During most of the year 1941, the 155mm
battery in the northwest part of Fort Rosecrans moved to Coronado
Heights and was named Battery Imperial.
This movement extended the water area
covered by Harbor Defense. At the same time a temporary base-end
station was also established at Coronado Heights. In October
1942 the Army acquired ownership of the 412.14 acres at Coronado
Heights through a Declaration of Taking action. On December 14,
1942 this site was offically designated Fort Emory in honor of
Brigadier General William Helmsley Emory. Fort Emory was a sub-post
of Fort Rosecrans. The 19th Coast Artillery had been moved to
Fort Emory to man the new Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat armament and
anti-aircraft machine guns.
In November 1943 Battery Grant proof fired
at Fort Emory. Battery Grant superseded Battery Imperial. During
December the plotting-switchboard room for the 16 inch battery
at Fort Emory was completed and the fire control switchboard
for that post installed. Communications had been maintained for
two years with a field switchboard, field telephones, and originally
all field wire. The wire had been progressively replaced with
cables as construction continued.
In February 1944, the War Department ordered
work on some parts of the moderization projects in the Harbor
Defense of San Diego deferred, Affected were the mounting of
the guns and carriages, installation of the director, and the
power plant for the 16" battery at Fort Emory. The gun emplacements
and all the base-end stations for the battery had been completed
by this time. Also, deferred was the construction of the battalion
command post tower.
Then on April 25, 1944 the 3d Battalion
plus Battery E of the 19th Coast Artillery was sent to Texas
to be used as field artillery replacements. During the year the
fifth fire control radar was on the air at Fort Emory in July
1944 and assigned to Battery Grant.
On May 4, 1944, 100 acres of Fort Emory
was declared standby and arrangements were made granting temporary
use to the Navy. Then on July 19 a permit was issued to the Navy
for its use of the 100 acres which became Naval Air Stationt-San
Diego's Coronado Heights Annex. With the completion of World
War 2, the fort was inactivated on January 31, 1947 and declared
surplus on March 1, 1948. . From 1945 to 1950, the Army family
of 1st Sgt. Frank W. Grissom were caretakers of the Army buildings
and the guns at Fort Emory.
Finally in 1950 the Army transfered Fort
Emory to the Navy and who incorporated it into their Imperial
Beach Radio Station
Batteries
at Fort Emory
World War II
Temporary
Location
Battery name
Number of Guns
Type of Gun
Type of Carriage
Constructed
Completed
Decommisioned
Coranado Heights
Imperial
4
155mm
Panama Mount
1941
1943
194?
1940 Program
Location
Battery name
Number of Guns
Type of Gun
Type of Carriage
Constructed
Completed
Decommisioned
Fort Emory
Homor B. Grant
2
6 inch M1905
Shielded Long Range Barbette
M1
1942
1943
1946
Fort Emory
134 (1)
2
16 inch
Casemated Long Range Barbette
1943
Not Completed
(1) Battery Contruction 134 were unofficially
named Battery Gatchell respectively.