Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island

Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island (1944-1946) - Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island was a reinforced concrete World War II AMTB rapid fire 90mm gun battery on Fishermans Island near Fort Fort John Custis, North Hampton County, Virginia. Battery construction started 7 Dec 1942, was completed 26 Jan 1943 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 12 Feb 1944 at a cost of $ 6,936.56. Deactivated in 1946.

Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay.
The AMTB battery at Fishermans Island consisted of two 90mm guns mounted on 90mm M3 gun mounts. Two concrete pads for these guns and an earth covered concrete magazine were placed near Battery 227. 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.

The above photos were taken at Fort Monroe, Battery Parrott

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)

**Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates
1	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	6931	Chevorlet	Pedestal Mount, T3-M3, #123, Fisher	1943-1946
2	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	5559	Watertown	Pedestal Mount, T3-M3, #217, Fisher	1943-1946
Source: RCW Form 1, 12 Feb 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, 210

File:Fort John Custis Battery AMTB 24.jpg

Battery AMTB 24 - Fishermans Island Plan

Current Status

No period gun or mounts in place.

{"selectable":false,"width":"500"}

Location: Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, Fishermans Island, North Hampton County, Virginia

Maps & Images

Lat: 37.097627 Long: -75.977663

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 19.42'

Sources:

U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Chesapeake Bay, (HDCB-AP-45), 1 Nov 1945, CDSG

Links:

Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library

Visited: Area 26 Jul 2010