Battery 155 - Fermin Point

Battery 155 - Fermin Point (1943-1944) - Battery Battery 155 - Fermin Point was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located above Fermin Point on Fort MacArthur, Los Angeles County, California. Battery construction for the Panama mounts started in December 1941, was completed in June 1942 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 31 Aug 1943 at a cost of $ 6,332.00. Deactivated in 1944.


Battery 155 - Fermin Point, View from Panama Mount

World War II

Part of the Harbor Defense of Los Angeles.

Originally established as a temporary World War II coastal gun battery with two 155mm M1918MI rapid fire guns mounted on M1918MI mobile carriages at the beginning of Word War II. The two guns were originally in field emplacements in a preselected site on the upper reservation of Fort MacArthur. Construction began in December 1941, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on two Panama mounts to improve the battery. This battery became the Challenge Battery or Exam Battery for the harbor and was responsible for challenging and if necessary sinking any vessel not responding to commands from Harbor Entrance Command Post (HEPC).

**Battery 155 - Fermin Point Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates
1	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918MI	M1	.....	.....	Mobile, M1918MI, #....., .....	1941-1945
2	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918MI	M1	.....	.....	Mobile, M1918MI, #....., .....	1941-1945
Source: CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 190-191

Current Status

No period guns or carriages in place. One Panama mount remains.

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Location: On Fort MacArthur, Los Angeles County, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 33.709055 Long: -118.293885

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: Gun #1=220', Gun #2=224'

Sources:

U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles, (LA-AN-WDC-44), 31 Aug 1944, CDSG

Links:

CDSG

Visited: 5 Jan 2013, 31 Jan 2009