Battery McKinnon

Battery McKinnon (1906-1942) - Battery McKinnon is a concrete Endicott Period 12" mortar battery located on Fort Winfield Scott, California. Named in G.O. 20, 25 Jan 1906, after Chaplain William D. McKinnon, 3rd U.S. Cavalry, who served with distinction during the Spanish-American War and the insurrection in the Philippine Islands, and who died 25 Sep 1902. Originally built as mortar pits C & D of Battery Stotsenburg in 1898, these two pits were re-designated as Battery McKinnon in 1906. Battery deactivated 1942.

Battery McKinnon Data Booth	Battery McKinnon Mortar Pit B
Battery McKinnon Mortar Pit A

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.

Battery McKinnon was originally mortar pits C & D of Battery Stotsenburg, each of these two pits were built with 4, 12" M1890MI rifled steel mortars on M1896MI mortar carriages in a concrete battery. These two mortar pits were re-designated as Battery McKinnon in 1906. This was a single level mortar battery with the mortar loading platforms on the same level as the magazines. Shells were brought from the magazines by shot carts. No shell or powder hoist were provided or needed. The concrete magazines were built between the mortar pits and covered with some 20' of earth. Electrical power was furnished from a central power plant and a backup emplacement power plant.

**Battery McKinnon Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
A-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	34	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 91, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
A-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	36	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 95, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 2
A-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	23	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 94, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 1
A-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	28c	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 96, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
B-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	39	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 85, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
B-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	46	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 79, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
B-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	28d	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 86, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2
B-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI	22b	Bethlehem	Mortar M1896MI, 80, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Mar 1920, 1 Sep 1923, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 140-145 Note 1: Mortars and Carriages transferred to Battery Howe (2), Fort Funston 18 Jun 1918 Note 2: Mortars & carriages salvaged 19 Nov 1942

World War I (1917-1918)

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. In 1918, four of the mortars from Battery McKinnon were relocated to Battery Howe (2) on Fort Funston.

World War II (1941-1945)

The mortars of Battery Stotsenburg were obsolete at the beginning of World War II. They were all ordered scrapped 19 Nov 1942 during the first large scale World War II scrap drive.

Current Status

No guns or carriages are in place.

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Location: Fort Winfield Scott, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 37.795012 Long: -122.474953

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 339'

Sources:

Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9, page 42
U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of San Francisco, (CCA-P-SFB), 15 Nov 1945, CDSG

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Visited: 22 Aug 2009