Battery Langdon

 (1917-1945) - Battery Langdon was a reinforced concrete, World War I 12 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Pickens, Escambia County, Florida. The battery was named in G.O. 13, 27 Mar 1922 after Brigadier General Loomis L. Langdon, who served in the Third Seminole War and the U.S. Civil War, and who died 7 Jan 1910 in New York City. Battery construction started 1 Apr 1917, was completed 17 May 1921 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 3 Mar 1923 at a cost of $ 309.486.32. Casemated in 1942-1943. Deactivated in 1947.

World War I (1917-1918)
Originally built as a World War I concrete coastal gun battery with two 12" M1895MI-A4 guns mounted on M1917-A2 carriages.

The battery was not completed until February 1923 but the armament was not mounted until early summer 1923 and was finally test fired on 8 Aug 1923.



World War II (1941-1945)
At the beginning of World War II a decision to casemate most of the 12" open pad Barbette mounted batteries was taken to protect the guns and crews from long range ship and aircraft bombardment. Battery Langdon was selected to be casemated and work was begun 1 Nov 1942. The casemates and supporting magazine structure were massive reinforced concrete structures with 10' thick walls and 17' thick overhead concrete ceilings. The central structure between the two casemates housed shell and powder rooms as well as plotting rooms and fire control infrastructure. The casemates were completed on 31 July 1943 and accepted for service on 21 Jun 1943 at a cost of $ 623,818.80. In 1947. The Harbor Defenses of Pensacola were declared surplus in May 1947 and the guns and carriages of Battery Langdon were scrapped during June and July 1947.



Current Status
No period guns or mounts in place and there are locked steel doors preventing public entry to the Battery rooms.

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