Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Fort Pio Pico: Battery James Meed
Battery Meed on North Island,
shown during target practice, 1911. The battery was abandoned
in 1919 and removed in 1941. It's guns were moved to Battery
McGrath to replace its 2 5-inch guns shipped to Europe during
World War I. Photograph courtesy of the Casemate Museum, Fort
Monroe, Virginia.
Battery James
Meed
by Justin M. Ruhge
Battery James Meed had 2 3-inch rapid-fire
guns located on North Island. This battery was also referred
to as the Zuniga Shoals battery and Fort Pio Pico, the last in
honor of the last Mexican Governor of California. The purpose
of these two guns was like Fetterman to fend off attacks from
small boats and vessels. These guns were later moved to Battery
McGrath at Fort Rosecrans to replace the 2 5-inch guns that had
been sent to the front in Europe during World War I. This was
not a fort in the formal sense but a location of batteries without
the usual barracks facilities. Fort Pio Pico was established
in 1906 as a sub post of Fort Rosecrans and abandoned in 1919.
Its location was demolished in 1941 when the ship channel was
widened.
Battery James Meed was named in honor
of Captain James Meed, 17th Infantry, who was killed in action
against the British and Indians at Frenchtown, Michigan in 1813.
Seacoast artillery
material target after target practice by 28th Company, Coast
Artillery Corps. That unit stood first in the Army among 3-inch
batteries in 1912, scoring 18 hits in 33 seconds. May 1912.
Report of
Completed Works - Seacoast Fortifications
The Form 7 for Battery
Meed at Fort Pio Pico on North Island, 1919. National Archives,
San Bruno.
