Battery Reilly (2)

Battery Reilly (2) (1942-1947) - Battery Reilly (2) was a reinforced concrete, World War II 8 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Church, Newport County, Rhode Island. Named after Henry J. Reilly. Battery construction started on 1 Feb 1941, was completed on 27 Dec 1941 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 5 Jan 1942 at a cost of $ 248,000.00. Deactivated in 1947. World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of Narragansett Bay. Originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with two 8" Mark VI M3 guns mounted on M1 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 connecting the gun emplacements so that the powder and shells could be brought directly to the guns using overhead tracks and chain hoists. Both of the 8" Navy guns were taken from scrapped U.S. battleships, the USS Minnesota and the USS New Hampshire. These ships were scrapped in 1924 in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Most of the guns were removed from battleships scrapped under this treaty and some were reused in coastal batteries. Battery Reillly (2) Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 8" Rifle 369.12" Mark VI M3 A2 205 Bethlehem Casemated Barbette (CBC), M1, #3, Watertown 1942-1947 See note 1 2 8" Rifle 369.12" Mark VI M3 A2 111 Bethlehem Casemated Barbette (CBC), M1, #4, Watertown 1942-1947 See note 2 Source: RCW Form 1, 5 Jan 1942, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 114-115, 204 Note 1: Navy gun from USS New Hampshire. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Navy gun from USS Minnesota. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery Reilly Plan Current Status No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Fort Church, Newport County, Rhode Island Maps & Images Lat: 41.475688 Long: -71.171858 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 20.92' Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Narragansett Bay, (HDNARB-AP-45), 1 Feb 1945, CDSG Links: CDSG Visited: No