Battery 248

Battery 248 (1944-1946) - A World War II era reinforced concrete Coastal Artillery gun battery on Fort Ebey, Island County, Washington. Battery construction started 18 May 1942, was completed 1 Feb 1944 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 22 Mar 1944 at a cost of $ 349,000. Guns were removed about 1946 but the concrete Battery support structure and fire control post remain. Battery 248 Main Entrance in the rear of the Support Structure Battery 248 Fire Control Position, Camouflaged Battery Support Structure in the Background Fort Ebey, Battery 248, Gun Emplacement #2. Fort Ebey, Battery 248, Gun Emplacement #1. World War II (1941-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Battery 248 had two, 6" rapid fire M1905A2 guns mounted in Barbette M1 carriages on either side of an earth covered reinforced concrete support structure. A separate earth covered reinforced concrete fire control post is located about 300 feet in front of the support structure. The support structure contains powder and shell rooms, a plotting room, a power room, and several support rooms. A long corridor runs from emplacement #1 to emplacement #2 with access to the powder and shell rooms. A rear entrance provides access to the complex. The M1905A2 guns were transferred to the battery on 17 May 1943 and the M1 carriages were transferred 11 Mar 1943. The mounting of the two 6" guns and carriages was completed 1 Feb 1944. 6" Gun at Fort Columbia Originally at Fort McAndrew, Battery 281, Argentia, NL, Canada These 6" World War II coastal gun batteries were designed to replace obsolete Endicott Period Batteries. Of the 87 planned only 45 were completed and many of those were not completed until late in the war (1944-1945). The 6" guns fired a 105 pound armor-piercing projectile with a range of over 15 miles at a rate of up to 5 rounds per minute. The gun crews were protected by a thick shield around the gun. Only six of these guns remain in the world, two at Fort Columbia in Battery 246, two at Fort Pickens in Battery 234, and two at Fort McAndrew in Battery 282 in Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 6" Gun Crew Battery 248 Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 309.8" M1905 A2 13 Watervliet Barbette, M1, #54, York 1944-(1946 or 1947) See Note 1 2 6" Rifle 309.8" M1905 A2 17 Watervliet Barbette, M1, #55, York 1944-(1946 or 1947) See Note 1 Source: CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 104-105, 217 Note 1: Guns transferred from Watervliet 17 May 1943, carriages transferred from York 11 Mar 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery 248 Plan Current Status Part of Fort Ebey Washington State Park. No guns or carriages in place. The support structures are in relatively good condition, dry and clean but some graffiti, especially in the fire control structure. Spectacular view of Admiralty Inlet to Puget Sound. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Partridge Point, Whidbey Island, Fort Ebey, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 48.21733 Long: -122.76208 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 215' (Gun Mounts), 150' (Fire Control Station) See Also: Harbor Defense of Puget Sound Harbor Defense of Juan de Fuca Strait Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound, (CCA-AN-PS), 12 Aug 1945, CDSG Links: Battery 248 Photo Gallery CDSG Visited: 18 may 2017, 14 Apr 2010, 18 Jul 2008 Battery 248 Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! Battery 248 Gun Emplacement #1 Battery 248 Gun #1 Service Entrance Battery 248 Gun #1 Storage Battery 248 Gun #1 Inside Corridor Battery 248 Gun #1 Shell Room Doors Battery 248 Gun Emplacement #2 Battery 248 Gun #2 Service Entrance Battery 248 Generator Exhaust and Cooler Opening Battery 248 Front of Fire Control Position Battery 248 Rear of Fire Control Room Battery 248 View out of the Fire Control Position Battery 248 Sighting Instrument Mount Battery 248 View of the Battery from the Front Battery 248 Gun #1 Emplacement Looking Toward the Pacific Ocean Battery 248 View of the Pacific Ocean from the Battery Battery 248 Mounted 6" Gun Battery 248 Image of 6" Gun Battery 248 Photo of Interpretive Sign