Our local Coastal Artillery forts

[markswastate]

Took a quick trip down to Forts Ebey and Casey on Whidbey Island WA today. Quite the complex, most is still behing welded steel doors though

You can walk and climb through quite a bit though. Took several pictures.

The 10 inch guns on the disappearing mounts are the only ones in the US, sign on the site states they were salvaged from the Philippines in 1968. I wonder where from.

Something I noticed this time, even though I have been there several other times is the shrapnel damage to the guns and mounts. Unbelievable

Those Filipino and American soldiers who faced the onslaught of the Japanese had brass ones that clanged when they walked. It is even difficult for me to imagine the amount of incoming fire.

I posted the pics here, no captions yet, may get to that later this week.

picasaweb.google.com/pnepsez/Fortcasey

[legionnaire]

WOW Thanks for posting! My first impression is how well maintained the condition of the guns and the beauty of the fort surroundings. I too can't imagine the horror and insanity the Corregidor crews had to endure with those devastating sharpnel holes as testament you showed.

I wonder what really was the original finish of those guns were? Since it's now a battleship grey paint.

I know they have two of the disappearing guns some were in San Francisco too.

Philip

[VeeVee]

Thanks for showing us pictures. There is a coast artillery event at Fort Mott, NJ this weekend. I hope to stop by in a barebones CA PS impression even for just an hour or two. Just to support the armygroundforces.org's efforts. I'll squeeze it into the schedule.

Philip, the CA installation you're thinking of may be at the hills overlooking the Golden Gate bridge on the Marin County side. I've been there but aside from the breath taking views, there are no guns.

[markswastate]

Here is an overhead view of the complex courtesy of Google Earth.

There are two other complexes close by, Ft Worden and Ft Flager, but I would have to take the ferry over to Pt Townsend to get there. Maybe later this year.

[rickthelibrarian]

In 1968, a combination of the local Lions Club, the Navy and other participants brought six cannon from Fort Wint in Subic Bay. Four were installed at Fort Casey, two 10" disappearing guns and two 3" guns. Two more 3" guns were installed across the inlet at Fort Flagler.

The gentleman who heads the volunteer program at Fort Casey, Steven Kobylk, is a "coast artillery fanatic" and he has done some wonderful things. I just started volunteering a few months ago. Steve has headed some wonderful restoration and repair projects. The Coast Defense Study Group, a nationwide organization, will hold their 2010 annual convention in this area.

My interest in Fort Casey goes back to about 1969. Below is a couple of pictures I took a couple of years ago. The one of me on the 10" gun has an interesting quality to it - almost looking like the gun is being fired. It was a rainy day and the rain did interesting things to the picture. That's me standing just to the left of the 3" gun in the middle picture.

I'm fortunate to live about two miles away.

Just for fun, I enclosed a picture taken of me on the 3" gun about 1974. Haven't changed a bit, have I???

[VeeVee]

It does look like the gun fired! But I guess it would have been blown back down, still very neat with no photoshopping.

Rick, you need a coast artillery impression with all these guns you take pictures with.

[rickthelibrarian]

Steve, the guy I mentioned in the post above, has a complete Coast Artillery dress uniform from about 1910, that he wears upon occasion.

Yes, the picture of me "firing" the 10-inch gun was "original. The raindrops on the lens caused the "firing" effect.