Fort Getty

 (1900-1948) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1900 on Conanicut Island, Jamestown, Rhode Island on the site of previous fortifications. Named in G.O. 78, 25 May 1903 after Colonel George W. Getty, 4th U.S. Artillery, (Bvt Major General, U.S. Volunteers), who died 1 Oct 1901, at Forest Glen, Maryland. Abandoned in 1948.

Endicott Period
Battery construction began in 1901 and continued through 1905. All three of the batteries were accepted for service on the same day, 7 Jun 1910. Post construction was very limited with only one 10 man barracks and one storehouse constructed. The 10 man barracks doubled as the caretakers quarters during the years the post was in caretaker status. The garrison was first established 16 Jul 1909.



World War I
A sub post of Fort Greble (2) and a garrison for artillery troops during World War I. The fort went back into caretaker status after the end of the war.

World War II
By the beginning of World War II all of the Endicott Period batteries were obsolete and by the end of 1942 all of the armament had been either salvaged or redistributed to higher priority installations. The 12" guns and carriages of Battery Tousard were ordered scrapped as a part of the first nationwide scrap drive of the war. The 3" guns and carriages of Battery Whiting were transferred to Beavertail Point 20 Jul 1942. The 6" guns and carriages of Battery House were transferred to Boston Neck on 20 Jul 1942. The only armament added to the post was Battery AMTB 922 built in front of Battery Tousard. This battery had four 90mm guns, two in fixed mounts and two in mobile mounts.

In 1941 post construction built up the fort to some 40 temporary World War II structures including fourteen 63 man barracks, five mess halls and all the support structures required to support the troops. During the war some German POWs were kept at Fort Getty for training as post war German civil servants. The post was declared surplus by the army in 1948 after the end of the war.



Current Status
Part of Fort Getty City Park. No period guns or carriages in place.

Sources:
 * , page 701



Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Getty
 * Wikipedia - Fort Getty