Battery 155 - Fermin Point

Battery 155 - Fermin Point (1941-1945) - Battery 155 - Fermin Point was a temporary, World War II, 155mm coastal gun battery on Panama mounts. Located above Fermin Point on Fort MacArthur, Los Angeles County, California. Battery construction for the Panama mounts started in December 1941, was completed in June 1942 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 31 Aug 1943 at a cost of $ 6,332.00. Deactivated in 1945.

Battery 155 - Fermin Point Panama Mount #1	Battery 155 - Fermin Point Panama Mount #2 Center Post
Battery 155 - Fermin Point, Harbor View from Panama Mount

World War II

Part of the Harbor Defense of Los Angeles.

Originally established as a temporary World War II coastal gun battery with two 155mm M1918MI rapid fire guns mounted on M1918MI mobile carriages prior to the beginning of U.S. involvement in World War II. The two guns were originally in field emplacements in a preselected site on the upper reservation of Fort MacArthur as the Harbor Examination Battery and known as Battery Hogsdon. On 7 Dec 1941 this battery was manned by Battery D, 3rd U.S. Coast Artillery. Construction began in December 1941, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on two Panama mounts to improve the battery. This battery with Panama mounts became the new Challenge Battery or Examination Battery for the harbor and was responsible for challenging and, if necessary, sinking any vessel not responding to commands from Harbor Entrance Command Post (HECP). This battery remained active throughout World War II and was the only active battery not put into training status on 15 Sept 1945.

**Battery 155 - Fermin Point Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates
1	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918MI	M1	.....	.....	Mobile, M1918MI, #....., .....	1941-1945
2	155mm Rifle	240"	M1918MI	M1	.....	.....	Mobile, M1918MI, #....., .....	1941-1945
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 190-191

Current Status

No period guns or carriages in place. One Panama mount remains.

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Location: On Fort MacArthur, Los Angeles County, California

Maps & Images

Lat: 33.709055 Long: -118.293885

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: Gun #1=220', Gun #2=224'

Sources:

Monett, Cole & Cleland, Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles in World War II, 1945, reprint by Fort MacArthur Military Press, 1992, 44 pages, text and maps
U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles, (LA-AN-WDC-44), 31 Aug 1944, CDSG

Links:

CDSG

Visited: 5 Jan 2013, 31 Jan 2009