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Fort Emory
 
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 Battery Grant superseded Battery Imperial.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 C. 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.

Posted 18 May 2008


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