Battery 128

 (1943-1948) - A World War II era reinforced concrete coastal artillery battery built on the Bolsa Chica Military Reservation of Fort MacArthur, California. The Battery was begun in March 1943 and was mostly complete when the project was curtailed in Nov 1943. The guns and carriages were never installed and the battery was accepted in its partially complete status on 5 Jan 1945. The Bolsa Chica Military Reservation closed in 1948 and the Battery was abandoned.

History
Part of the Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles.

Battery 128 was to be a battery of two, 16" Long Range naval guns with each gun position in a reinforced concrete casemate. The casemates were at either end of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. Construction began 17 Apr 1943 and was curtailed 26 Nov 1943. The Battery declared complete 21 Jan 1944 even though it lacked some equipment and the guns. It was turned over for service 5 Jan 1945 in its curtailed condition at a cost of $758,879. The guns were never delivered and the Battery was abandoned in 1948 when the Bolsa Chica Military Reservation closed.

An underground Plotting-Switchboard-Radio (PSR) structure for Battery 128 was built behind the battery.



Current Status
Battery destroyed in 1993 to make room for housing development.

Sources:
 * Berhow, Mark, A Brief History of the Bolsa Chica Military Resewation 1941-1948 (pdf), The Coast Defense Study Group Journal, February 1995, page 60-63

Links: 
 * Fort MacArthur Museum
 * Coast Defense Study Group