Battery AMTB 914 (1943-1946) - Battery AMTB 914 was a reinforced concrete World War IIAMTB rapid fire 90mm gun battery at Goshen Point, New London County, Connecticut. Serviced from Fort H.G. Wright. Battery construction started on 23 Apr 1943, was completed on 19 Jun 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 20 Dec 1943. Deactivated in 1946.
Part of the Harbor Defense of Long Island Sound.
The AMTB battery at Goshen Point consisted of two 90mm guns mounted on 90mm M3 fixed gun mounts and two 90mm guns mounted on 90mm M1A1 mobile gun mounts. Concrete pads for both fixed guns were laid at the southern tip of Goshen Point. Two earth covered concrete magazines provided ammunition storage. Electricity was furnished by two M-7 portable generators.
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)
Source: RCW Form 1, Aug 1944, 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
Battery AMTB 914 Plan
Current Status
Part of Harkness Memorial State Park. No period gun or mounts in place.
