Battery AMTB 12 - Swinburne Island (1943-1946) - Battery AMTB 12 - Swinburne Island was a reinforced concrete World War IIAMTB rapid fire 90mm gun battery on the manmade Swinburne Island in New York Harbor near Fort Wadsworth (1), New York. Battery construction started in 1943, was completed in 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use in 1943. Deactivated in 1946.
Battery AMTB 12 - Swinburne Island History
Part of the Harbor Defense of Southern New York.
The AMTB battery at Swinburne Island consisted of two 90mm gun mounted on 90mm M3 gun mounts. Concrete pads for both these guns were laid at south end of the island. The battery had a dual mission of defense against fast enemy motor torpedo boats and enemy aircraft. The effective range of the guns was about 8,000 yards. Each weapon required a crew of 15, 9 men in the gun squad and 6 men in the ammunition squad.
From FM 4-91:
"This weapon consists of the 90-mm gun M1 and top carriage M1A1 on the 90-mm gun mount M3. The mount M3 is of the turret type, the shielding being constructed of boiler plates. This boiler plate shield provide fragmentation protection only. No shielding is provided at the rear due to the requirements for service of the piece. A sighting port in the shielding in front permits sighting in direction by the gun pointer."
References:
FM 4-91 - 90-MM Gun, Fixed Mount Service of the Piece
FM 4-126 - Antiaircraft Artillery, Service of the Piece, 90-mm Antiaircraft Gun
TM 9-373 - 90-mm Gun M1 and 90-mm Gun Mount T3 (M3)
Battery AMTB 12 - Swinburne Island Armament(edit list)
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 80-81, 208
Battery AMTB 12 - Swinburne Island Plan
Current Status
Gun pads remain. No period guns or mounts in place.
