Battery 249

Battery 249 (1943-194?) - A World War II era Battery built in 1943-1945 as a reinforced concrete coastal artillery battery on Camp Hayden, Clallam County, Washington. Guns were removed about 1946 but the concrete emplacements and battery support structure remain. Battery 249 Gun #1, 1945 Battery 249 Gun #2, 1945 Battery 249 Gun Emplacement #1, 2010 Battery 249 Gun Emplacement #2, 2010 World War II (1941-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Originally built as an World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" T2-M1 rapid fire guns mounted on M4 Shielded Barbette Carriages (SBC) placed on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Construction began 12 Apr 1943 and was completed 2 Jan 1945. The Battery was turned over for service 5 Jan 1945 at a cost of $350,000. Both guns and carriages were removed after World War II. 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 249 Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 309.9" T2-M1 24 Watervliet M4 Barbette, #5, York 1944-194? Mounted 1944 2 6" Rifle 309.9" T2-M1 25 Watervliet M4 Barbette, #6, York 1944-194? Mounted 1944 Source: 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, 217 Note 1: Guns were transferred from Watervliet 31 May 1944. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery 249 Plan Current Status Part of Salt Creek Recreation Area, Camp Hayden Clallam County Park, Clallam County, Washington. No guns or carriages in place. Currently a bat habitat and the entrances are blocked by metal grates to prevent people from disturbing the bats. Special permission required for entry. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Striped Peak, Camp Hayden, Clallam County, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 48.161785 Long: -123.69435 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 280' See Also: Harbor Defense of Puget Sound Harbor Defense of Juan de Fuca Strait Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound, (CCA-AN-PS), 12 Aug 1945, CDSG Links: Battery 249 CDSG Visited: 14 Apr 2010 Battery 249 Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! Camp Hayden, Battery 249 Gun #2 Battery 249 Gun Emplacement #1 Entrance Battery 249 Gun Emplacement #2 Entrance Battery 249 Power Room Entrance Road up to Battery 249 from the Park Entrance Parking Lot