Battery Springer

Battery Springer (1906-1942) - Battery Springer was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Miley, California. Originally built as mortar pits C & D of Battery Livingston in 1899, these two pits were re-designated as Battery Springer in 1906. General Order 20, 25 Jan 1906, named the C and D mortar pits Battery Springer after Capt. Anton Springer, 1st U.S. Infantry, who was killed in action near Lipa, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 10 Jun 1901. Mortar pits A and B retained the Battery Livingston name. Deactivated in 1942.

Battery Springer History

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.

Endicott Period

Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with sixteen 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages divided into four mortar pits (A-D) with four mortars in each pit (1-4).

**Battery Springer Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
A1	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	164	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #290, Watertown	1902-1942	See note 1
A2	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	169	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #302, Rarig	1902-1918	See note 2
A3	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	166	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #301, Rarig	1902-1942	See note 1
A4	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	168	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #299, Rarig	1902-1918	See note 2
B1	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	163	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #232, Watertown	1902-1942	See note 1
B2	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	165	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #231, Watertown	1902-1918	See note 2
B3	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	167	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #233, Watertown	1902-1942	See note 1
B4	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI	95	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #230, Watertown	1902-1918	See note 2
Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Mar 1920, 1 Sep 1923, RCB, 31 Dec 1903, 31 Dec 1909 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 140-141, 215 Note 1: Guns and carriages ordered scrapped 19 Nov 1942 CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Guns transferred to Morgan 18 Jun 1918. Carriages ordered scrapped/reduced to parts 26 May 1920. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

World War I

The U.S. entry into World War I resulted in a widespread removal of large caliber coastal defense gun tubes for service in Europe. Many of the gun and mortar tubes removed were sent to arsenals for modification and mounting on mobile carriages, both wheeled and railroad. Most of the removed gun tubes never made it to Europe and were either remounted or remained at the arsenals until needed elsewhere.

On 3 May 1918 Fort Miley was directed to dismount four mortars each from Battery Livingston and Battery Springer and prepare them for shipment. On 18 Jul 1918 a status message indicated that all eight of the mortars had been transferred to service abroad. The gun cards for these mortars indicate that they were transferred 18 Jun 1918 to Morgan Engineering. None of these guns were actually sent abroad because the World War I drew to a close before they could be modified. The carriages for these mortars were removed from the mortar pits but remained at Fort Miley until the general disarmament in 1920 when they were scrapped or broken up for spare parts. In each case the two front mortars were removed from each pit to make more room for more efficient operations. This was a general pattern throughout the coastal artillery mortar batteries.

World War II

It was clear that the 12" Endicott Period mortar batteries were obsolete even before World War II so in the fall of 1942 when the first nationwide scrap drive of the war was organized, much of the obsolete hardware of the Endicott Period went into blast furnaces.

Current Status

Part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area (GGNRA) administered by the National Park Service. No period guns or mounts in place.

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Location: Fort Miley, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 37.783104 Long: -122.501609

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 346.3'

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 77-79
Fort Miley VA Center
California Military Museum - Battery Livingston-Springer

Links:

Visited: 23 Aug 2009