley PSR Plan

A separate PSR (Plotting, Spotting & Radio Rooms) was built about 1,200' away from the Battery to isolate it from the concussion of the 16" guns firing. The PSR construction was accepted for service 24 Jul 1940 at a cost of $76,400. In 1943, prison style bunk facilities for thirty people were installed in the PSR at a cost of $420 and accepted for service on 16 Aug 1943.

Total cost of the Battery including the reserve magazine, PSR, BC stations and real property improvements rose to $1,007,500 by 1940.

Test firings in 1940 with live ammunition proved the range to be over 30 miles.

Battery Townsley Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	16" Rifle	68'	MarkII-M1		87	U.S. Navy	Barbette, M2, #15	1940-1948	See note 1
2	16" Rifle	68'	MarkII-M1		88	U.S. Navy	Barbette, M2, #16	1940-1948	See note 2
Display Guns
2	16" Rifle	68'	MarkVII		386	Naval Gun Factory	None yet	2012	See note 3
Source: CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1 page 176-177 Note 1: Carriage shipped 16 Jan 1939, gun shipped 7 Aug 1939 Watertown CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Carriage shipped 2 Jun 1939, gun shipped Jun 1939 Watertown. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 3: Gun arrived at the Battery on 1 Oct 2012 from US Navy Weapons Station, Hawthorne, Nevada.

Battery Townsley 16" Display Gun Muzzle	Battery Townsley 16" Display Gun Breech
Battery Townsley Navy 16" MarkVII Display Gun on Temporary Mounts

Battery Townsley Plan

Current Status

Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Partly restored but without guns or carriages. On 1 Oct 2012 a surplus 16" Naval MarkVII gun tube was delivered on site for use as a display gun (pictures above & below). The external elements of the Battery, PSR and Reserve Magazine are open for self guided tours during park hours. Parts of the interior of the Battery are open to public on one day of the month. The interior of the PSR and the Reserve Magazine are not open to the public. The newly acquired 16" gun tube is displayed at the back entrance to casemate #2.

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Location: Battery Townsley is located one ½ mile up from the Fort Cronkhite parking lot in Marin County, California. Maps & Images Lat: 37.8362253 Long: -122.5440574 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 345'

Recent Blog Posts:

• A New Gun for Battery Townsley at Fort Cronkhite

Sources:

• Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9, page 216

Links:

• John Martini's Website
• Battery Townsley NPS
• CDSG

Visited: 26 Nov 2012, 19-20 Aug 2009

Battery Townsley Picture Gallery

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

• Display Gun Arrival
• 
  16" MarkVII Gun Enroute to Battery Townsley - Front Trailer View
• 
  16" MarkVII Gun Enroute to Battery Townsley - Muzzle View
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  16" MarkVII Gun Enroute to Battery Townsley - Rear Trailer View
• 
  16" MarkVII Gun Enroute to Battery Townsley - Paused below the Battery

• Interior Views
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  Battery Townsley Shell Room
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  Battery Townsley Internal Corridor
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  Battery Townsley Generator Room
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  Battery Townsley Overhead Shell Hoist
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  Battery Townsley Overhead Shell Tracks
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  Battery Townsley Powder Room
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  Battery Townsley Azimuth Instrument
• 
  Battery Townsley Period Chalk Notes on Wall

• Exterior Views
• 
  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #2
• 
  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #1
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  Battery Townsley Power Room Entrance
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  Battery Townsley Radiator Room Entrance
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  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #1 Entrance
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  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #1 Gun Crew Board
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  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #2 Entrance
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  Battery Townsley Gun Emplacement #2 Interior