Fort Miley

Fort Miley (1899-1948) - Established as an Endicott Period coastal fort in 1899 to guard the entrance to San Francisco Harbor. Located at Point Lobos, San Francisco County, California. Named in G.O. 43, 4 Apr 1900, after Lt. Col. John D. Miley, U.S. Volunteers, 1st Lt., 2nd U.S. Artillery, who died 19 Sep 1899 in the Philippine Islands. Closed in 1948.

Fort Miley 1905	Fort Miley last remaining building

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.

On 27 Nov 1899 work began on Battery Livingston, a massive mortar battery with 16, 12-inch mortars mounted. The battery was completed in 1902 and split into two batteries (Livingston and Springer) in 1906. Two mortars were removed from the front of each mortar pit in 1906 to give more room to service the remaining mortars. Battery Chester was completed 1903 with two 12" guns on disappearing carriages.

Fort Miley Endicott Period Battery (edit list)

Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery Chester	2 1	12" 12"	Disappearing Disappearing	1899-1901-1902-1943 1902-1903-1902-1943	$ 165,919
Battery Livingston	8	12"	Mortar	1899-1902-1902-1943	$ 174,051
Battery Springer	8	12"	Mortar	1899-1902-1902-1943	Included above
Source: CDSG

Fort Miley Plan

World War I (1917-1918)

In 1915 Battery Call was built to house two 5" guns moved from Battery Ledyard, Fort McDowell.

Fort Miley World War I Battery (edit list)

Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery Call	2	5"	Pedestal	1914-1916-1916-1921	$ 3,720	Guns and mounts from Battery Ledyard, Fort McDowell (1)
Source: CDSG

World War II (1941-1945)

Battery Chester continued it's harbor defense role until 1943 when the threat from Japan eased and it's armament was scrapped. Construction on Battery 243 was begun that same year as a part of a coastal defense modernization program. The battery was not armed until after World War II in 1948 and was disarmed in 1949. Battery Lobos with two 6" pedestal guns was operational from 1943-1945 and the AMTB Lands End Battery was operational from 1943 to 1948.

Fort Miley World War II Battery (edit list)

Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery 243	2	6"	Shielded Barbette (SBC)	1943-1943-1944-1948	$ 245,808	Guns mounted 1948
Battery AMTB - Lands End	4	90mm	AMTB	1943-1943-1943-1948	$ 13,050
Battery Lobos	2	6"	Naval Pedestal	1942-1942-1943-1945	$ 14,416
Source: CDSG

Current Status

Most of the original Army buildings were demolished in 1934 to allow construction of the Fort Miley Veterans Administration Hospital. One original army ordnance storehouse survives as a maintenance building for the National Park Service and the remains of several Endicott Period batteries and World War II Battery 243 are around the perimeter of the hospital.

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Location: Point Lobos, bordered by Clement St. and Lincoln Park between 40th to 48th avenues. in San Francisco County, California. Maps & Images Lat: 37.782299 Long: -122.505434 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 320'

Sources:

• Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9 page 62-84
• U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of San Francisco, (CCA-P-SFB), 15 Nov 1945, CDSG

Links:

• National Park Service - Fort Miley
• California Military Museum - Fort Miley
• Wikipedia - Fort Miley

Visited: 22-23 Aug 2009

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