Historic California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields
Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles: Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat Battery Bluff Park
 
 
90mm gun on an M3 fixed mount (Coast Defense Study Group)
 
 
Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat Batteries, Harbor Defenses of Los Angeles
by Justin M. Ruhge
 

In 1942 five batteries of AMTB guns protected the San Pedro Harbor. There were four batteries of 90-mm guns and 37-mm guns and one of only 37-mm guns. These were fast-firing weapons, which were supplemented with 50-caliber machine guns and searchlights as needed. The 90-mm batteries were four guns, two of which were permanent and two mobile. These were supplemented with two mobile 37-mm guns.

These batteries were located at the Gaffey Bulge where Gaffey Street winds around Battery Leary-Merriam; JAAN No. 1, Navy Field; JAAN No. 2, Bluff Park; and Terminal Island.

The fifth battery was designated Dolphins. This was a line of 10 37-mm guns on towers with searchlights located along the harbor breakwater - making a total of 34 guns.

AMTB Bluff Park was armed with two fixed 90mm guns on M3 fixed mounts and two on M1 mobile mounts. Additionally there were two M1 37mm Anti-Aircraft Guns.

Location of Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat Batteries, July 1944. Click to view a larger image (Coast Defense Study Group)
 
Location of Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat Searchlights, July 1944. Click to view a larger image (Coast Defense Study Group)
 
 
M1 37mm Anti-Aircraft Gun
 
 
 
Report of Complete Works - Seacost Fortifications
 
 
 
 
 
Source: Coast Defense Studty Group
 
 
Additional Online and Printed Histories
 
Fort MacArthur Museum
FortWiki
Wikipedia: M1/M2/M3 90mm Gun
Wikipedia: M1 37mm Gun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Updated 23 June 2017