Battery Whistler

 (1919-1942) - Battery Whistler was a reinforced concrete, Taft Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Rosecrans, San Diego County, California. The Battery was named in G.O. 15, 1916 after Colonel Joseph N.G. Whistler who fought in the Mexican War and the U.S. Civil War. Battery construction started 15 Mar 1916, was completed 19 Aug 1919 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 19 Aug 1919 at a cost of $ 118,000. Deactivated in 1942.

World War I
Originally built as a Taft Period concrete coastal mortar battery with four 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages divided into two mortar pits (A-B) with two mortars in each pit (1-2).

Each mortar pit had a data booth that conveyed azimuth and elevation information to the gun crews and directed the firing. The data booth was attached to the plotting room. In front of the mortar pits was a concrete magazine that stored the shells and powder. The magazine was protected with a thick covering of earth. Shells and powder were wheeled from the magazine to the mortar loading platforms on shot carts.



World War II
The mortars were obsolete at the beginning of World War II and the first major scrap drive of the war in 1942 saw them scrapped.

Current Status
No period guns or mounts in place.

Sources:

Links: 
 * CABRILLO: The Guns of San Diego Historic Resource Study, NPS