Battery 155 - Fort Pickens

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Battery 155 - Fort Pickens (1942-1942) - Battery 155 - Fort Pickens was a reinforced concrete, World War II 155mm inch coastal gun battery on Fort Pickens, Escambia County, Florida. Battery construction started 27 Jul 1942, was completed 18 Sep 1942 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 26 Oct 1942 at a cost of $ 26,652.25. Deactivated 5 Apr 1945.

155mm M1918 Gun at Fort Morgan (1)
Battery 155 - Fort Pickens Panama Mount #2
Battery 155 - Fort Pickens Panama Mount
Battery 155 - Fort Pickens During WWII

World War II (1941-1945)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Pensacola. Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with four 155mm M1918 guns mounted on M1918 carriages.

This battery was built as four circular Panama mounts, two in front of Battery Cooper and one on each side of Battery Cooper. The Battery Cooper structure was used and modified as a support structure for Battery 155 - Fort Pickens.

Starting in 1937 four circular concrete pads were planned around Battery Cooper to mount 155mm GPF M1918 guns on mobile M1918 carriages in fixed positions. These four gun positions were designated Battery 155 - Fort Pickens and remained in operation from 26 Oct 1942 until 5 Apr 1945. The Battery Cooper facilities were used for ammunition storage and support facilities. In 1942 generator #1 at Battery Pensacola was removed and reinstalled in Battery Cooper to support the four 155mm GPF guns. A separate 6 commode latrine was built and the B.C. Station was remodeled.

Battery GPF Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 155mm Rifle 20' M1918MI 615 Dodge Panama, M1918, #48, Minneapolis 1942-1945 See note 1
2 155mm Rifle 20' M1918MI 763 Dodge Panama, M1918, #182, Minneapolis 1942-1945 See note 1
3 155mm Rifle 20' M1918MI 762 Dodge Panama, M1918, #55T, Minneapolis 1942-1945 See note 1
4 155mm Rifle 20' M1918MI 791 Dodge Panama, M1918, #392, Minneapolis 1942-1945 See note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, 26 Nov 1942, 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 190-191, 212
Note 1:
Battery 155 - Fort Pickens Plan


Current Status

No period guns or carriages in place. All of the Panama mounts are exposed from their original sand foundations but remain in relatively good shape.


Location: Fort Pickens, Escambia County, Florida

Maps & Images

Lat: 30.320544 Long: -87.28227

Sources:

  • Historic Structure Report and Resource Study, Pensacola Harbor Defense Project 1890-1947, Florida Unit, National Park service, March 1982
  • U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Pensacola, (HDPEN-AN-45), 1 Jul 1945, CDSG

Links:

Visited: 25 Apr 2013, 30 Dec 2011, 16 Dec 2009

Battery 155 - Fort Pickens Picture Gallery

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