World War II Defenses

World War II Defenses. Fort Macon Goes To War Again, 1941-44. When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, US Coast Artillery troops occupied Fort Macon State Park for the defense of strategic points in the Beaufort Inlet-Cape Lookout area., In the sand dunes southwest of the fort, artillery positions were established to control the approaches to Beaufort Inlet. Initially, a battery of four 155 mm guns was placed here, along with machine gun nests, searchlights, base end station observation towers, and a battery commander station for fire control. In late 1942 the 155 mm guns were replaced by a battery of two 6-inch guns on concrete mounts. Also added was a concrete battery commander station, barracks, and support facilities., Although enemy submarines were active just offshore, the troops in the Fort Macon harbor defenses never had the opportunity to engage them during the war. In November, 1944, the troops were withdrawn and the fort’s defenses were deactivated as the war neared an end., After the war ended, the Army’s weapons, equipment and buildings were removed. Only the concreted gun mounts and battery commander station were left behind when the park reopened to the public in 1946. They remained for many years as a reminder of Fort Macon’s final wartime use. Time and the elements have not been kind to them and only the broken remains of the battery commander station can still be seen today., (captions) , (lower left) The crews of a 155 mm gun practices during a firing drill at their battery emplacement behind the beach southwest of Fort Macon in 1942. , (lower center-left) In late 1942, the battery of 155 mm guns was replaced by two six-inch navy guns on concrete emplacements similar to this one. , (lower center-right) Sixty-foot base and station towers were erected to sight enemy vessels and determine their bearing and course. , (upper center-left) The interior of a battery commander station, which had optical instruments to plot the course and range of an enemy vessel offshore. , (lower center-left) Sixty-inch searchlights were placed in the park to illuminate enemy vessels and aircraft during a night attack. , (upper center-right) The remains of Fort Macon’s battery commander station are the only reminders of Fort Macon’s World War II defenses today. Storms and erosion have caused its concrete walls to collapse into ruins. , (lower center-right) By 1956, storms and shore erosion had washed the two 30-foot diameter concrete gun mounts into the surf. They are currently buried today.