Battery Chandler

Battery Chandler (1915-1942) - Battery Chandler was a reinforced concrete, Taft Period 3 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Kamehameha, Honolulu County, Hawaii. The battery was named in G.O. 36, 1915, after 2nd Lt. Rex Chandler, CAC, who was killed in an airplane accident, 8 Apr 1913. Battery construction started in September 1914, was completed in September 1915 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 26 Sep 1915 at a cost of $ 26,923.37. Battery Barri (2-4.7" Guns) and Battery Chandler (2-6" Guns) were built into the same structure. Battery Chandler was deactivated in 1942. Battery Chandler-Barri Location Plan 1919 Taft Period (1905-1915) Part of the Harbor Defense of Pearl Harbor. Originally built as a Taft Period concrete coastal gun battery with two 3" M1903 guns mounted on M1903 Barbette carriages. This was a two story battery with the guns located on the upper level and the magazines below. Shells were moved from the magazine level to the gun loading platform by hand. No shell or powder hoists were provided. Electrical power was furnished by a generator set installed for a searchlight. Battery Chandler Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 3" Rifle 184" M1903 13 Watervliet Barbette, M1903, #56, Watertown 1915-1942 See note 1 2 3" Rifle 184" M1903 93 Watervliet Barbette, M1903, #55, Watertown 1915-1942 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 31 Mar 1919, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 74-75 Note 1: CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery Chandler-Barri Plan 1919 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. The guns of Battery Chandler were not affected by the World War I redistribution or the following 1920 disarmament program. World War II (1941-1945) Battery Chandler was a part of the Harbor Defenses of Pearl Harbor plan during World War II until 1942. The battery was declared surplus and the guns and carriages were processed for salvage as of 13 Mar 1943. Current Status Site destroyed on Hickam Air Force Base. No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu County, Hawaii Maps & Images Lat: 21.331574 Long: -157.968555 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 18' (trunnion elevation) Sources: Grobmeier, Alvin H., Officers of the U.S. Army and Others in Honor of whom Coast Artillery Forts and Batteries in Hawaii Have Been Named, CDSG News, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1992), pp. 66-67 Links: CDSG Visited: No