When I look at the these relics on the beach, after they have been battered by wind and tide and weather, I wonder what they looked like when the were new. Thanks to a number of other websites, I've been able get an idea of what they probably looked like in 1942.
A photo from Matthew Hunter's Sitka's WWII Page shows what the gun probably looked like as it about to be fired. This is a photo of a 155mm gun at Fort Rousseau, Makhnati Island
Photo courtesy of the Sitka Historical
Society
As you can see, the center support is both centered in the ring, and the top surface is level (as is the ring filled in with soil). Comparing these to what is remaining on the Ventura beach, we see that they are neither centered nor level. It gives an indication of the amount of battering they have taken over the years from the waves and the tides.
A closer view of the surface
of center support (below) shows a square stud pattern. According
to a conversation chain I saw in a Yahoo
forum (either the coastal defense forum, or the California coastal
defense forum), the square pattern indicated that the 155 mm Long Toms
had been installed most recently, as opposed to the 155 mm GFP (French)
style of gun that were initially installed.
Last Modified: 15 Sep 2007
Comments about web page format
should be sent to Don
