Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story

Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story (1943-194?) - Battery AMTB #21 Fort Story was a reinforced concrete World War II rapid fire 90mm gun battery on Fort Story, Virginia. AMTB stands for Anti Motor Torpedo Boat. Battery construction started on 25 Sep 1942, was completed on 31 Oct 1942 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 2 Aug 1943. Cost at transfer of the gun positions was $ 5,844.80 and the building cost $ 33,622.47. Deactivated in 194?.

Battery AMTB 21 - Fort Story History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay.
The AMTB 21 battery at Fort Story consisted of two 90mm gun mounted on 90mm M3 gun mounts. Concrete pads for both these guns were laid in front of the combination plotting room, BC station, magazine and shell room building. The battery had a dual mission of defense against fast enemy motor torpedo boats and enemy aircraft. The effective range of the guns was about 8,000 yards. Each weapon required a crew of 15, 9 men in the gun squad and 6 men in the ammunition squad.

The above photos were taken at Fort Monroe, Battery Parrott

From FM 4-91: "This weapon consists of the 90-mm gun M1 and top carriage M1A1 on the 90-mm gun mount M3. The mount M3 is of the turret type, the shielding being constructed of boiler plates. This boiler plate shield provide fragmentation protection only. No shielding is provided at the rear due to the requirements for service of the piece. A sighting port in the shielding in front permits sighting in direction by the gun pointer."

References:

FM 4-91 - 90-MM Gun, Fixed Mount Service of the Piece
FM 4-126 - Antiaircraft Artillery, Service of the Piece, 90-mm Antiaircraft Gun
TM 9-373 - 90-mm Gun M1 and 90-mm Gun Mount T3 (M3)

**Battery AMTB #21 Fort Story Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates
1	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	6848	General Motors	Pedestal Mount, T3, #56, General Motors	1943-1945
2	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	1423	Wheland	Pedestal Mount, T3, #69, General Motors	1943-1945
M	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	3197	Watervliet	Mobile M1A1, #977, AC	1943-1945
M	90mm Rifle	186.15"	M1	52	Watervliet	Mobile M1A1, #1216, BTDC	1943-1945
Source: RCW Form 1, 15 May 1944, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 80-81, 210

Current Status

No period gun or mounts in place. The gun pads are gone but the ready ammunition shelters remain as does the combination plotting room, BC station, magazine and shell room building. Now used by the Harbor Master.

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Location: Fort Story, Virginia

Maps & Images

Lat: 36.930349 Long: -76.016075

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 19'

Sources:

Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums

Links:

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Visited: 21-28 Jul 2010