Battery Kirby Beach

Battery Kirby Beach (1943-1944) - Battery Kirby Beach was a temporary World War II 3 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Baker (1), Marin County, California. The battery was named after the beach below. Battery construction started 4 Aug 1942, was completed 12 Aug 1942 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 1 Jun 1943 at a cost of $ 955.78. Deactivated in 1944. Battery Kirby Beach View of Golden Gate Bridge Battery Kirby Beach Gun Pad #2 World War II (1941-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco. Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 3" M1902MI guns mounted on M1902 Barbette pedestal mounts as a temporary Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) battery. The battery consisted of two octagonal concrete pads with mounting bolts for the M1902 Barbette pedestal mounts. Battery Kirby, which had been abandoned in 1941, was located just behind Battery Kirby Beach and probably provided support and storage for munitions and supplies. The two M1902MI guns and carriages on this battery were originally installed in emplacements #5 and #6 of Battery Yates and were relocated here. They were again relocated to Battery Fort Point when the regular AMTB battery for this location, Battery AMTB - Gravelly Beach, became operational in 1944. Battery Kirby Beach Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 3" Rifle 154.35" M1902MI 22 Bethlehem Barbette pedestal, M1902, #22, Bethlehem 1943-1944 See note 1 2 3" Rifle 154.35" M1902MI 23 Bethlehem Barbette pedestal, M1902, #23, Bethlehem 1943-1944 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Sep 1923, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 72-73, 215 Note 1: Shipped to Battery Fort Point in 1944 Battery Kirby Beach Plan Current Status Part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area (GGNRA) administered by the National Park Service. No period guns or mounts in place. The #2 concrete pad is visible, #1 mounting bolts are visible visible. Location: Fort Baker, Marin County, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.827055 Long: -122.489662 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: #1 34.49' #2 44.63' both are pad surface elevations Sources: Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9, page 149 Links: CDSG Visited: 20 Aug 2009