Coast Defenses Of Boston
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The Harbor Defenses of Boston was a
United States Army Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an administrative corps responsible for coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft defense of the United States and its possessions between 1901 and 1950. The CAC also operated heavy and railway artiller ...
harbor defense command A Harbor Defense Command was a military organization of the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps designated in 1925 from predecessor organizations dating from circa 1895. It consisted of the forts, controlled underwater minefields, and other c ...
. It coordinated the coast defenses of
Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
from 1895 to 1950, beginning with the Endicott program. These included both
coast artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of c ...
fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...
s and underwater minefields. The command originated circa 1895 as the Boston Artillery District, was renamed Coast Defenses of Boston in 1913, and again renamed Harbor Defenses of Boston in 1925.Stanton, pp. 455-481''Coast Artillery Organization: A Brief Overview'' at the Coast Defense Study Group website
/ref>Rinaldi, pp. 165-166Berhow, p. 430-434


History


Early Boston forts


Colonial period

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, located adjacent to Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the Northeastern United States. History 17th century Since its dis ...
's principal coastal fort of the
colonial era Colonial period (a period in a country's history where it was subject to management by a colonial power) may refer to: Continents *European colonization of the Americas * Colonisation of Africa * Western imperialism in Asia Countries * Col ...
was Castle William, whose site was first fortified in 1634 and called "the Castle" until 1692, when it was renamed for William III, the King of England at the time. It is one of the oldest continuously fortified sites in the northeastern United States; however, the site of Fort William and Mary near
Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...
was fortified at least two years previously. The fort was rebuilt and expanded many times (six times prior to the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, once during it, and twice afterward), and in 1797 was named Fort Independence. The fort is on Castle Island, which was connected to the mainland by a
causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...
in 1928.Roberts, pp. 402-404


Revolutionary War

The major event in the Boston area in the first year of the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
was the
Siege of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, Patriot (American Revolution), American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Wash ...
from 19 April 1775 to 17 March 1776. The
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
under
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
besieged British forces in the city. The British built several forts as a result, notably on Governor's Island and
Noddle's Island Noddle's Island was historically one of the Boston Harbor Islands of Boston, Massachusetts. Most of the original land of Noddle's Island now makes up the southern part of the neighborhood of East Boston; it is now part of the mainland since the ...
.Boston-area Revolutionary forts at American Forts Network
/ref> In January 1776 artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York was brought to the Boston area under
Henry Knox Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806) was an American military officer, politician, bookseller, and a Founding Father of the United States. Knox, born in Boston, became a senior general of the Continental Army during the Revolutionar ...
, providing the Patriot forces with more and larger cannon than they previously had. In the first week of March these weapons were used to engage the enemy. The turning point was the capture and fortification of Dorchester Heights on 5 March, allowing the Continental Army to bombard the British fleet in the harbor. The British evacuated Boston on 17 March under a truce, taking the ships carrying their army to
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
. However, they damaged and destroyed Castle William and its ordnance as best they could, to deny its use to the Patriots. Patriot forces occupied and rebuilt the British forts in the area to the best of their abilities, including Castle William (also called Fort Adams) and the forts on Governor's and Noddle's Islands. A new fort was built in 1776 on Telegraph Hill in Hull and named Fort Independence.Fort Independence (Hull) at American Forts Network
/ref> In 1778-1780 a force of French Marines from D'Estaing's fleet greatly expanded the fort (probably assisted by Patriot forces), supervised by Chief Engineer du Portail, a French military engineer officer assisting the Continental Army at General Washington's direction.


1783-War of 1812

In 1794 Castle William/Fort Adams was repaired to some extent.Fort Independence (Boston) at American Forts Network
/ref> In 1797 or 1799 (references vary) President
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...
visited the fort. At that time it was renamed Fort Independence and a complete rebuilding was projected. The fort in Hull lost the name and was called either the Allerton Battery or "the French fort" afterwards. The name "Fort Adams" went to a fort in Newport, Rhode Island completed in 1799. The newly christened Fort Independence was rebuilt 1801-1803 under the first system of US fortifications and was designed by French-born engineer officer Jean Foncin. It had 42 guns in the fort, with two outer batteries for six guns each, and could house two companies of about 100 men each, with an external wooden barracks for six additional companies.Fort Independence (Boston) at FortWiki.com
/ref> In 1808-1812 Fort Warren (renamed
Fort Winthrop Fort Winthrop, built in 1808 and named Fort Warren until 1834, was a defensive fortification in Boston Harbor named after John Winthrop, an early governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. History The fort was built on Governors Island, which was ...
in 1834) was built on Governor's Island under the second system of US fortifications, with 12 guns in the fort and 20 guns in two water batteries.Fort Winthrop at FortWiki.com
/ref>Roberts, p. 413 After the outbreak of the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
the fort on
Noddle's Island Noddle's Island was historically one of the Boston Harbor Islands of Boston, Massachusetts. Most of the original land of Noddle's Island now makes up the southern part of the neighborhood of East Boston; it is now part of the mainland since the ...
was rebuilt with state resources as
Fort Strong Fort Strong is a former U.S. Army Coast Artillery fort that occupied the northern third of Long Island (Massachusetts), Long Island in Boston Harbor. The island had a training camp during the American Civil War, and a gun battery was built there ...
, named for Governor Caleb Strong.


1816-1890

Major new defenses for Boston were built under the third system of US fortifications. In 1833 work was to begin on a rebuilding and expansion of Fort Independence as a granite fort, but commencement was delayed until 1836 due to funding problems cause by an inflation spike. The rebuilt fort was substantially complete by 1848, although repairs and other work continued until 1861.Parkman, pp. 19-20
/ref> Another large granite fort was begun in 1833 on George's Island and named Fort Warren; the previous fort of that name on Governor's Island was renamed
Fort Winthrop Fort Winthrop, built in 1808 and named Fort Warren until 1834, was a defensive fortification in Boston Harbor named after John Winthrop, an early governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. History The fort was built on Governors Island, which was ...
. The new Fort Warren, designed for 300 guns, was completed in 1861.Fort Warren at FortWiki.com
/ref>Roberts, pp. 411-412 A large central citadel with 16 guns was added to
Fort Winthrop Fort Winthrop, built in 1808 and named Fort Warren until 1834, was a defensive fortification in Boston Harbor named after John Winthrop, an early governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. History The fort was built on Governors Island, which was ...
and its water batteries were rebuilt for seven guns each.Weaver, pp. 104–114 The supervising builder of Forts Independence, Warren, and Winthrop was
Sylvanus Thayer Sylvanus Thayer (June 9, 1785 – September 7, 1872) was an United States, American military officer, engineer and educator who served as the fifth superintendent of the United States Military Academy, superintendent of the United States Militar ...
, best known as Superintendent of
West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...
although he spent most of his career building the Boston forts. Boston Harbor was not attacked in the Civil War; however, the forts served as mobilization centers and Fort Warren was a
POW camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, an ...
. Rearmament of the forts with the new Rodman guns, primarily 15-inch and 10-inch caliber, began during the war, most likely along with some 100-, 200-, and 300-pounder
Parrott rifle The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle-loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War. Parrott rifle The gun was invented by Captain Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He was an American soldier and inven ...
s. The Civil War showed that masonry forts were vulnerable to rifled cannon; the classic example was the siege of Fort Pulaski near Savannah, Georgia in 1862. Also, Parrott rifles had shown an alarming tendency to burst when fired. In the 1870s a major rebuilding of coast defenses was projected. These were centered on earth-protected batteries of Rodman guns along with some Parrott rifles. However, all funding for new fortifications was cut off in 1879 before much had been accomplished in the Boston area. The existing forts were at least partially rearmed with Rodman guns. The external batteries of Fort Winthrop were rebuilt for Rodman guns,Commins, Mabel P., "Fort Winthrop: Its Past and Present History", ''The Bostonian'', Vol. II, August 1895, pp. 491-501, access date 24 March 2016 (web page title "National Magazine")
/ref> and the southeast bastion of Fort Warren was roofed over with massive brick arches. A plaque at the fort states that it was a prototype
casemate A casemate is a fortified gun emplacement or armoured structure from which guns are fired, in a fortification, warship, or armoured fighting vehicle.Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary When referring to antiquity, the term "casemate wall" ...
d battery for 15-inch Rodmans, certainly rare in the US and possibly unique. In 1879 Fort Independence was placed in caretaker status and was not further used as a fort, although it was re-occupied as a torpedo and mine depot in the Spanish–American War. Fort Winthrop also went into caretaker status about the same time, also with some re-use in that war.


Endicott period

The Board of Fortifications was convened in 1885 under Secretary of War William Crowninshield Endicott to develop recommendations for a full replacement of existing coast defenses. Most of its recommendations were adopted, and construction began in 1892 on new forts to defend the Boston area. Two underwater minefields also guarded the harbor. Construction continued during the command of John L. Tiernon; most of the forts were completed by the end of 1904, and the last was completed in 1907. The complex geography of the harbor area required seven forts to defend it, including the rebuilding of parts of Fort Warren on George's Island. The six new forts were Fort Banks and Fort Heath in Winthrop,
Fort Strong Fort Strong is a former U.S. Army Coast Artillery fort that occupied the northern third of Long Island (Massachusetts), Long Island in Boston Harbor. The island had a training camp during the American Civil War, and a gun battery was built there ...
on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, Fort Andrews on Peddocks Island, Fort Revere on Point Allerton in Hull (on the site of the Revolutionary War's Fort Independence), and Fort Standish on Lovells Island.Berhow, pp. 205-206Map of Harbor Defenses of Boston at FortWiki.com
/ref> The heavy weapons were as follows: Fort Banks had sixteen 12-inch (305 mm) mortars in the " Abbot Quad" configuration (four pits in a square with four mortars per pit) to concentrate their fire; it was the first mortar battery of the Endicott program completed. Nearby Fort Heath had three 12-inch guns on disappearing carriages. Fort Strong had five 10-inch (254 mm) disappearing guns while Fort Andrews had sixteen 12-inch mortars with the pits in an open-back line to improve reloading. Fort Warren was rebuilt with two 12-inch and five 10-inch disappearing guns, Fort Revere had two 12-inch guns on
barbette Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships. In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protection ...
carriages, and Fort Standish had four 10-inch guns. Medium-caliber weapons included two 4.72-inch (120 mm) Armstrong guns at Fort Strong, two 6-inch (152 mm) guns and two 5-inch (127 mm) guns at Fort Andrews, six 6-inch guns and two 5-inch guns at Fort Revere, and five 6-inch guns at Fort Standish. Smaller weapons were also provided to defend the minefields against
minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...
s; these were primarily several models of 3-inch (76 mm) guns with an odd pair of 4-inch (102 mm) guns at Fort Warren. As the new forts entered service, by 1908 Forts Independence and Winthrop (which had a
magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
explosion in 1902) were removed from use. The battery of two 4.72-inch (120 mm) Armstrong guns at Fort Strong was among many hastily added following the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in 1898. Most of the Endicott batteries were years from completion, and it was feared the Spanish fleet would bombard the US east coast. In 1917, during World War I, these guns were transferred to Sachuest Point in Middletown, Rhode Island and removed from service in 1919, shortly after the war ended. One is preserved as a memorial in
Ansonia, Connecticut Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. Located on the Naugatuck River, it is immediately north of Derby, and about northwest of New Haven. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was ...
. In 1909 a vast landward defense system was proposed for the Boston area, 70 miles long with its ends at Lynn and Hingham, but none of it was built. In 1910 four M1890 12-inch (305 mm) mortars were removed from Fort Andrews and sent to the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
; two of these survive at Battery Geary,
Fort Mills Fort Mills ( Corregidor, the Philippines) was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays in early World War II, and was the largest seacoast for ...
,
Corregidor Corregidor (, , ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of Cavite City and thus the province of Cavite. It is located west of Manila, the nation's capi ...
. These weapons saw action in the Japanese invasion in 1941-42. At Fort Andrews they were replaced by M1908 mortars in 1913.Fort Andrews at FortWiki.com
/ref> In 1911-12 eight of Fort Banks' sixteen M1886 12-inch (305 mm) mortars were replaced with M1890 mortars; the remainder were replaced in 1915. Also, in 1912-13 the fort's structure was largely replaced due to inferior concrete, and the magazines were expanded.Fort Banks at FortWiki.com
/ref> In 1914 a one-gun 10-inch (254 mm) battery at Fort Warren was disarmed and abandoned due to inferior concrete; this was Battery Jack Adams inside the stone fort.Fort Warren (2) at FortWiki.com
/ref>


World War I

The
American entry into World War I The United States entered into World War I on 6 April 1917, more than two and a half years after the war began in Europe. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British and an a ...
brought many changes to the Coast Artillery and the Coast Defenses of Boston (CD Boston). Numerous temporary buildings were constructed at the forts to accommodate the wartime
mobilization Mobilization (alternatively spelled as mobilisation) is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the ...
. As the only component of the Army with heavy artillery experience and significant manpower, the Coast Artillery was chosen to operate almost all US-manned heavy and railway artillery in that war. Stateside garrisons were drawn down to provide experienced gun crews on the Western Front. Some weapons were removed from forts with the intent of getting US-made artillery into the fight. 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch guns and 12-inch mortars were converted to railway artillery, while 5-inch and 6-inch guns became
field gun A field gun is a field artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march, that when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances (field artillery ...
s on wheeled carriages.Williford, pp. 92-99 12-inch mortars were also removed to improve reload times by reducing the number of mortars in a pit from four to two. Few railway artillery pieces were mounted and few or none saw action before the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
. The remounted 5-inch and 6-inch guns were sent to France, but their units did not complete training in time to see action.Coast Artillery Corps Units in France in WWI
/ref> The 5-inch guns were removed from service in 1920, but the 6-inch guns were stored and many returned to service in World War II. It appears that four mortars from Fort Banks and six from Fort Andrews were removed for potential service as railway artillery and not returned to the forts. All four of Fort Warren's 10-inch guns were removed for the same reason; these were replaced with different 10-inch guns in 1919. One of Fort Strong's 10-inch guns was removed and not replaced. Three of Fort Revere's 6-inch guns and all four of Fort Revere's and Fort Andrews' 5-inch guns were removed and not replaced (Fort Andrews' 5-inch guns went to Fort Story, Virginia). Two of Fort Standish's 6-inch guns were removed, but were remounted in 1919. Other weapons were earmarked for transfer, and some of these were dismounted, but were remounted after the war. During and after World War I two- and three-gun
antiaircraft Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...
batteries armed with M1917 3-inch (76 mm) guns on fixed mounts were built at some forts. Some of these weapons remained in service through early World War II, others were replaced by towed 3-inch guns in the 1930s. References indicate the authorized strength of CD Boston in World War I was 32 companies, including 12 from the
Massachusetts National Guard The Massachusetts National Guard is the United States National Guard, National Guard component for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded as the Massachusetts militia, Massachusetts Bay Colonial Militia on December 13, 1636, it contains the ...
and five from the Rhode Island National Guard. Eight of these companies (four Massachusetts National Guard, one Rhode Island National Guard, and the rest regular army) were transferred to the 55th Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps), which served in France in World War I.


Interwar

In 1920 a number of weapons deployed in limited quantities, plus the 3-inch gun M1898, were declared obsolete and removed from the forts. These included all Army 5-inch guns, the 4.72-inch Armstrong guns, the pair of 4-inch guns at Fort Warren, and many of the 3-inch guns throughout CD Boston, leading to some redeployments of 3-inch weapons. On 1 July 1924 the harbor defense garrisons completed the transition from a company-based organization to a regimental one, and on 9 June 1925 the commands were renamed from "Coast Defenses..." to "Harbor Defenses...". The 9th Coast Artillery was the
Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...
component of HD Boston from 1 July 1924 through 23 February 1944, when it was disbanded. The 241st Coast Artillery was the
Massachusetts National Guard The Massachusetts National Guard is the United States National Guard, National Guard component for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded as the Massachusetts militia, Massachusetts Bay Colonial Militia on December 13, 1636, it contains the ...
component of HD Boston from 30 April 1924 through inactivation on 7 October 1944. A major change in Boston Harbor between the wars required a new fort: the opening of a new ship channel in the northern part of the harbor. To cover this approach Fort Ruckman was built in Nahant from 1918 to 1924, with two 12-inch (305 mm) guns on M1917 long-range barbette carriages that increased the guns' range from to .Berhow, p. 61 This type of weapon was developed in response to the progressive improvement of
dreadnought battleship The dreadnought was the predominant type of battleship in the early 20th century. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's , had such an effect when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", ...
s with better guns and armor. Although the end of World War I meant a general drawdown in US coast defenses, the Boston area was also chosen for one of the first 16-inch (406 mm) gun batteries built by the United States. This was Fort Duvall on Hog Island (now Spinnaker Island), south of the Hull peninsula and thus not visible from the ship channel, built 1919-1927. The fort had two M1919 16-inch (406 mm) guns on a new high-angle
barbette Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships. In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protection ...
carriage that allowed an elevation of 65 degrees and a range of . This increased the opportunity for
plunging fire Plunging fire is a form of indirect fire, where gunfire is fired at a trajectory to make it fall on its target from above. It is normal at the high trajectories used to attain long range, and can be used deliberately to attack a target not susce ...
against the decks of enemy warships as they approached. An alternate proposal in 1920 was to build a naval-type turret with two 16-inch guns on Great Brewster Island, but this was not implemented. Calf Island Military Reservation was also considered, but the battery was finally built (without a turret) as Fort Duvall.


World War II

Early in World War II numerous temporary buildings were again constructed to accommodate the rapid mobilization of men and equipment. The 241st Coast Artillery was activated on 16 September 1940, while three battalions of the 9th Coast Artillery were activated in February and June 1941. The long-abandoned
Fort Winthrop Fort Winthrop, built in 1808 and named Fort Warren until 1834, was a defensive fortification in Boston Harbor named after John Winthrop, an early governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. History The fort was built on Governors Island, which was ...
was demolished in mid-1941 due to an expansion of
Logan Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport — also known as Boston Logan International Airport — is an international airport located mostly in East Boston and partially in Winthrop, Massachusetts, United States. Covering , it has ...
. After the
Fall of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembourg and the Net ...
in 1940 the Army decided to replace all existing heavy coast defense guns with 16-inch guns, but retained long-range 12-inch batteries including Fort Ruckman. Fort Ruckman and Fort Duvall were
casemate A casemate is a fortified gun emplacement or armoured structure from which guns are fired, in a fortification, warship, or armoured fighting vehicle.Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary When referring to antiquity, the term "casemate wall" ...
d during World War II for protection against air attack, as were the new 16-inch batteries. In 1942 construction began on the East Point Military Reservation in Nahant, including Battery Murphy (also called Battery 104) with two 16-inch (406 mm) guns; this battery entered service in June 1944, extending Fort Ruckman's coverage of the northern approaches to the harbor.East Point Military Reservation at FortWiki.com
/ref> Another 16-inch battery, Battery 105 at Fort Dawes on Deer Island in the middle of the harbor, was also built but not armed.Fort Dawes at FortWiki.com
/ref> An additional 16-inch battery, Battery 106, was proposed for the Fourth Cliff Military Reservation in Scituate but was not built. The 16-inch batteries were supplemented by new 6-inch (152 mm) batteries. These included heavy earth-covered concrete bunkers for ammunition and fire control, with the guns protected by open-back shields. The guns for these batteries were mostly the 6-inch guns removed in World War I for field service and stored since that war; a new 6-inch gun M1 of similar characteristics was developed when this supply of guns began to run out. Four of these batteries were built in the Boston area, of which three were armed. These were Battery 206 at the East Point Military Reservation, Battery 207 at Fort Dawes (not armed), Battery Jewell (a.k.a. Battery 209) on Outer Brewster Island in the Brewster Islands Military Reservation, and Battery 208 at the Fourth Cliff Military Reservation. Two two-gun 155 mm (6.1 inch) batteries were emplaced in 1942 to quickly provide some defense at key points. These had towed guns on "
Panama mount The Panama Mount is a form of gun mount for fixed coastal artillery developed by the U.S. Army in Panama during the 1920s. Widely used during the buildup to and during World War II by the United States military, it was typically equipped with ...
s", circular concrete platforms to support the guns. These were at the East Point Military Reservation in Nahant and the Sagamore Hill Military Reservation, in Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts at the northern entrance of the Cape Cod Canal. Another four-gun 155 mm battery was at the Salisbury Beach Military Reservation, in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The site was transferred to the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth with the addition of a fire control structure for those defenses. Additional 155 mm batteries in field positions were at
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
, Marblehead Neck, Red Rock in Lynn, Fort Heath, Fort Dawes, Fort Andrews, Rocky Point in
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
, and Race Point in Provincetown. Four 90 mm gun Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) batteries were built in the Boston area. These had 90 mm dual-purpose (anti-surface and
anti-aircraft Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...
) guns. Each battery was authorized two 90 mm guns on fixed mounts, two on towed mounts, and two single 40 mm Bofors guns, although the weapons on hand may have varied. These batteries were completed in 1943 at Fort Heath, Fort Standish, Fort Revere, and Great Brewster Island in the Brewster Islands Military Reservation. As new defenses were built, and with little threat to the east coast from enemy air or surface raiders, the heavy weapons at Boston's Endicott-era forts were scrapped in 1942-43. Fort Warren's and Fort Heath's 12-inch guns were the last heavy Endicott weapons to be scrapped, in 1945. Of the 6-inch guns, only the two pairs of pedestal-mounted guns at Fort Andrews and Fort Standish were retained through the end of the war. The removal of most weapons and an Army-wide shift from a regimental to a battalion-based system meant organizational changes in the Boston area. On 23 February 1944 the 9th Coast Artillery was effectively disestablished, and on 7 October 1944 the 241st Coast Artillery was redesignated as the 187th and 241st Coast Artillery Battalions, which themselves were disestablished on 1 April 1945. Personnel from these units were absorbed by HD Boston. Some of the Boston-area forts served as
POW camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, an ...
s during World War II, notably Fort Andrews. The
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
also participated in defending the Massachusetts Bay area with net defenses and submarine-detecting indicator loops, including stations in Nahant (Station 1D),
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
(Station 1E), Scituate (Station 1C), and Provincetown. Following mobilization in 1940 HD Boston was subordinate to First Army. On 24 December 1941 the Eastern Theater of Operations (renamed the Eastern Defense Command three months later) was established, with all east coast harbor defense commands subordinate to it, along with
antiaircraft Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...
and fighter assets. This command was disestablished in 1946.


Post World War II

Following the war, it was soon determined that gun defenses were obsolete, and they were scrapped by the end of 1948, with remaining harbor defense functions turned over to the Navy. In 1950 the Coast Artillery Corps and all Army harbor defense commands were dissolved. Today the
Air Defense Artillery The Air Defense Artillery Branch is the Anti-aircraft warfare, air defense branch of the United States Army, specializing in the use of anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface-to-air missiles) to conduct anti-aircraft warfare operations. In the ...
carries the lineage of some Coast Artillery units. In the late 1940s antiaircraft gun sites were established in the US, first with 90 mm guns and later with 120 mm guns. In the Boston area some of these sites were at or near former Coast Artillery forts. Similarly, the Nike missile systems deployed in the 1950s and early 1960s used some former coastal forts as launch or radar sites, notably the East Point Military Reservation and
Fort Strong Fort Strong is a former U.S. Army Coast Artillery fort that occupied the northern third of Long Island (Massachusetts), Long Island in Boston Harbor. The island had a training camp during the American Civil War, and a gun battery was built there ...
.Harbor Defenses of Boston at American Forts Netowrk
/ref>


Present

As of 2016, the Boston-area forts run the gamut from good preservation to total demolition. Fort Independence is the most accessible and among the best-preserved, and is a public park with guided tours in the summer. It's one of the few well-preserved forts in the area with road access. The former East Point Military Reservation in Nahant is now the Marine Science Center of
Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
and is publicly accessible by road. The 16-inch battery in particular can be seen easily, thanks to a berm in front of it that was part of the later Nike missile site. Also in Nahant, Fort Ruckman is partly buried but still visible. Fort Banks in Winthrop is partly buried, but is sometimes open for events such as a Halloween haunted fort. Fort Heath in Winthrop is totally demolished and buried. Almost all of the forts on the harbor islands are part of the
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park is a combination national recreation area and state park situated among the islands of Boston Harbor. The park is made up of 34 islands and peninsulas and is managed by the Boston Harbor Islands Pa ...
, with a ferry system that provides access to most of the islands, except in winter.Boston Harbor Islands site with ferry schedule
/ref> Fort Warren on George's Island is very well-preserved with guided tours that allow access to most of the fort. It's a rare example of an older fort with Endicott batteries added to it. Fort Standish on Lovells Island and Fort Andrews on Peddocks Island are also accessible by ferry.
Fort Strong Fort Strong is a former U.S. Army Coast Artillery fort that occupied the northern third of Long Island (Massachusetts), Long Island in Boston Harbor. The island had a training camp during the American Civil War, and a gun battery was built there ...
is not accessible; the bridge to
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
was demolished in 2014 due to safety concerns, and as of 2016 there are no public activities on the island. Fort Revere in Hull (on the mainland) is preserved as Fort Revere Park; the 6-inch batteries are well-preserved but only traces remain of the Revolutionary War fort and the other Endicott Batteries were buried in the 1970s. Fort Duvall on Spinnaker Island has been partly built on as part of a gated community, probably with no public access; one 16-inch emplacement is still visible. Fort Dawes was completely demolished to make room for the Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant. The former Fourth Cliff Military Reservation in Scituate is now an Air Force recreation area with some public access; the World War II 6-inch battery and some
fire control tower A fire control tower is a structure located near the coastline, used to detect and locate enemy vessels offshore, direct fire upon them from coastal battery, coastal batteries, or adjust the aim of guns by spotting shell splashes. Fire control to ...
s remain. There are numerous other fire control towers in the Boston area, mostly privately owned, with a few at
Cape Ann Cape Ann is a rocky peninsula in northeastern Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean. It is about northeast of Boston and marks the northern limit of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester and the towns of Essex, Man ...
as well.


Coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

*Blazon **Shield: Gules, the ship Mayflower under full sail Proper. **Crest: On a wreath Argent and Gules, a dexter arm embowed habited gray with white ruff grasping a staff with the flag of Bunker Hill attached all Proper. **Motto: PRIMA LIBERTATIS ACIE (In the First Line of Battle for Liberty). *Symbolism: The shield is red for the Artillery. The Mayflower, the crest and the motto all tell of the historic background of the Boston district. *Background: The coat of arms was initially approved in 1919 for the Coast Defenses of Boston. It was later approved for the 9th Coast Artillery Regiment on 6 May 1924. It was redesignated for the 9th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on 6 December 1950.


See also

*
Seacoast defense in the United States Seacoast defense was a major concern for the United States from its independence through World War II. Before airplanes, many of America's enemies could only reach it from the sea, making coastal forts an economical alternative to standing armie ...
*
Harbor Defense Command A Harbor Defense Command was a military organization of the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps designated in 1925 from predecessor organizations dating from circa 1895. It consisted of the forts, controlled underwater minefields, and other c ...
* List of coastal fortifications of the United States *
List of military installations in Massachusetts This is a list of current and former military installations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Current military installations in Massachusetts Joint facilities ;Bases * Joint Base Cape Cod (state designation, not federally recognized)


References

* *
Coats of Arms and Badges of the Coast Artillery Corps, ''Coast Artillery Journal'', August 1923, vol. 59 no. 2, pp. 123-142
*
Gaines, William C., Coast Artillery Organizational History, 1917-1950, ''Coast Defense Journal'', vol. 23, issue 2, pp. 8-9
* * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * * *


External links


Map of Harbor Defenses of Boston at FortWiki.com

Insignia of the Coast Artillery Corps at the Coast Defense Study Group



List of all US coastal forts and batteries
at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
American Forts Network, lists forts in the US, former US territories, Canada, and Central America

FortWiki, lists most CONUS and Canadian forts
{{FmrMAForts Military units and formations in Massachusetts Forts in Massachusetts United States Army Coast Artillery Corps Military history of Boston Boston Harbor