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American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide

Third Edition

This book is now available from the CDSG Press for $45.00. Click here for ordering information.

ASD is a compendium of information designed to provide quick answers to questions that arise when visiting a coast defense site-What was that tower used for? What kind of gun was in that battery?  This book bridges the gap between the introductory histories and the more detailed information found in National Archives entries, CDSG Journal articles and other CDSG publications and reprints.

See example information from the guide on a 16 inch gun on a disappearing carriage

Table of Contents

  • Introduction 1 (by Mark Berhow)
    US Seacoast Defense Construction, a Brief History
  • Harbor Defense Works of the American First and Second Systems (from Coast Artillery Journal, 1929)
  • Introduction to the Architecture & Weapons of the American Third System Seacoast Fortifications (By John R. Weaver II)
    A List of the Coastal Defenses of the Third System 1816-1867
  • United States Coast Defense Fortifications 1870-1876 (by Joel W. Eastman, Bolling W. Smith and Glen M. Williford)
  • A Guide to the Weapons and Batteries of Modern American Seacoast Defenses (by Mark Berhow and Glen Williford)
    Ranges and Characteristics of US Army Seacoast Artillery (1930s, 1944)
    Nomenclature of US Seacoast Artillery Cannon & Carriages
    Nomenclature of US Seacoast Artillery Gun Emplacements
    Notes on Emplacements
    Guide Notes
  • Guide to Carriage Models (main types arranged by gun caliber and model number):
    3 inch-
    M1898, MI masking parapet mount for 3-inch gun
    M1902 pedestal mount for 3-inch gun
    M1903 pedestal mount for 3-inch gun
    M1917 pedestal mount for 3-inch AA gun
    M1915 pedestal mount for 4.7-inch and 75 mm gun
    M1918 mobile mount for 3-inch AA guns
    M3 fixed mount for 90 mm gun
    M1 barbette mount for 105 mm AA gun
    4 inch-
    Army pedestal mount for 4-inch navy gun
    Armstrong pedestal mount for 4.7-inch gun
    5 inch-
    M1896 balanced-pillar mount for 5-inch gun
    M903 pedestal mount for 5-inch gun
    6 inch-
    Armstrong pedestal mount for 6-inch gun
    M1898 disappearing carriage for 6-inch gun
    M1900 pedestal mount for 6-inch gun
    M1903 disappearing carriage for 6-inch gun
    M1905, MI, MII disappearing carriages for 6-inch guns
    M1910 pedestal mount for 6-inch gun
    M1, M2, M3, M4 barbette carriages for 6-inch guns
    8 inch-
    M1892 barbette carriage for 8-inch gun
    M1894 disappearing carriage for 8-inch gun
    M1896 disappearing carriage for 8-inch gun
    M1918 barbette carriage for 8-inch gun
    M1 barbette carriage for 8-inch navy gun
    M1 railway carriage for 8-inch navy gun
    Naval turret for 8-inch navy guns
    10 inch-
    M1893 barbette carriage for 10-inch gun
    M1894MI disappearing carriage for 10-inch gun
    M1896 disappearing carriage for 10-inch gun
    M1896 disappearing carriage ARF for 10-inch gun
    M1901 disappearing carriage for 10-inch gun
    12 inch-
    M1891 gun lift carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1891 carriage for 12-inch mortar
    M1892 barbette carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1896 disappearing carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1896 (M1&MII) carriages for 12-inch mortars
    M1896MIII carriages for 12-inch mortar
    M1897 altered gun lift carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1897 disappearing carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1901 disappearing carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1908 carriage for 12-inch mortar
    M1917 barbette carriage for 12-inch gun
    M1918 carriage (railway) for 12-inch mortar
    14 inch-
    M1907, M1907MI disappearing carriages for 14-inch guns
    M1909 turret mount for 14-inch guns
    M1920 railway mount for 14-inch gun
    Naval turret for 14-inch navy guns
    16 inch-
    M1912 disappearing carriage for 16-inch gun
    M1917 disappearing carriage for 16-inch gun
    M1919 barbette carriage for 16-inch gun
    M1919MI barbette carriage for 16-inch navy gun
    M2, M3, M4, M5 barbette carriages for 16-inch navy gun
    M1920 barbette carriage for 16-inch howitzer
    Mobile, oddities, rarities, “temporary,” and “emergency” batteries-
    1890s “rebuilt” and “emergency” batteries for muzzleloading guns
    Modified Rodman carriage for 8-inch gun
    Mounts for pneumatic (dynamite) guns
    Wheeled carriage parapet mounts for 6-pounder guns
    M1917 & M1918 tractor-drawn mounts for 155 mm guns
    Modified M1918 mounts for 240 mm howitzers
    WW II emergency batteries with naval carriages and guns
    4.7-inch Schneider rapid-fire gun and mount
    3-inch casemate mount
  • U.S. Coast Artillery Fort & Concrete Battery List 1890-1950 (compiled by Mark Berhow)
    Introduction, notes and abbreviations
    Harbor locations – East Coast US, Gulf Coast US, West Coast US, Hawaii, the Philippines, Panama, Alaska, Caribbean
  • US seacoast artillery batteries built or modified during the years 1935-1945 (by caliber)
  • Existing Seacoast Weapons List (by caliber)
  • Antiaircraft Artillery used by the Coast Artillery Corps (by Bolling W. Smith)
    .30 cal. Browning Machine gun M1917
    .50 cal. Browning machine guns
    37 mm AA automatic gun
    40 mm automatic gun
    75 mm AA gun M1916, mobile
    3-inch AA gun, fixed, M1917
    3-inch AA gun, mobile, M1918
    3-inch AA gun mobile, M1 & M3
    3-inch gun, fixed, M2 & M4
    90 mm AA gun
    105 mm AA gun
    120 mm (4.7-inch) AA gun
    Sources
  • U.S. Army Coast Artillery Fire Control, Position Finding, and Gun Drill (edited by Mark Berhow, Fred Baldwin, John Martini, and Bolling Smith)
    Position Finding and Fire Control: Background
    Definitions and Description of Position Finding Systems
    Fire Control (Base End) Stations
    Organization & Duties I: the Headquarters and Range Sections
    Coast Artillery Plotting Boards
    Function of Position Finding Systems
    Organization & Duties II: the Gun Section
    The Firing Drill
    Sources
  • Ammunition Service in American Seacoast Defense Batteries 1890-1945 (by Mark Berhow and Thomas Vaughan)
    Introduction
    Ammunition Storage
    Ammunition Service: Horizontal movement
    Ammunition Passages and Lobbies
    Ammunition Service: Projectile Hoists
    Crane (Davat) Hoists
    Balanced Platform Hoists
    Hodges Hoists
    Raymond Hoists
    Taylor-Raymond Hoists
    Other Hoists
    Ammunition Service: Powder Hoists
    Sources
  • Controlled Mines in American Seacoast Defenses (by Mark Berhow and Greg Hagge)
    Brief History
    Controlled Submarine Mines & Components
    Mines
    The Mine Flotilla
    Mine Planting
    Shore Facilities for Mine Projects
    Torpedo Storehouses
    Cable Tanks
    Loading Rooms & Magazines
    Mine Tramways
    Cable Terminal Huts & Mine Wharfs
    Mine Casemates
    Controlled Mine Fire Control Structures
    Mine Tactical Organization
    Sources
  • Searchlights in US Seacoast Defenses 1901-1945 (by Mark Berhow)
    Historical Background
    General Operation Principles
    Fixed Searchlight Projectors
    Classification of Searchlights
    Location of Fixed Searchlights
    Designation of Searchlights
    The Searchlight Squad
    Mobile Searchlights
    Antiaircraft Searchlights
    Tactical Employment of Searchlights (1940)
    Sources
  • Seacoast Artillery Radar 1938-46 (by Danny R. Malone)
    SCR 268
    SCR 296A
    SCR 582/682A
    SCR 547
    SCR 548/598
    MPG-1
    Sources
  • Coast Artillery Corps Organization (article by Bolling W. Smith and William C. Gaines)
    Coast Artillery Companies, 1901-1919
    Coast Artillery in WWI
    List of Coast Artillery Regiments 1924-42
    Organization of the Coast Artillery Corps (1939)
    Terms Related to Coast Artillery Operations In WW II
  • Barracks, Bakeries and Bowling Alleys Non-Tactical Structures at US Coast Artillery Forts (by Mark A. Berhow, Joel W. Eastman, and Bolling W. Smith)
    Quartermaster Records and Plans
    The Puget Sound Forts: Military Posts to State Parks
    Cantonments and Temporary Non-Tactical Buildings
    A Gazetteer of Remaining US Army Coast Artillery Garrison Areas
  • Uniforms and Insignia of the Coast Artillery Corps (by Greg Hagge) Flags for the Coast Artillery (by Bolling W. Smith)
    Heraldry of the Coast Artillery Corps
  • Legend and Lore of the Coast Artillery Corps (compiled by Mark Berhow)
    Coast Artillery Punch
    The Oozlefinch, Mythical Mascot of the Coast Artillery Corps, Ye Ballad of Ye Anciente Cosmoline (poem)
    Coast Artillery Song (1918)
    Coast Artillery Marching Song (1918)
    Crash on Artillery, Coast Artillery Song (1934)
  • Symbols and Abbreviations for Engineer Maps (by Mark Berhow)
    Symbols & Abbreviations, 1909
    Symbols & Abbreviations, 1921
    Changes in Designations, 1925
    Symbols & Abbreviations, 1940
  • Primary Source Materials
    Reports/Records/Histories/Regulations
    Field and Technical Manuals
    Ordnance Department Documents
    Journals/Books/Texts
    Reports of Completed Batteries & Reports of Completed Works (by Matt Adams)
    Annexes to Harbor Defense Projects
  • Glossary of Terms – 1860
  • Glossary of Terms – 1914
  • United States Coast Defense Sites 1945-2004 (by Joel W. Eastman, Bolling W. Smith & Mark A. Berhow)
  • A Short History of the Coast Defense Study Group 1978-2004 (by Terrance C. McGovern)
  • General Index