Battery 103

Battery 103 (1944-1948) - Battery 103 was a reinforced concrete, World War II 16 inch coastal gun battery located on Fort Dearborn (4), Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Renamed Battery Seaman. Battery construction started 8 Apr 1942, was completed 15 Aug 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 8 Sep 1944 at a cost of $ 1,473,506.00. Deactivated in 1948. Battery 103 Gun Emplacement #1 Rear Entrance Battery 103 Gun Emplacement #2 Interior Battery 103 Gun Emplacement #1 World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 16" MarkII-M1 guns mounted on M5 Casemated Barbette Carriages (CBC). This battery was a single level battery with the guns located on the same level as the central magazine. Each gun emplacement was casemated with heavy, reinforced concrete overhead protection and earth covering. The central magazine was built between and connected the gun emplacements so that the powder and shells could be brought directly to the guns using overhead tracks and chain hoists. See 16" Rifle MarkII-M1. A completely separate Plotting and Fire Control Switchboard Room (PSR) is located nearby. Battery 103 Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 16" Rifle 816" MarkII-M1 99 Navy Casemated Barbette (CBC), M5, #56, Watertown 1944-1948 See note 1 2 16" Rifle 816" MarkII-M1 104 Navy Casemated Barbette (CBC), M5, #57, Watertown 1944-1948 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 30 Sep 1944, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 176-177 Note 1: Guns from Watervliet 16 Aug 1943, carriages from Watertown November 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery 103 Plan Current Status Part of Odiorne Point State Park, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Odiorne Point State Park, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Maps & Images Lat: 43.05100 Long: -70.72089 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: Gun #1= 25.86', Gun #2= 25.85' Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (CCA-P-PCC), 1945, CDSG Links: North American Forts - History of Fort Dearborn CDSG Visited: 21 May 2018, 7 Jun 2012 Picture Gallery Battery 103 Covered Central Entrance Battery 103 Emplacement #2