Sign in or 
Share this
Showing 1 post
zhunterd |
Fort Tilden anyone?
Oct 21 2011, 12:18 PM EDT
If I was visiting in New York, and there was a fast acting outbreak, I may consider evac to Fort Tilden." Fort Tilden, on the Rockaway Peninsula, remains largely untouched and overgrown, a draw for wildlife enthusiasts and urban explorers alike. Fort Tilden was a coastal artillery protector with cannons to match the range of any battleship of the day. In the event of an attempted invasion, the guns would rumble into action to suppress the threat far out to sea before it could knock out New York’s communications, manufacturing and shipbuilding infrastructure. Temporary military installations at the site date as far back as the War of 1812. Brought to an end by the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, news travelled slowly in those days and fighting raged for two more months, during which time the British were crushed. Modern warfare demanded that a permanent base should be established around the time of World War One, with the adjoining Naval Air Station Rockaway (above), departure point of the first transatlantic flight, constructed adjacent to Fort Tilden. By 1924, Fort Tilden’s increased firepower came in the form of two massive 16-inch cannon known together as Battery Harris. Initially placed out in the open, these guns could rotate a full 360 degrees and catapult a shell an awe-inspiring 28 miles. This meant they could reach Long Island Sound, although their primary brief was to prevent an attack from east and west.At the outset of World War Two in 1939, thick concrete was poured over the battery. This would prevent the guns from being bombed during an air attack. But more importantly, it meant they couldn’t be turned on New York City should the enemy successfully capture Fort Tilden. The base has since found its way onto the National Register of Historic Places. Wooden steps have been fitted to the side of Battery Harris East" Anyone have any info on Fort Tilden other than what I have found online? 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?
Keyword tags:
bases
Forts
New York city
|
Sign in to be the first to reply.
