Eastern Defense Command New York-Philadelphia Sector New York Subsector The Harbor Defenses of New York “I am responsible for the safety of twenty-million people and the industrial heart of the nation”nation BG Gage, Commanding, HD NY Major Army Units at Fort Hancock: Hq an Hq Btry, Harbor Defenses of New York 7th Coast Artillery (less 2nd Battalion) 245th Coast Arty Reg (HD) (Less 3rd Bn) 265th Coast Arty Reg (HD) (minus) A Battery, 288th Coast Artillery Battalion (Railway) 5th Mine Planter Battery (USMP Ord) 19th Mine Planter Battery 151st Station Hospital 95th Ordnance Company (Railway Artillery) 113th Infantry Regiment (HHC at Ft. Hancock, rest spread around southern NY/NJ/DE) Chain of Command • President of the US- Franklin Delano Roosevelt • Vice President of the US- Henry Wallace • Secretary of War- Henry Lewis Stimson • Army Chief of Staff- General George C Marshall • Eastern Defense Command Commander- LTG George Grunert • NY-Phila Sector Commander- MG Homer • NY Sub Sector/HDNY Commander - BG Phillip S Gage • Ambrose Groupment/245th CA Commander- Col Haw •4th Bn. 245th CA Commander- LTC Shawn Welch • Battery K 245th CA Commander- CPT Jonathan Prostak Fort Hancock, NJ Fort Hancock is named in honor of the memory of Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, US. Army, who served with distinction in the Mexican War and the Civil war, and who died 9 February 1886. It was named Fort Hancock 30 October 1895, having previously been known as the Fortifications of Sandy Hook. The Fort is situated on Sandy Hook, New Jersey guarding the outer entrance to New YYpork Harbor. The first parcel of land for the site was acquired by the Government in-1762 at that time for a lighthouse, and additional parcels were subsequently acquired until the reservation was expanded to its present size . Construction of the actual fortifications began ill 1890 on the site of the old mine casemate that dated from 1880. The permanent garrison was not established until 1898 under command of Lieutenant Colonel Tully McCrea of the Fifth Artillery. Plotting Room and Fire Control Cases of Pointing Case I Pointing in which both direction and elevation were given at the gun by means sight pointed at the target. All firing data is determined by the gun crew. Case II Pointing in which direction was given at the gun by means of a sight pointed at the target and elevation by means of a range disc with all data supplied by the range section. Case III Pointing in which direction was given the gun by means of an azimuth circle or of a sight pointed at an aiming point other than the target and elevation by range disc. All range and direction data given by the range section. Plotting Room Detail (page 370-371, FM 4-15, Nov 1943): Plotter (NCOIC). No. 1, angular travel device operator (case II only). (Not needed when deflection board Ml is used.) No. 2, primary arm setter. No. 3, secondary arm setter. No. 4, set-forward device operator. No. 5, range correction board operator. No. 6, percentage corrector operator. No. 7, deflection board operator. No. 8f8, assistant deflection board operator ()(note 1). No. 9, spotting board operator. Nos. 10 and 11, assistant spotting board operators (note 2). No. 12, spotting board recorder (note 3). No. 13, fire adjustment board operator (range). No, 14, fire adjustment board operator (lateral). Nos. 15 and 16 , recorders (notes 4 and 5). NOTES- 1. No. 8 is used only when the deflection board Ml is employed. 2. With some spotting boards only one assistant is necessary. 3. The spotting board recorder fulfills the important function of recording the range and azimuth of the set-forward point or setting on the spotting board at the proper time. 4. Sufficient recorders are necessary to insure complete and accurate record keeping of drill and target practices. Nos. 15 and 16 are regularly assigned members of the plotting room detail. When they are not required for recording purposes they may be given other duties. They should be trained as alternates for any position In the plotting room. 5. Where the data transmission system M5 is used, four operators are required. Plotting Room Drill FM 4-15, Fire Control and Position Finding 1) Battery Commander alerts the battery, assigns target, and as Observers repor t "......, On Targe t", command s "TRACK" . 2) Plotter (Range Detail NCOIC) or Battery Exec (Range Detail OIC) Commands: "Approximate Data" on first hearing "TRACK" (Plot four success locations of the target ship - repeat steps 2a-c four times) 2a) B' Arm Setter sets arm to data from B' observer 2b) B' ' Arm Setter sets arm to data from B' ' observer 2c) Plotter uses th e TARG to p lot th e p oint on p lotting board onion skin 3) Plotter commands "CLEAR THE BOARD" 4) Plotter measures distance between first and last reading and calculates target travel speed 5) No. 4 calculates target travel speed 6) Plotter measures and plots position of target at instant of firing 7) Plotter measures distance from guns to position of target at instant of firing 8) No.7 Calculates Time of Flight 9) No.4 calculates travel of target from instant of firing to arrival of shell - Set Forward Point 10) Plotter plots Set Forward Point. 11))g Plotter measures distance on gun arm to Set Forward Point 12) No.2 reads azimuth on gun arm to Set Forward Point 13) Range Percentage Board Operator...... 6-inch M1900 Seacoast Rifle Info 6-inch M1900 Seacoast Rifle on M1900 Barbette Carriage Barbette Carriage M1900 Total weight of carriage without shield - 38,000 lbs Total weight of carriage, gun and shield - 45,568 1bs Diameter of emplacement - 19 feet Recoil Type- Hydro - spring Number of hydraulic cylinders - 1 Orifices - 3 groove Normal length of recoil - 14 in. Traverse - 360 degrees One hand wheel turn - 2.78 degrees Effort required to traverse - 10lbs Operation - Manual Maximum elevation - 20 degrees (355.5 mils) Rate of Fire – • One round every 15 seconds • 8 rounds per minute for two gun battery Ammunition: • Powder Charge – 32 pounds • M1911 Arm or Pier cin g Shell – 108 pounds • Approximately 400 of these projectiles were stored in the Battery • Muzzle Velocity = 2,600 feet per second • Maximum range = 16,500 yards (about 9 miles) • Effective range = 12,000 yards (about 6.8 miles) • Mk XXXIII Armor Piercing Shot – 105 pounds • Battery Gunnison/New Peck did not have this type of projectile • Maximum range = 21,700 yards (about 12 miles) • Effective range = 16,000 yards (about 9 miles) • Mk 2A1 High Explosive – 90 pounds (lethal area approx 50 yards) • Approximately 200 of these projectiles were stored in the Battery • Maximum range = 14,700 yards (about 8 miles) • Effective range = 12,000 yards (about 6.8 miles) Batteries Gunnison/New Peck 6-inch M1900 Rifle Details and Posts FM 4-75, Service of the Piece 6-inch Barbette Gun • Total in Section: • 28 Enlisted • 1 Officer • Total Gun Section: • 15 Enlisted (2 NCOs) • Total Ammo Section: • 12 Enlisted (1 NCO) 6-inch M1900 Rifle Loading Drill FM 4-75, Service of the Piece 6-inch Barbette Gun 1) Chief of Section commands: LOAD 2a) WHEN READY - Range Setter Reports: "Range Set" (Case II and Case III) 2b) WHEN READY - Gun Pointer reports: "Azimuth Set" (Case III only - tells Gun Commander he can fire on TI bell once gun is loaded) 3) No. 1 (breach detail) opens the breech. 4) No. 3 (chief of breach) As soon as the breech is open after firing, he removes the old primer, clears the vent, and cleans the primer seat. 5) No. 2 (breach detail) wipes off the mushroom head and gas check seat. 6) No. 9 Dips the chamber sponge in the liquid for sponging and allows the excess liquid to run off. As soon as the breechblock opened after each shot, sponges the chamber quickly. 7))) No. 2 (breach detail) inserts the loading tray in the breech recess, being careful not to bur or damage the threads in the breech. 8) No. 5 or 6 (projectile detail) inserts a projectile in the breech. 9) No. 4 (rammer detail) places the head of the rammer against the base of the p ro jec tile a nd ra ms it firmly into its sea t. 10) No. 2 (breach detail) withdraws the loading tray. 11) No. 7 or 8 (powder detail) places the powder tray with powder charge in the breech recess and No. 2 pushes the powder into the chamber by hand to such distance that the breech in closing will give the charge a final push into the chamber. 12) No. 1 (breach detail) Closes the breach. 13) No. 3 (chief of breach) Inserts the primer after the breechblock is closed and locked and lowers the leaf of the firing device completely down; hooks the lanyard (if firing non-electric) before the primer is inserted; pulls the lanyard at the command FIRE from gun pointer or upon hearing the third strike of the TI bell. 14) CASE II ONLY - Gun Commander commands: READY (tells gun pointer he can fire when ready) 6-inch M1900 Rifle Duties FM 4-75, Service of the Piece 6-inch Barbette Gun BATTERY EXECUTIVE.- The battery executive commands the firing section of the battery and i s in ch arg e of th e g un emp lac em en ts and accessories. He is responsible to the battery commander for the training and efficiency of the personnel of the firing section, for the condition of the mat6riel and ammunition under his charge, for the observance of all safety precautions pertaining to the service of the piece, and for the police of the emplacements.