Battery Wansboro

Battery Wansboro (1907-1945) - Battery Wansboro is a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 3- inch gun battery on Fort Flagler, Washington. Named in G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904, after 2nd Lt. Thomas A. Wansboro, 7th U.S. Infantry, who was killed in action 1 Jul 1898 at El Caney, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War. Battery construction started in 1903, was completed in 1905 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 23 Apr 1907 at a cost of $ 14,000. Abandoned in 1946.

Battery Wansboro History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Battery Wansboro faces Admiralty Inlet on the east shore of Fort Flagler in Washington State.

Endicott Period

The battery consisted of two, 3” M1903 guns on M1903 pedestal mount carriages, with two supporting magazines and a center storeroom. In October of 1945 both guns and carriages were declared obsolete and in March of 1946, both guns and their carriages were processed for salvage.

**Battery Wansboro Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	3" Rifle	170"	M1903	35	Watervliet	Pedestal Mount, M1903, #16, Watertown	1907-1946	See Note 1
2	3" Rifle	170"	M1903	16	Watervliet	Pedestal Mount, M1903, #79, Watertown	1907-1946	See Note 1
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 74-75, 216 Note 1: Guns and carriages declared obsolete 18 Oct 1945 and processed for salvage 7 Mar 1946. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

Current Status

Part of the Fort Flagler State Park. The battery is accessible to the public with period guns on display. After Fort Flagler was purchased as a state park, two 3” M1903 guns and carriages were brought over from Fort Wint in the Philippines and installed for display. The battery’s magazines have 155mm powder canisters (empty) in racks on display behind mesh barriers.

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Location: Fort Flagler, Washington

Maps & Images

Lat: 48.092813 Long: -122.692976

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 55.37'

Sources:

Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums

Links:

Battery Wansboro Photo Gallery

Visited: 5 October 2009