Misplaced Pages

#740259

36-535: The base includes 1,451 acres (5.9 km²) of sandy trails, cypress swamps , maritime forest , grassy dunes and soft and hard sand beaches . The western beaches are wide, gently sloped and washed by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Eastern beaches are exposed to the rougher waters of the Atlantic surf. Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story has three historic sites. The Cape Henry Memorial Cross marks

72-430: A Coast Artillery Corps post until after World War II. The initial armament was modest. Two "emergency" batteries of rapid-fire guns were emplaced at Fort Story with weapons taken from other forts. Battery A had two 6-inch (152 mm) M1900 guns moved from Fort Monroe, and Battery B had two 5-inch (127 mm) M1900 guns moved from Fort Andrews near Boston. In 1919 the 6-inch guns were returned to Fort Monroe, while

108-401: A Master-at-arms was killed at Gate 8, a 24 hour entry, when a civilian pickup truck was driven into a security vehicle at the gate. Both victims were taken to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital , where the sailor died of his injuries. The following organizations are present at Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story: Taxodium Taxodium / t æ k ˈ s oʊ d i ə m /

144-405: A 50-caliber barrel. With the improved weapon location at Fort Story and a range advantage over Fort Monroe's 12-inch guns of 24,500 yards (22,400 m) versus 18,400 yards (16,800 m), the 16-inch weapons could engage attacking warships long before they could come within range of Fort Monroe. Fort Story was the only location to receive these howitzers, though a few other harbor defenses received

180-490: A shield blazoned: Gules, a bend potenté Or. Attached below the shield a Gold scroll inscribed "SEMPER PARATUS" in Red letters. The shield is red for Artillery. The gold potenté bend is an adaptation of the cottised bend on the arms of Champagne. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 538th Field Artillery Battalion on 29 December 1951. It was redesignated for the 52nd Artillery Regiment on 19 December 1958. It

216-701: A stopgap until three 6-inch (152 mm) gun batteries were completed at the fort in 1943. In addition to the 16-inch (406 mm) howitzers, four 16-inch ex-Navy Mark II guns were installed at Fort Story as Battery Ketcham (originally Battery 120) and Battery 121. These batteries were casemated against air attack; the howitzers also received gunhouses for splinter protection. The 16-inch howitzers were split into Battery Pennington and Battery Walke for fire control purposes; they had previously been Pennington A and B. These guns, along with matching batteries located at Fort John Custis on Cape Charles and batteries at Fort Monroe on Old Point Comfort , were used to guard

252-564: Is a genus of one to three species (depending on taxonomic opinion) of extremely flood -tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae . The name is derived from the Latin word taxus , meaning " yew ", and the Greek word εἶδος ( eidos ), meaning "similar to." Within the family, Taxodium is most closely related to Chinese swamp cypress ( Glyptostrobus pensilis ) and sugi ( Cryptomeria japonica ). Species of Taxodium occur in

288-414: Is currently a subject of ongoing research. The three extant taxa of Taxodium are treated here as distinct species, though some botanists treat them in just one or two species, with the others considered as varieties of the first described. The three are distinct in ecology , growing in different environments, but hybridise where they meet. The trees are especially prized for their wood , of which

324-568: The 12th Coast Artillery Regiment of the regular army , with the 246th Coast Artillery Regiment as the Virginia National Guard component. In 1932 the 12th Coast Artillery was effectively redesignated as the 2nd Coast Artillery , continuing as the garrison of Chesapeake Bay. In May 1928, the first battle practice of units of the coast artillery was held since the end of World War I. A battalion of 8-inch (203 mm) railway guns fired at "hostile" ships 16,000 yards out to sea;

360-425: The 52nd Coast Artillery Regiment . In 1931 Batteries C and E and HHB, 2nd Battalion were posted at Fort Hancock , New Jersey. Battery D inactivated 1 November 1938 at Fort Monroe , Virginia; Battery F inactivated 1 February 1940 at Fort Monroe, Virginia; Batteries D and F activated 8 January 1941 at Fort Hancock; 1st Battalion activated 1 June 1941 at Fort Hancock. Battery D was at St. John's, Newfoundland in

396-613: The 7th Provisional Regiment , Coast Artillery Corps (CAC), from units of the Coast Defenses of Long Island Sound , Eastern New York , Southern New York , Narragansett Bay , and Port Royal Sound. Moved overseas August 1917. Redesignated 5 February 1918 as the 52nd Artillery ( Coast Artillery Corps ). While in France the unit was attached to the 30th Brigade, CAC, and armed with a variety of French- and British-made railway guns , including French 320 mm weapons. Returned to

SECTION 10

#1732771863741

432-562: The American Revolutionary War . Also of historical interest, the new Cape Henry Lighthouse was completed in 1881 and is still maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard as an active coastal beacon. The passenger station built in 1902 and served by the original Norfolk Southern Railway was restored late in the 20th century and is used as an educational facility by the Army. Fort Story became a military installation in 1914 when

468-710: The Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System Constituted 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as the 52nd Field Artillery Redesignated 26 August 1941 as the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion and assigned to the 24th Infantry Division Activated 1 October 1941 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 inches (2.9 cm) in height overall consisting of

504-533: The Harbor Defenses of Argentia and St. John's with two 8-inch M1888 railway guns 1 May 1941 through 12 February 1942, when redesignated as Battery D, 24th Coast Artillery Regiment and Battery D transferred (less personnel and equipment) back to the US. Battery F served in the Harbor Defenses of Bermuda with four 8-inch M1888 railway guns from 1 April 1941 through 20 February 1942, when redesignated as part of

540-582: The Pliocene . New World Species : 52nd Coast Artillery The 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment is an air defense artillery regiment of the United States Army first organized in 1917 as a railway gun unit. It continued in that role unit 1943, when the regiment was broken in separate railway gun battalions, and in the following year the units were reorganized and redesignated as field artillery. On 25 October 1962, in response to

576-423: The heartwood is extremely rot - and termite -resistant. The heartwood contains a sesquiterpene called cypressene, which acts as a natural preservative . It takes decades for cypressene to accumulate in the wood, so lumber taken from old-growth trees is more rot resistant than that from second-growth trees. However, age also increases susceptibility to Pecky Rot fungus ( Stereum taxodii ), which attacks

612-432: The 13th Artillery Group to the 53rd Artillery Brigade and the 2nd Region of Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM). The soldiers could now go off TDY status and bring their families, cars, and personal effects to south Florida. They could also move into more permanent living facilities and get access to amenities available at permanent installations. Organized 22 July 1917 in the Regular Army at Fort Adams , Rhode Island, as

648-442: The 1st Battalion of the 12th Coast Artillery and the 52nd Coast Artillery (Railway) participated. A 1922 map shows positions for a 12-inch (305 mm) Batignolles railway gun and a 14-inch (356 mm) M1918 railway gun; these were probably for trials rather than operational weapons. The Batignolles mount was a French design used with 12-inch guns to produce U.S.-made railway artillery during World War I. The 14-inch gun M1918

684-914: The 27th Coast Artillery Battalion and similarly transferred back to the US.) In December 1941 Batteries A and B and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB) 1st Battalion transferred to Hawaii to reinforce the 41st Coast Artillery there. Battery E ordered to Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound 16 December 1941, but two gun sections were detached to man two 8-inch Mk. VI railway guns at Manhattan Beach, California near Fort MacArthur . In May 1943 this detachment became Battery A, 285th CA (Rwy) Battalion. The other gun sections went to Port Angeles, Washington and on 17 April 1942 were redesignated as Battery X. Later transferred to Fort Casey ; redesignated as Battery B, 285th CA (Rwy) Battalion on 30 March 1943. From March 1942 until 1 May 1943 Batteries C and D operated Batteries 20 and 21 at Fort Miles , Delaware, with four 8-inch Mk. VI railway guns per battery. Battery C

720-477: The 5-inch guns were removed from service as part of a general retirement of 5-inch guns from the Coast Artillery. Battery Pennington, consisting of four 16-inch (406 mm) M1920 howitzers , was emplaced at Fort Story in 1922, along with a three-gun anti-aircraft battery of 3-inch (76 mm) M1917 guns . The 16-inch howitzer had a barrel length of 25 calibers; the contemporary 16-inch gun M1919 had

756-651: The Coast Artillery Corps were considered obsolete, and Fort Story's guns were scrapped by 1949. Fort Story was declared a permanent installation on December 5, 1961. As a result of a 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendation, Fort Story operations were transferred to the United States Navy. On October 1, 2009, Fort Story and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek merged, and Fort Story officially became Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story . At 7.35pm on Saturday 30 November 2019,

SECTION 20

#1732771863741

792-544: The US January 1919, moved to Fort Eustis, Virginia. In August 1921, the other railway artillery regiments were inactivated, and the 52nd was reorganized into 1st Battalion ( 12-inch guns ), 2nd Battalion ( 12-inch mortars ), and 3rd Battalion ( 8-inch M1888 guns). (3d Battalion inactivated 16 May 1921 at Fort Eustis , Virginia; activated 18 August 1921 at Fort Eustis, Virginia; 1st Battalion inactivated 1 August 1922 at Fort Eustis, Virginia) Redesignated 1 July 1924 as

828-498: The Virginia General Assembly gave the land to the U.S. Government "to erect fortifications and for other military purposes". The base was named for Major General John Patten Story (1841–1915), a noted coast artilleryman of his day. During World War I , Fort Story was integrated into the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay , which also included Fort Monroe (the headquarters) and Fort Wool . Fort Story remained

864-504: The above units underwent changes as follows: Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 52nd Artillery Group, and the 538th, 539th, and 52nd Field Artillery Battalions consolidated, reorganized, and redesignated 30 June 1971 as the 52nd Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Withdrawn 16 April 1988 from

900-492: The base so as to appear in two flat rows on either side of the shoot. The cones are globose, 0.8–1.4 in (2–3.5 cm) diameter, with 10–25 scales, each scale with one or two seeds ; they are mature in 7–9 months after pollination , when they disintegrate to release the seeds. The male ( pollen ) cones are produced in pendulous racemes , and shed their pollen in early spring. Taxodium species grow cypress knees , when growing in or beside water. The function of these knees

936-461: The buildup of Russian missiles in Cuba, the 2nd Missile Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery (Nike Hercules) was deployed from the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss , Texas, to south Florida under the command of the 13th Air Defense Artillery Group. The south Florida units arrived with conventional high explosive warheads. In August 1963, the Army assigned the troops under the control of

972-399: The entrance to Chesapeake Bay against an attack by hostile naval forces. The batteries that existed during World War II at Fort Story included: In 1944, Fort Story began to transition from a heavily fortified coast artillery garrison to a convalescent hospital for returning veterans. By the time of its closing March 15, 1946, the hospital had accommodated more than 13,472 patients. In 1946

1008-511: The first amphibious training at Fort Story began with the arrival of the 458th Amphibious Truck Company and Army DUKW S. Fort Story was officially transferred to the Transportation Training Command, Fort Eustis , and designated a Transportation Corps installation for use in training amphibious and terminal units in the conduct of Logistics-Over-The-Shore operations. Following World War II, coast defense guns and

1044-687: The heartwood and causes some damaged trees to become hollow and thus useless for timber. Bald Cypress wood was much used in former days in the southeastern United States for roof shingles . The shredded bark of these trees is used as a mulch . In earth's history Taxodium was much more widespread in the Northern Hemisphere than today. The oldest fossils were found in Late Cretaceous deposits from North America. The trees persisted in Europe until around 2.5 million years ago, during

1080-728: The location where the Jamestown Settlers first landed in 1607. The Old Cape Henry Light was the first lighthouse authorized and built by the Federal Government. At the Battle of the Virginia Capes Monument, there is a statue of French Admiral François Joseph Paul, comte de Grasse to commemorate the famous sea battle on September 5, 1781, which prevented the British from reaching Yorktown during

1116-466: The longer 16-inch guns in the 1920s. The artillery were not accompanied by smaller-caliber rapid-fire guns until 1942. In 1924, the coast defense command was designated a Harbor Defense Command and entered a period of post-war inactivity which lasted until the beginning of World War II. Following regimentation of the Coast Artillery Corps, the Harbor Defenses of Chesapeake Bay were garrisoned by

Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-463: The southern part of the North American continent and are deciduous in the north and semi-evergreen to evergreen in the south. They are large trees , reaching 100–150 ft (30–46 m) tall and 6.5–10 ft (2–3 m) (exceptionally 36 ft or 11 m) trunk diameter. The needle-like leaves , 0.2–0.8 in (0.5–2 cm) long, are borne spirally on the shoots , twisted at

1188-597: Was a developmental weapon that did not see active service; the 14-inch M1920 railway gun was eventually deployed instead, though not at Fort Story. In 1941, prior to the United States entering World War II, more land was acquired at Fort Story. Following the American entry into World War II two four-gun batteries of 155 mm (6.1 in) guns were deployed at Fort Story; circular concrete " Panama mounts " were built to improve their firing positions. These were

1224-792: Was at Fort Hancock, New Jersey from early 1942 until transferred to Fort Miles in March 1942. 1st Battalion and Batteries A and B returned to Fort Hancock (less personnel and equipment) 16 February 1942. Reorganized with 8-inch Mk. VI railway guns and transferred to Fort John Custis , Virginia on 27 August 1942. Redesignated as the 286th CA (Rwy) Battalion 5 April 1943. Battery F reorganized with 8-inch Mk. VI railway guns at Fort Hancock, New Jersey after 20 February 1942; transferred to Camp Shelby , Mississippi and inactivated there 18 April 1944. Personnel distributed among five field artillery battalions. Regiment broken up 1 May 1943 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows: After 1 May 1943

1260-415: Was originally approved for the 52nd Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps on 9 April 1921. It was redesignated for the 286th Coast Artillery Battalion and amended to delete the crest on 3 August 1944. It was redesignated for the 538th Field Artillery Battalion on 20 November 1944. The insignia was redesignated for the 52nd Artillery Regiment and amended to add a crest on 19 December 1958. Effective 1 September 1971,

1296-455: Was redesignated for the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment effective 1 September 1971. Gules, a bend potenté Or. On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, a locomotive affronté Gules, charged with the numeral "52" Or. Motto SEMPER PARATUS (Always Prepared). The shield is red for Artillery. The gold potenté bend is an adaptation of the cottised bend on the arms of Champagne. The crest alludes to World War I service in France. The coat of arms

#740259