Battery Drew
Battery Drew (1900-1917) - Battery Drew was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 8 inch coastal gun battery on Fort McDowell, California. The battery was named in G.O. 16, 14 Feb 1902 after 1st Lt. Alfred W. Drew, 12th U.S. Infantry, who was killed in action at Angles, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 19 Aug 1899. Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1898 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 1 May 1900 at a cost of $ 34,836.82. Deactivated in 1917.
Battery Drew History
Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.
Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with one 8" M1888MII gun mounted on a M1892 Barbette carriage. The Battery had no shell hoists and no powder hoists because the munitions were stored on the same level as the gun loading platform. The electric plant was a 10 hp Hornsby-Akroyd oil engine belted to a 6 kw, 120 volt Eddy Generator used primarily for lighting.
The gun was removed from Battery Wallace 31 Dec 1917 and shipped to Watervliet Arsenal. The carriage was scrapped at Fort McDowell in May of 1918.
| Empl No |
Caliber Type |
Barrel Length |
Model | Serial No |
Manufacturer | Carriage | Service Dates |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8" Rifle | 278.5" | M1888MII | 36 | Watervliet | Barbette, M1892, #6, Watertown | 1900-1917 | See note 1 | |
| Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Mar 1920, RCB, 31 Dec 1903, 31 Dec 1909, 31 Dec 1910, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 106-107, 215. Note 1: Gun to Watervliet Arsenal 31 Dec 1917, carriage scrapped 21 Oct 1918. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA | |||||||||
World War I
Current Status
Angel Island California State Park. No gun or mounts in place.
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Location: Fort McDowell, Angel Island, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.8552115 Long: -122.4344301 |
Sources:
- Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums
- Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9, page 130-132
Links:
Visited: 29 Aug 2009
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