Fort Strong (2)

Fort Strong (2) (1899-1961) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1899 on the site of the Battery at Long Island Head on Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Named Fort Strong in G.O. 134, 22 Jul 1899, after Major General George C. Strong, U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Civil War. Abandoned in 1961. Fort Strong, 1905 Barracks Bldg. 11 Destroyed by Fire 10 Nov 1933 Fort Strong, 1907 NCO Duplex Quarters Fort Strong 1911 Double Barracks Endicott Period (1890-1910) Part of the Harbor Defense of Boston, Massachusetts. Fort Strong, 1907 PX-Gym Seven Endicott Period gun batteries and a mine casemate were constructed on Fort Strong (2) between 1893 and 1906. The post was built out as a two company, open plan, coastal fort between 1901 and 1907. The post buildings surrounded a rectangular parade with the officer quarters on the south end. The NCO quarters lined the east side and the two enlisted barracks angled off from the northeast corner. In 1911 the post was expanded to a four company post and a new double barracks (218 men) was constructed on the east side of the parade. Additional officer and NCO quarters were built accordingly. By the end of 1911 the post was virtually complete except for a bakery that was added in 1915. Fort Strong (2) Endicott Period Battery (edit list) Battery Click on Battery links below No. Caliber Type Mount Service Years Battery Cost Notes Battery Hitchcock 1 2 10" 10" Disappearing Disappearing 1893-1899-1899-1918 1893-1899-1899-1938 $ 336,633 One gun removed 1918 Battery Ward 2 10" Disappearing 1893-1899-1899-1938 Included above Battery Drum 2 4.72" Armstrong 1898-1899-1899-1917 $ 14,737 Guns to Sachuest Point, Middletown, RI Battery Basinger 2 3" Masking Parapet 1899-1900-1901-1946 $ 18,780 Battery Smyth 2 3" Pedestal 1903-1906-1906-1921 $ 16,000 Guns to Battery Basinger Battery Stevens 2 3" Pedestal 1903-1906-1906-1946 $ 21,500 Battery Taylor (1) 2 3" Pedestal 1903-1906-1906-1942 $ 21,000 Guns to Battery Taylor (2) Fort Dawes Source: CDSG Fort Strong 1921 Plan Fort Strong Aerial View World War I (1917-1918) Fort strong expanded during World War I with the addition of several WWI temporary buildings which can still be seen on the 1921 post plan. Two temporary long barracks and a mess hall can be seen on the west side of the parade. By 1938 all of those temporary buildings are gone as is one of the permanent single company barracks. That barracks, building #11, was destroyed by fire on 10 Nov 1933 and not rebuilt. Designated a sub-post of Fort Banks (1) after the end of the war. A two-gun AA Battery #3 was built in 1917 and expanded to three guns in 1935. Battery Drum was deactivated in 1917 and had its guns and carriages shipped elsewhere. Battery Smyth was deactivated in 1921 and its guns were relocated to Battery Basinger. Both Battery Hitchcock and Battery Ward were deactivated in 1938. World War II (1941-1945) The post again expanded with temporary buildings during World War II. Three 63 man barracks, a mess hall and various support buildings brought the post capacity up to 48 officers, 7 NCOs and 516 enlisted men. Only Battery Stevens and Battery Basinger remained operational throughout World War II and no new gun batteries were constructed on Fort Strong during the war. After the war, the post was declared surplus on 30 Sep 1947. Cold War (1947-1991) Fort Strong housed NIKE missile launch site B-35R in the 1950s, with the control site in Squantum and the Radar Section, 15th AAA Group (1958-1961). A target tracking radar was built in Battery Drum and only the footings remain. Fort Strong (2) Partial Commanders List (edit list) Assumed Relieved Rank Name Cullum Notes 1902-06-05 1905-08-10  Capt. Marsh, Frederick 2654 While commanding post, he was promoted to Major, Aug. 11, 1903. 1905-10-09 1907-09-10  Maj. Townsley, Clarence Page 2892 1910-05 1911-06-01  Maj. Gatchell, George Washington 3186 While commanding post, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Apr. 12, 1911. 1911-07-04 1911-10  Maj. Ketcham, Daniel Warren 3351 1912-01 1913-06  Lt. Col. Walke, Willoughby 2984 While commanding post, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Aug. 3, 1912. Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Current Status Closed to the public, obtain permission in advance of visit. Operated by The Boston Public Health Commission on Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Location: Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Maps & Images Lat: 42.323292 Long: -70.963864 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: ' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 411 U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG Links: North American Forts - Fort Strong Wikipedia - Fort Strong Wikipedia - Long Island City of Boston - Harbor Islands CDSG Visited: No