Battery 155 - Fort Brumback

 (1942-1944) - Battery 155 - Fort Brumback was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located on Fort Brumback, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. This battery was first emplaced in field mounts perhaps as early as 1941. Panama mount construction started 15 Sep 1943, was completed in December 1943 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 14 Jan 1944. Deactivated in 1944.

World War II
Originally built as a temporary World War II coastal gun battery with four 155mm M1917/M1918 rapid fire guns mounted on M1918 mobile carriages emplaced on concrete circular (360 degrees) Panama mounts. The guns were initially emplaced in tactical positions until the concrete Panama mounts were completed and accepted for service in 1944. The Battery was constructed at Summer Bay on the northern end of Unalaska Island on the Fort Brumback reservation. Directly across the Iliuliuk bay was the entrance to Dutch Harbor. The battery was carried on the Harbor Defense Plan Annex as Battery Tactical 1 - 155mm at Location 4, on Fort Brumback. Two sites, one at location 4 and one at Location 5 contained elements of the battery. A total of 1,390-acres was procured on 14 Jun 1942 for the 155mm Battery and associated Garrison. The Battery facilities included a buried Steel Igloo Plotting Room, 26' by 30', a Battery Commanders (BC) station, two Base End Stations (BES) and a number of magazines. The Battery was not formally named.

The maximum elevation range for the battery at this location was 19,100 yards or 10.85 miles, with the 360-degree coverage, this battery could cover almost all of Unalaska Bay out to the mouth where other batteries were positioned to cover the approaches.

Ammunition authorized for the Battery included a Battle Allowance of 3,200 complete rounds and a War Reserve of 3,200 complete rounds.

By August 1944 the guns and ordinance were reported in storage at Fort Mears and all 155mm ammunition was ordered shipped away from Harbor Defense but the Battery was also listed to be retained.

Current Status
No period guns or carriages in place. The Panama mounts can still be seen in current satellite images.

See Also:
 * Harbor Defense of Dutch Harbor
 * Fort Mears
 * Fort Brumback
 * Fort Learnard
 * Fort Schwatka
 * Battery 155 - Fort Schwatka
 * Battery 155 - Hill 400
 * 155mm Rifle M1918MI

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