Fort Greene (Narragansett, Rhode Island)

Fort Greene
Fort Greene
Part ofHarbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay
Point Judith,Narragansett, Rhode Island
	Fort Greene Location in Rhode Island
Coordinates	41°22′53″N71°29′00″W/ 41.38139°N 71.48333°W
Type	Coastal Defense
Site information
Owner	US Army Reserve, State of Rhode Island
Controlled by	US Army Reserve,Fishermen's Memorial State Park
Open to; the public	yes (part)
Site history
Built	1943
Built by	United States Army
In use	1943-present
Battles/wars	World War II

Fort Greeneis aUnited States Army Reserveinstallation in thePoint Juditharea ofNarragansett, Rhode Island.DuringWorld War IIthis was acoastal defensefort, and together withFort ChurchinLittle Compton,it superseded all previous heavy gun defenses in theHarbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay.It is named for GeneralNathanael Greeneof theRevolutionary War,who was born in Rhode Island.^[1]

16-inch casemated gun, similar to those at Fort Greene.

History

Fort Greene was built as part of a generalmodernization of US coast defenses,begun in 1940 with the outbreak of war in Europe and theFall of France.The goal was to replace all previous heavy weapons, most of which were over 35 years old, with long-range ex-Navy16 "/50 caliber Mark 2 guns.Lighter weapons would be replaced by6-inch gunson high-angle shielded barbette carriages. Ammunitionmagazinesand the 16-inch guns would be incasematedbunkers to protect against air attack.^[2]

The fort was intended to protect the approaches toNarragansett Bayas part of theHarbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay,and with a range of over 45,000 yards (41,000 m) it could protect the eastern approaches toLong Island Soundas well. It was mirrored byFort ChurchinLittle Comptonnear Sakonnet Point. Three reservations were acquired for Fort Greene 1939-1942, which was initially known as the Point Judith Military Reservation. The East Reservation was at the present Fort Greene Army Reserve Center, while the West and South Reservations are the presentFishermen's Memorial State Park.The South Reservation was nearPoint Judith Light.Battery Hamilton, or Battery Construction Number (BCN) 108, was on the East Reservation and had two 16-inch guns. BCN 109 was on the West Reservation and was designed for two 16-inch guns, but was never armed. To the west of BCN 109, also in the park, is aPlotting,Switchboard, and Radio (PSR) bunker. BCN 211 with two 6-inch guns was on the South Reservation, along with four "Panama mounts"(circular concrete platforms) for towed155 mm guns.^[3]The Point Judith Fishermen's Memorial is next to the bunker of BCN 211; a path is also available to the top of the bunker. No interpretation of the military facilities in the park is provided. In 1947, with the war over, Fort Greene's guns were scrapped along with almost all other US coast artillery weapons.^[1]

Severalfire controlstations were built in Narragansett, disguised as beach cottages as part of theCoast Artillery fire control system;these may date from the start of theEndicott Programcirca 1900. Most have been destroyed; one (badly damaged by storms) is near BCN 211, and some survive and have been restored at theCamp Varnum National Guardfacility, formerlyFort Varnum.

Present

A former 16-inch gun battery (BCN 109), which was never armed, is in the campground ofFishermen's Memorial State Parkon the former west reservation, along with a Plotting, Switchboard, and Radio (PSR) bunker housing aplotting roomas part of theCoast Artillery fire control system.The Fort Greene Army Reserve facility, on the east reservation, includes the former 16-inch Battery Hamilton.^[4]The former 6-inch gun battery (BCN 211) remains near Point Judith Light, on the former south reservation, also part of the state park. The fishermen's memorial is next to the bunker, and one of the gun blocks is on the (much eroded) beach in front of BCN 211.

Gallery

6-inch gun position at BCN 211, former Fort Greene south reservation
Ammunition and fire control bunker for BCN 211, former Fort Greene south reservation
Formerfire control towerresembling a barn silo, former Fort Greene west reservation
Storm-damaged former fire control tower resembling a beach cottage, former Fort Greene south reservation

References

^^a ^bFortWiki article on Fort Greene
^Berhow, p. 205
^Berhow, p. 205
^"Operational Range Assessment Program Phase II Report, Fort Nathaniel Greene"(PDF).EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. October 2012. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 4, 2016.RetrievedAugust 28,2014.

Berhow, Mark A., ed. (2004).American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide(Second ed.). CDSG Press.ISBN 0-9748167-0-1.
Lewis, Emanuel Raymond (1979).Seacoast Fortifications of the United States.Annapolis: Leeward Publications.ISBN 978-0-929521-11-4.

External links

List of all US coastal forts and batteriesat the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
FortWiki, lists most CONUS and Canadian forts

[FWiki1-1] FortWiki article on Fort Greene

[2] Berhow, p. 205

[3] Berhow, p. 205

[ea-4] "Operational Range Assessment Program Phase II Report, Fort Nathaniel Greene"(PDF).EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. October 2012. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 4, 2016.RetrievedAugust 28,2014.

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