In And Around Fort Drum 1933

14 Inch Turrets. Forward Turret Firing

14 Inch Turrets. Forward Turret Firing

Datum Point

A datum point is any reference pointof known coordinates from which calculations or measurements may be taken.

Datum Point

14 Inch Ammunition Hoist

14 Inch Gun (Right Side)

14 Inch Gun Breech Closed

14 Inch Gun Breech Open

14 Inch Muzzles

14 Inch Turrets Seen From Cage Mast.

High Turret is Battery John M. Wilson. Low Turret is Battery William L. Marshall

6 Inch Ammunition Storage

6 Inch M1910 Side View

Barracks Inside

Ft Drum Broadside View (Color)

Cage Mast (Looking Straight Up)

Crane Seen From Cage Mast

Dining Room

Kitchen

Laundry

Metal Work On the Bow

Office

Plotting Room

Tents & Barracks

Water Tank From Cage Mast

Fort Drum was constructed on El Fraile Island beginning in 1909 and completed in 1914. El Fraile Island was originally a Mine Control Station and a mine casemate. Fort Drum is about 7500 yards south of Caballo Island and was the most unique of the Harbor Defense forts. On the original island as a base, army engineers completed in 1914 a reinforced concrete battleship 350 feet long by 144 feet wide, the top deck being 40 feet above mean low water and 20 feet thick. Exterior walls were approximately 25 feet to 36 feet thick. Equipped with 4-14 inch M1909 Rifles in armored turrets that had the capability of shooting a 1,660 pound armor piercing shell to a range of about 19,000 yards, 4-6 inch casemated guns and 2-3 inch AA guns. There was a 60 foot fire control cage mast. The fort was considered impregnable to enemy attack.

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