Battery 243
Battery 243 (1942-1948) - A World War II era Battery built in 1942-43 as a reinforced concrete Coastal Artillery Battery on Fort Miley. The Battery was begun 30 Jan 1943, completed 14 Aug 1943 and turned over for service 18 Sep 1944 at a cost of $245,808. The guns were not mounted until 1948. Decommissioned late in 1948.
Battery 243 History
Part of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco.
Battery 243 was a battery of two, 6" rapid fire guns mounted in an M4 Barbette carriage on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Decommissioned in 1948.
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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. |
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| Empl No |
Caliber Type |
Barrel Length |
Model | Serial No |
Manufacturer | Carriage | Service Dates |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6" Rifle | 302.9" | T2-M1 | 26 | Watervliet | Barbette M4, #15, Wellman | 1944-1948 | See Note 1 | |
| 2 | 6" Rifle | 302.9" | T2-M1 | 27 | Watervliet | Barbette M4, #16, Wellman | 1944-1948 | See Note 1 | |
| Source: Coast Defense Study Group Note 1: Gun serial numbers may not be in the correct emplacement, guns from Fort Stevens Battery 245 mounted 1948, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA | |||||||||
Current Status
Battery 243 is overgrown and used as a storage area for the Department of Veterans Affairs San Francisco Medical Center. Only Emplacement 2 is accessible, emplacement 1 is completely overgrown. No period guns or carriages in place.
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Location: Fort Miley, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.782604 Long: -122.508245 |
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Battery 243 Picture Gallery
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