Battery White (2)
Battery White (2) (1919-1942) - Battery White (2) was a reinforced concrete, Taft Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Rosecrans, San Diego County, California. Named Battery John White in G.O. 15, 1916, after Colonel John V. White. Battery construction started 8 Nov 1915, was completed 19 Aug 1919 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 19 Aug 1919 at a cost of $ 144,200.00. Deactivated in 1942.
 |
 |
 | |
Taft Period
Part of the Harbor Defense of San Diego.
Originally built as a Taft Period concrete coastal mortar battery with four 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages divided into two mortar pits (A-B) with two mortars in each pit (1-2).
The two mortar pits are separated in this battery. Each mortar pit had a data booth at the rear that conveyed azimuth and elevation information to the gun crews and directed the firing. The data booth was attached to the plotting room. In front of the mortar pits was a concrete magazine that stored the shells and powder. The magazine was protected by a thick covering of earth. Shells and powder were wheeled from the magazine to the mortar loading platforms on shot carts.
| Empl No |
Caliber Type |
Barrel Length |
Model | Serial No |
Manufacturer | Carriage | Service Dates |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 12" Mortar | 141.125" | M1890MI | 3 | Builders | Mortar, M1896MI, #76, Robert Poole | 1919-1942 | See note 1 | |
| A2 | 12" Mortar | 141.125" | M1890MI | 27 | Bethlehem | Mortar, M1896MI, #83, Robert Poole | 1919-1942 | See note 1 | |
| B1 | 12" Mortar | 141.125" | M1890MI | 9 | Builders | Mortar, M1896MI, #56, Robert Poole | 1919-1942 | See note 1 | |
| B2 | 12" Mortar | 141.125" | M1890MI | 4 | Builders | Mortar, M1896MI, #87, Robert Poole | 1919-1942 | See note 1 | |
| Source: RCW Form 1, 19 Aug 1919, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 3rd Edition - PDF, CDSG ePress, McLean, VA, 2012, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 140-142 Note 1: Guns transferred 21 Dec 1916 & mounted 31 Dec 1917, scrapped 17 Dec 1943, guns & carriages from Battery Rodney, Fort DuPont (1), carriages ordered salvaged 5 Nov 1942 | |||||||||
World War II
The mortars were obsolete at the beginning of World War II and the first major scrap drive of the war in 1942 saw them scrapped. The guns and carriages were listed for disposal 3 Nov 1942.
Current Status
Active U.S.Navy installation. No period guns or mounts in place. The mortar pits have been repurposed.
|
{"selectable":false,"width":"500"} |
Location: U.S. Navy Base, Point Loma, San Diego County, California Maps & Images Lat: 32.6831371 Long: -117.2416516 |
Sources:
- U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of San Diego, (HDSD-AN-45), 1 Jul 1945, CDSG
Links:
Visited: 2 Oct 2014
Battery White (2) Picture Gallery
|
Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |