Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

WW2 16-inch/50 Coast Defense Batteries at Fort Story

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 13, 2025

1. WW2 16-inch/50 Coast Defense Batteries at Fort Story Marker

Inscription.

WW2 16-inch/50 Coast Defense Batteries at Fort Story. . , Two new 16-inch batteries were authorized for construction at Fort Story in 1939 and 1940. The emplacements for the new batteries would differ from previous designs such as that used for the two 16-inch howitzer batteries, Pennington and Walke, built at Fort Story in 1922. The new seacoast batteries were protected from naval shelling and aerial bombardment with steel reinforced concrete casemates and armored shields., The four 16-inch/50 guns, very similar to the barrel on display here, were mounted inside thick concrete casemates approximately 500 feet apart in two separate batteries. Between the casemates was a service gallery off which several protected rooms contained powder and projectile storage, while a perpendicular gallery led to the power room and air conditioning which in turn was covered with a layer of sand up to 20 feet thick. The guns in the casemates were further protected by heavy armor shields and additional overhead concrete and steel. The center entrance was through the power room, with other entrances behind each gun. These batteries had plotting rooms in a separate bombproof structure, away from the noise and blast of the guns., This standard design became known as the 100-Series Battery Construction. The 16-inch/50 guns used in the Chesapeake Bay defenses were US Navy guns which became available to the US Army as a result of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922 limitations on new warship building. These 16-inch guns had a range of 45,155 yards or about 25 miles. Two of these 16-inch coast defense batteries were constructed at Fort Story , Battery Ketchum (#120) and un-named Battery #121 , which are located within sight of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (Battery Ketchem is located on the Great Dune, behind the post chapel, about 400 yards away). These two batteries were constructed in 1941-1943 and served until 1948. Though their 16-inch/50 guns are gone, the emplacements themselves are still in used today by several US Navy tenants., [Caption:] , Battery Ketchum is seen on the left proof firing one of its 16-inch/50 guns in 1943, while above a 16-inch/50 barrel is offloaded from railcar to trailer at Fort Story in 1942 (NARA)., Source: Terry McGovern, CDSG

Two new 16-inch batteries were authorized for construction at Fort Story in 1939 and 1940. The emplacements for the new batteries would differ from previous designs such as that used for the two 16-inch howitzer batteries, Pennington and Walke, built at Fort Story in 1922. The new seacoast batteries were protected from naval shelling and aerial bombardment with steel reinforced concrete casemates and armored shields.

The four 16-inch/50 guns, very similar to the barrel on display here, were mounted inside thick concrete casemates approximately 500 feet apart in two separate batteries. Between the casemates was a service gallery off which several protected rooms contained powder and projectile storage, while a perpendicular gallery led to the power room and air conditioning which in turn was covered with a layer of sand up to 20 feet thick. The guns in the casemates were further protected by heavy armor shields and additional overhead concrete and steel. The center entrance was through the power room, with other entrances behind each gun. These batteries had plotting rooms in a separate bombproof structure, away from

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the noise and blast of the guns.

This standard design became known as the 100-Series Battery Construction. The 16-inch/50 guns used in the Chesapeake Bay defenses were US Navy guns which became available to the US Army as a result of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922 limitations on new warship building. These 16-inch guns had a range of 45,155 yards or about 25 miles. Two of these 16-inch coast defense batteries were constructed at Fort Story — Battery Ketchum (#120) and un-named Battery #121 — which are located within sight of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (Battery Ketchem is located on the Great Dune, behind the post chapel, about 400 yards away). These two batteries were constructed in 1941-1943 and served until 1948. Though their 16-inch/50 guns are gone, the emplacements themselves are still in used today by several US Navy tenants.

[Caption:]
Battery Ketchum is seen on the left proof firing one of its 16-inch/50 guns in 1943, while above a 16-inch/50 barrel is offloaded from railcar to trailer at Fort Story in 1942 (NARA).

Source: Terry McGovern, CDSG

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic

Markers at the entrance to the Cape Henry Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 13, 2025

2. Markers at the entrance to the Cape Henry Lighthouse

lists: Forts and Castles • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.

Location. 36° 55.514′ N, 76° 0.442′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is in Fort Story. It is on Antic Avenue west of Attu Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 583 Sicily Rd, Virginia Beach VA 23459, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads,

specifically in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Movement and Display of the USS Iowa Battleship Barrel at Cape Henry/Fort Story

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(here, next to this marker); 16-inch/50 Caliber Gun Mark VII - Mod No. 270L (here, next to this marker); "A picturesque spot which impresses all who see it" (a few steps from this marker); Expanding Military Operations at Fort Story (a few steps from this marker); The Cottages of Cape Henry at Fort Story (a few steps from this marker); The Guns of Fort Story / Fort Story Rises from the Dunes (within shouting distance of this marker); Into the 21st Century / The Amphibians Arrive (within shouting distance of this marker); The Emerging Community / Defending the Chesapeake Bay (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia Beach.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.