The Panama Mount is a form of gun mount for fixed coastal artillery developed by the U.S. Army in

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

during the 1920s. Widely used during the buildup to and during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

by the United States military, it was typically equipped with a rifled gun. The term Panama mount is often incorrectly used to describe other gun mounts with similar layouts and/or purpose.

Description

The Panama mount was constructed as needed to provide 180, 270, and 360 degrees of traverse, with its gun mounted on a central diameter concrete pier surrounded by a full or partial approximately concrete-embedded steel rail. Concrete beams connected the two for alignment and stability. Originally the guns were traversed by pivoting their trailing arms around the steel ring with prybars. Later installations added a geared steel ring inside the rail. The principle weapon employed was the

Canon de 155mm GPF The Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux (GPF) modèle 1917 was a WWI-era French-designed 155 mm gun used by the French Army and the United States Army during the first half of the 20th century in towed and self-propelled mountings. His ...

, the primary gun of the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps' tractor-drawn mobile units 1920-1945 (designated 155 mm gun M1917 (French-made) or M1918 (US-made) in U.S. service). In World War II, Panama mounts were used to rearm six Harbor Defense Commands that had been disarmed in the 1920s; augment existing and new harbor defenses in the US and overseas; and for new defenses in Alaska,

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

, and Australia.Berhow, pp. 200-223 Many surviving examples of these mounts can be found throughout former US coast defense sites including

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, and Panama. File:155mm-Gun-Plans-1942.jpg, Typical plan for Panama mount File:155mm GPF Garden Island WA 1943 AWM 054026.jpeg, Panama mount in Western Australia showing center concrete pier and concrete beams File:Panama Mount Battery 22 Ft Miles.jpg, Panama mount at Battery 22, Former Fort Miles, now Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware, with park's beach house in background File:Point Peron coastal defences, June 2019, Image 1.jpg, Restored Panama mount of the Peron Battery

References

* {{cite book , editor-last=Berhow , editor-first=Mark A. , title = American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide , edition=Second , publisher = CDSG Press , year = 2004 , isbn = 0-9748167-0-1
List of all US coastal forts and batteries
at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website

External links

Coastal artillery United States Army Coast Artillery Corps

Description

See also

References

External links