Fort John Custis: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:29, 3 February 2013

Fort John Custis ((1940-1981) - Established in 1940 as Fort Winslow to complement Fort Story in protecting the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. Renamed Fort John Custis in G.O. 49, 1 Oct 1942 after Captain John Parke Custis, USA. The Fort closed in 1948 and was occupied by Cape Charles Air Force Station from 1949 to 1981. Also known as Fort Custis.

Fort John Custis Group Station Tower by Airstrip

World War II (1941-1945)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay.

**Fort John Custis World War II Battery** (edit list)
Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery 122 Battery Winslow	2	16"	Casemated Barbette (CBC)	1941-1943-1943-1948	$ 1,531,866	Navy Gun (16" 1940 Program)
Battery 123	2	16"	Casemated Barbette (CBC)	Not Built	$ ?	Navy Gun (16" 1940 Program)
Battery 228	2	6"	Shielded Barbette (SBC)	1942-1943-1943-NA	$ 230,398	Buried
Battery 227	2	6"	Shielded Barbette (SBC)	1942-1943-1943-1965	$ 271,352	Guns to Battery 234, Fort Pickens
Battery AMTB 20 - Fishermans Island	2	3"	Pedestal Mount	1942-1942-1944-1944	$ 16,465	Guns from Battery Lee (2), Fort Wool (1)
Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island	2	90mm	Fixed AMTB	1942-1943-1944-1946	$ 6,937
Battery 155 - Fishermans Island	4	155mm	Mobile Panama Mounts	1942-194?	$ ?
Source: CDSG

Cold War (1947-1991)

The U.S. Air Force created the Cape Charles Air Force Station as Lashup site L-15 here in Apr 1950 manned by the 771st AC&W Squadron. Closed 1 Jun 1981 as the 771st Radar Squadron (Sage) and became the property of the US Fish & Wildlife Service in 1984.

Current Status

The Fort property is now the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge.

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Location: Located on the tip of Cape Charles, Virginia at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.

Maps & Images

Lat: 37.133543 Long: -75.956375

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 812
U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Chesapeake Bay, (HDCB-AP-45), 1 Nov 1945, CDSG

Links:

Visited: 26 Jul 2010

Picture Gallery

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

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-'''{{PAGENAME}}''' ((1940-1981) - Established in 1940 as [[Fort Winslow]] to complement [[Fort Story]] in protecting the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. Renamed Fort John Custis 14 Oct 1942 after Capt. [[John Parke Custis]]. The Fort closed in 1948 and was occupied by Cape Charles Air Force Station from 1949 to 1981. Also known as [[Fort Custis]].
+'''{{PAGENAME}}''' ((1940-1981) - Established in 1940 as [[Fort Winslow]] to complement [[Fort Story]] in protecting the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. Renamed Fort John Custis in G.O. 49, 1 Oct 1942 after Captain [[John Parke Custis]], USA. The Fort closed in 1948 and was occupied by [[Cape Charles Air Force Station]] from 1949 to 1981. Also known as [[Fort Custis]].
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