|
1900
- 1909 |
|
1900 |
|
|
No Date |
Nelson A. Miles is promoted to
the rank of Lieutenant General of
the US Army. It is the highest
rank held by any officer.
|
|
1903 |
|
|
No Date |
Lt. Gen. Miles retires as
Commanding General of the Army.
Upon his retirement, the position is
abolished and "Chief-of-Staff" is
created. |
| |
|
|
1910
- 1919 |
|
1917 |
|
|
No Date |
Model 1900 6" Gun and
pedestal placed at Cape
Henlopen and Cape May from
Battery Merrill at
Fort St. Philip. |
|
1918 |
|
|
No Date |
6" Gun batteries at Cape
Henlopen and Cape May
dismantled. |
| |
|
|
1920
- 1929 |
|
1921 |
|
|
2 FEB |
Four U.S. Navy submarines
are 80 miles off Cape
Henlopen, heading for the
Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Shortly after mid-night, the
pilot boat Philadelphia,
stationed near Overfalls
light, sees lights out at
sea and assumes a ship needs
a pilot. Heading out to meet
the ship, Philadelphia rams
the submarine L-1. The
Philadelphia tows the
damaged and sinking
submarine to the breakwater.
The L-1 rested stern down on
a muddy bottom in shallow
water as power boats took
the L-1’s crew (1 officer
and 19 men) off. |
|
30 JUL |
The Presidential yacht
“Mayflower” left Washington
yesterday. Placed on board
by LT. McAtee, Chief of the
Naval Pigeon Service, are 5
carrier pigeons. On 30 July
at 455PM one of the birds
returned to Washington with
a message from the President
that read “Fine voyage. All
well, Mrs. Harding greatly
refreshed. Making our
schedule amid excellent
conditions. Inspection this
morning revealed fine crew
aboard the Mayflower.
Greetings to all the office
force. WARREN G. HARDING”.
At 830PM the Mayflower was
off Cape Henlopen, according
to a wire-less message
received by the Naval
Communications Office. |
|
3 SEP |
A dead whale, 45 feet long
washes up on the beach at
Queen Street at Cape May. It
is thought that the whale
was killed by a Naval
Aviation Squadron during its
bombing practice off the
Virginia Capes some months
ago. Some think that this is
the same whale that washed
upon the Delaware shore near
Lewes, which was towed out
to sea. |
|
1922 |
|
|
27 JAN |
The U.S. Navy submarine T-2,
with 60 men aboard, breaks
her propeller in heavy seas,
22 miles south of Cape
Henlopen. The T-2 drifted
helplessly not far from the
spot where the submarine F-5
had its accident some months
earlier. Several vessels
rushed to the T-2’s wireless
message that it was in
distress. The submarine was
towed to into the Delaware
Breakwater and no one aboard
was injured. |
|
8 JUN |
Crowds flock to the
board-walk at Cape May, New
Jersey to view an ocean
mirage. Lewes town, 13 miles
across the bay could be
viewed plainly, and Rehoboth
several miles below Lewes
town was easily visible.
|
|
1923 |
|
|
10 JUN |
At 0230 the Presidential
Yacht “Mayflower” is at
anchor in the Breakwater,
awaiting the arrival of
President and Mrs. Harding.
From 2100 – 2315 the
previous day, President
Harding was at Milford,
Delaware being installed in
a Masonic rite. After his
initiation, the Presidential
party motored through the
night, heading to Lewes,
Delaware. All along the way
the roads were lined with
well wishers. At Georgetown,
Harbeson, and Cool Spring
the houses were illuminated,
while the residents stood by
the road waving lanterns and
flags. At the pier in Lewes
President Harding gave a
speech, he thanked the
people and said that
although the day was a long
one, it had been one of the
most pleasant in his life.
He then boarded a launch
that took him to the
awaiting “Mayflower”. A
detail from the Coast Guard
was in attendance and acted
as an escort from the pier
to the launch. At 0350 the
Presidential yacht left for
the open sea. (Note: Less
than 3 months after his
visit to Lewes, President
Harding died in Office). |
|
1924 |
|
|
5 OCT |
The finest mirage seen at
Cape May in twenty years is
witnessed by strollers along
the board-walk. The
lighthouse and beach at
Lewes, Delaware could be
seen plainly, and the
lookout in the Coast Guard
Station tower said that he
saw people walking on the
beach at Rehoboth, Delaware,
20 miles down the beach.
|
|
17 NOV |
Tests in which the hull of
the super dreadnought
Washington will be used as a
target, where postponed
today by Naval authorities
because of unfavorable
weather conditions. The
Washington remains at the
Delaware Breakwater for the
next several days until the
weather clears at which time
she is taken to the Virginia
Capes for the tests. |
|
1925 |
|
|
15 MAY |
Lt. General Nelson A. Miles dies
of a heart attack saluting the US
flag during the national anthem at a
circus in Washington DC. |
|
1926 |
|
|
24 JAN |
The first night of
international broadcast
tests is not a complete
success. An SOS call which
stopped all American
Stations on the Atlantic
coast from broadcasting
comes from a ship near the
Winter Quarter Lightship off
the Delaware Breakwater.
About 35 Stations are
ordered to keep silent at
10:05 PM and the prohibition
remains in effect until
11:00 PM. Broadcast Stations
in the rest of the country
are not affected. |
|
8 MAY |
A New York Times newspaper
article about the importance
of the Navy Compass Stations
mentions that “3 SOS
bearings were handled by
Cape Henlopen”. |
|
26 JUN |
A New York Times newspaper
article about the number of
airports in the United
States mentions that
“Delaware has 3 fields,
Lewes, Newark, and New
Castle”. |
|
11 AUG |
The Navy airship “Los
Angeles” will leave
Lakehurst tomorrow, weather
permitting, to fly over Cape
May and Cape Henlopen for
radio compass calibrations. |
|
1928 |
|
|
31 JAN |
The 75 foot Coast Guard
patrol boat, C.G. 107,
missing since last Friday is
found by one of the four
Destroyers dispatched Sunday
to search for the missing
vessel. C.G. 107 had
anchored off the Delaware
Breakwater on Saturday night
seeking shelter from a
storm. The 10 man crew was
safe and the boat suffered
no damage except the
breakdown of her radio
apparatus which prevented
her from reporting to
Base-9, Cape May, where C.G.
107 is stationed. |
|
1929 |
|
|
26 FEB |
Edward Armstrong invents a
sea-drome for airplanes that
will be stable in the
roughest weather.
Construction will begin this
week in the Delaware Bay.
The work will be done by the
Armstrong Sea-drome
Development Company. |
|
30 DEC |
On a beach near Ocean City,
Maryland, the USCG seized
2,100 cases of bootleg
liquor worth $250,000. It is
believed the liquor was
intended for New Year’s
celebrations in Philadelphia
and Camden. The rum-running
vessel which landed the
cargo sometime during the
night had slipped away and
rum chasers from Lewes and
Norfolk were dispatched to
search for it. |
| |
|
|
1930
- 1939 |
|
1930 |
|
|
3 JUL |
Machine gun bullets and one
pound shells whistle across
Delaware Bay as the crew of
a Coast Guard cutter carries
on a running battle with a
speedy rum ship. Soon the
sharp clicks of the one
pounder are joined by the
USCG cutter's machine gun
spends 25 belts before
answering fire comes from
the fleeing craft, believed
to be the 45 foot cruiser
Helena. Helena
speeds away and makes good
its escape. |
|
1931 |
|
|
17 NOV |
A government dredge hoists
from the bottom of Delaware
Bay about 200 cases of
assorted liquors apparently
hidden there to be taken
ashore at convenient times
by rum-runners. The Coast
Guard had been attracted to
the spot by a vessel
anchored at an inlet.
Officers boarded the vessel
and found 2 men but no
liquor. Their suspicions
aroused, the dredge is
obtained and soon finds the
liquor. |
|
1932 |
|
|
2 DEC |
Two rum-running cruisers
escape from the USCG on two
occasions within the last 24
hours by covering their
retreats with clouds of
heavy smoke which enable
them to elude Federal boats
near the entrance to the
Delaware Bay. |
|
1933 |
|
|
11 MAY |
Harbor Defense of the
Delaware project approved by
the Secretary of War.
The Navy announces 18
million dollars in cuts and
orders a host of
installations/activities
closed on 1 July 1934. Among
the announced closings are:
The Navy Radio Direction
Finder Stations at Cape
Henlopen, Delaware, Bethany
Beach Delaware, and Cape
May, New Jersey. |
|
28 OCT |
The German airship Graf
Zeppelin flies over
Lewes, Delaware at 3:05 PM.
|
|
16 NOV |
Secretary of Commerce, Mr.
Roper, announces that the
government will finance
experiments with floating
landing fields for airplanes
with a view of establishing
a commercial airway across
the Atlantic. The government
has adopted the plans of the
Sea-drome Ocean Dock
Corporation. The proposed
sea-drome will be 1200 feet
long and between 150-300
feet wide. Present plans
call for assembling one
quarter section behind the
Delaware Breakwater and
towing it to sea. If it
fulfills the promise of the
engineers the other 3
sections will be constructed
and the whole drome
assembled. Final approval
for the project by President
Roosevelt is expected within
the next few days. |
|
1934 |
|
|
20 APR |
Construction approved for
Battery Smith, but
funds would not be appropriated
until FY1941 and FY1942. |
|
7 JUL |
Three Cruisers and three
Destroyers in the command of
Vice Admiral Harris Laning
left Philadelphia and anchor
at the Delaware Breakwater
at 6PM. They depart the
following day to join the
fleet. |
|
28 NOV |
Major General Nolan,
Commander of the Army Second
Corps, designates Thomas
Pierce, of Lewes, Delaware,
age 20, as the outstanding
student of the Second Corps
1933 Citizens Military
Training Camp (CMTC). He
will travel to Washington
DC, to be decorated with the
gold medal for distinguished
attainment in military
education, by General
Pershing. 2200 young men
attended the CMTC. |
|
1935 |
|
|
19 JAN |
Secretary of War George Dern
writes to Delaware Governor
Buck requesting he ask the
Legislature to pass a law to
cede to the Federal
Government, a tract of land
at Cape Henlopen, for use as
a base of defense for the
Delaware Bay. Governor Buck
asked Mayor Hocker of Lewes,
if there would be any
objection on the part of the
Lewes Commissioners. |
|
1936 |
|
|
19 SEP |
The 390 ton fishing schooner
“Long Island” after being
pounded by the heavy
Atlantic seas, early Friday
morning, sinks just outside
the Delaware Breakwater. One
of the survivors recalls “I
just swam heading for what I
thought was shore. Finally I
saw the Cape Henlopen
Compass Station. They took
me in.” Two other survivors
are Richard and Harry
McQuillen. At 1PM a patrol
boat of the Maritime
Exchange Station of Lewes,
picks up one of the
McQuillens. About the same
time, a boat from the Coast
Guard Station picks up the
other McQuillen. |
|
1937 |
|
|
23 FEB |
Copper coins issued under
the reign of King George III
of Great Britain, and
bearing dates from 1774 to
1782 are picked up along the
ocean front near Indian
River inlet, just south of
Lewes. Youths from the Lewes
CCC Camp discovered several
hundred coins lying on the
beach yesterday and a
holiday treasure hunt
revealed more. |
|
5 SEP |
Capt. Russell Horn of the
“Irene” brought up a 400
pound depth bomb in his
fishing nets. It was
presumed to have been laid
by a Destroyer during the
submarine scare of 1917. The
bomb was left on the Lewes
pier with a catch of
flounder. Lewes Mayor David
W. Burbage asked the Navy
“what should be done”.
|
|
1938 |
|
|
APR |
1ST LT. Hartwell F.
Stallings of Long Branch,
New Jersey is ordered to
Active Duty at Lewes,
Delaware on 15 May,
reporting to the Commanding
Officer of the
52nd Coast Artillery for
training. He will convert to
inactive status on 28 May
1938. |
|
27 APR |
Two freighters crash in a
heavy fog at 330AM, a half
mile from the Overfalls
Lightship at the entrance to
the Delaware Bay. An SOS was
sent by wire-less to the
U.S. Navy Radio Station at
Cape Henlopen. The USCG
responded. |
|
26 MAY |
Guns of the 52nd Coast
Artillery from Fort Hancock
were fired at Cape Henlopen
during practice runs. |
|
1939 |
|
|
17 NOV |
Rear Admiral Richard Byrd
plans to return to the
Antarctic. His motor ship,
the North Star,
enters the Delaware
Breakwater at 0730 and
proceeds to Philadelphia to
be provisioned for the
expedition. Admiral Byrd is
expected to meet the
North Star at
Philadelphia but it is
doubted that he will join
the expedition until
North Star reaches the
Panama Canal. |
| |
|
|
1940 -
1949 |
|
1940 |
|
|
2 APR |
$500,000 is given for
modifications at Fort Miles
in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Fort is soon re-named
“Fort Buchanan”, leaving the
name "Miles" available for
another Fort that will soon
be established in Delaware.
|
|
Summer |
US Army begins surveying
land at Cape Henlopen for a
future coastal
fortification. |
|
7 DEC |
Army bombers from Bolling
Field are relocated to the
Rehoboth airport and will
start using the marshlands
about Cape Henlopen for
target practice. The City
fathers of Rehoboth and
Lewes notify residents to
avoid the vicinity of the
great dune, formerly the
site of the Cape Henlopen
lighthouse. Warning signs
and red signal flags are
placed throughout the area.
|
|
1941 |
|
|
27 JAN |
Executive Order 8627 calls
261st Coast Artillery to federal
service. |
|
24 MAR |
Construction begins on
Battery Smith. |
|
27 MAR |
General Order #4 establishes
directive for
Harbor
Entrance Control Post (HECP) at Cape
Henlopen. |
|
14 APR |
Battery of (4) 155mm guns (Battery
22)
installed at Cape Henlopen. |
|
16 APR |
Battery C,
261st Coast
Artillery assigned to new 155mm
(Battery
22) Battery at Cape
Henlopen.
Major Ralph S.
Baker, 261st, assumes command of
Fort Miles. |
|
30 MAY |
Units from the
261st Coast Artillery
lead the Memorial Day Parade
in Wilmington, Delaware.
|
|
3 JUN |
Secretary of War orders that
the military reservation at
Cape Henlopen be officially
designated "Fort Miles" in
honor of
Lt. General Nelson A. Miles. |
|
5 JUN |
Second battery of (4) 155mm
(Battery
26) guns established at Fort
Miles. Battery B,
261st Coast
Artillery assigned. |
|
14 JUN |
Battery
22 (155mm) ordered
on 24 hour alert status. |
|
30 JUN |
Battery B,
261st Coast
Artillery moves 155mm guns (Battery
26) to Cape
May, NJ. |
|
15 AUG |
Several hundred visitors are
on hand for the Lewes
Homecoming Celebration and
were treated to a sea going
concert by the 28 piece band
of the 62nd Coast Artillery,
at Fort Miles for training.
In addition to the
watercraft parade a military
ball is held on Monday.
|
|
26 AUG |
600 workers at Fort Miles
are on strike and have
formed a picket line. The
union protest involves the
hiring of non-union painters
and a demand for a wage
increase from $1.25 per hour
to $1.50 per hour. Major
Baker, commander of Fort
Miles said there had been no
disorder and Mr. Ralph
Herrick, project manager of
the contractors said
“anybody on strike will lose
his job.”
|
|
29 AUG |
The 1700 officers and men of
the 62nd Coast Artillery
spends one month training at
Fort Miles. Tracing missions
to support the 62nd were
flown by the 119th
Observation Squadron from
New Jersey. The 62nd spent a
previous training encampment
at Fort Miles the previous
May. |
|
26 SEP |
The men at Fort Miles, still
living in tents, are cheered
by the news that
construction of the barracks
at the new post will begin
at once. |
|
2 OCT |
War Department Letter: 2
Oct. 1941 directed the
establishment of 8
Harbor Entrance Control Posts (HECP)
in First Army Area, including at
Cape Henlopen, Delaware.
|
|
NOV |
Cantonment construction
begins at Fort Miles. |
|
14 NOV |
Virtually every member of
the 21st Coast Artillery
attended the military
funeral of 1st LT. Henry S.
Brady Jr. of Battery B, who
died Monday after a two day
illness. His promotion to
Capt. was to become
effective this week. A
detachment of the 261st
Coast Artillery lead the
Armistice Day Parade at
Rehoboth. Capt. James H.
Bishop, chaplain of the
261st Coast Artillery at
Fort Miles and LT. Morris,
chaplain at Fort DuPont,
spoke at the special
Armistice Day services at
Saint Peter’s Episcopal
Church in Lewes. |
|
28 NOV |
Governor Walter W. Bacon of
Delaware, dedicated the new
Lewes U.S.O. Club at
Delaware’s newest
fortification, Fort Miles,
on Tuesday night. The
celebration opened with a
parade of 500 men of the
261st Coast Artillery under
Lt. Col. Roscoe and a
detachment of sailors
stationed at Fort Miles,
under the command of Lt.
Cmdr. Frank S. Carter.
Earlier Governor Bacon made
an inspection of the
emplacements for the 16 inch
guns on Cape Henlopen,
within the Fort Miles
reservation. |
|
1 DEC |
Fort Miles is closed to
civilians. |
|
4 DEC |
HECP for Harbor
Defenses of the Delaware (HDD)
operational at Fort Miles. |
|
5 DEC |
Lt. Col. Henry K. Roscoe
becomes the Coast Artillery
Officer of the Delaware
Harbor Defenses, succeeding
Lt. Col. Ephraim who was
transferred to Ohio. Major
Ralph S. Baker was named
commander of the 261st CA
and commandant of Fort
Miles, succeeding Lt. Col.
Roscoe. Twenty seven
soldiers are discharged from
the 261st CA because of age,
among them are Privates So-Hoo
S. Chew and Chang S. Chong.
Major Baker takes over the
Lewes Coast Guard Station
for use as HQ. The structure
was used for 35 years as a
Coast Guard Station but
during the last two years
has served as the HQ of the
Belhaven Surf Club. |
|
7 DEC |
Pearl Harbor attacked by
Imperial Japanese Forces.
At 1745 hours General Arthur
G. Campbell commanding
2nd District
Coastal Artillery Sector sent
message from
Fort DuPont to all installations
reading "condition 2
immediately."
|
|
8 DEC |
United States declares war
on Japan. |
|
11 DEC |
Germany declares war on
United States. |
|
20 DEC |
General Order #23
establishes Fort Miles and
Fort Saulsbury as sub-posts
of
Fort DuPont.
Battery C,
21st Coast Artillery sent to Cape
May, NJ to operate
Battery 26.
Battery B,
261st CA assigned to Fort
Saulsbury. |
|
22 DEC |
The sound of heavy
detonations offshore
believed to be gun fire was
reported today by Major
Ralph S. Baker, commanding
officer of Fort Miles, who
said that the detonations
have been heard by sentries,
officers, and civilian
observers all along the
coast. The explosions which
were heard in Lewes between
10:45 and just after noon
rattled windows in Ocean
City, Maryland. |
|
23 DEC |
War Department ordered all
Harbor Entrance Control Posts in
United States placed on “war basis”. |
|
24 DEC |
Letter to Chief of Coast
Artillery dated 24 Dec. 1941
advised that third
supplemental National
Defense Appropriations Act
of 1942 had appropriated
additional funds for the
improvement of Harbor
Defense Control Posts -
including $10,900 for Fort
Miles. |
|
27 DEC |
Lt. Colonel Henry K. Roscoe,
261st, assumes command of Fort
Miles. |
|
1942 |
|
|
5 JAN |
General Order #3 establishes
mine command for Harbor
Defenses of the Delaware. Battery A and Battery B,
21st CAC
assigned.
155mm guns (Battery
22) at Fort
Miles are proof fired. |
|
14 JAN |
Tanker
Norness, Panama, sunk by
U-123 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
17 JAN |
Freighter San Jose,
United States, sunk by
U-123 off coast of New Jersey.
In the early morning hours
Kapitanleutnant Hardegen
aboard U-123 is on patrol
off Cape Henlopen. He sees
searchlights from the
direction of Cape Henlopen
and the villages brightly
alight. He writes in his log
“17.01.42 00.42 , Went again
to the Five Fathom Bank and
searched the same routes as
yesterday. 02.00 Star shells
on starboard abeam. Ahead
searchlights from the
direction of Cape Henlopen.
Villages on the coast
brightly lit. 04.00 CA 5723
Again sighted few lights of
smaller vessels. 06.35
Shadow on port side,
silhouette of a destroyer." |
|
18 JAN |
Improvised Mine Planter
Colonel Henry R. Casey
stationed at Fort Miles (mine
battery). |
|
25 JAN |
Construction begins on
Battery Herring.
Tanker
Varanger, Norway, sunk by
U-130 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
5 FEB |
Tanker
India Arrow, United States,
sunk by
U-103 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
23 FEB |
Headquarters Battery,
261st, transferred to Fort
Miles. |
|
27 FEB |
Tanker
R.P. Resor, United States,
sunk by
U-578 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
28 FEB |
USS Jacob Jones, US
Destroyer, sunk by
U-578 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
9 MAR |
Freighter
Cayru, Brazil, sunk by
U-94 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
10 MAR |
Tanker
Gulftrade, United States,
sunk by
U-588 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
11 MAR |
Freighter
Hvoslef, Norway, sunk by
U-94 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
14 MAR |
Collier
Lemuel Burrows, United
States, sunk by
U-404 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
15 MAR |
Battery C,
52nd Railway
Artillery arrives at Fort Miles
(Railway
Batteries).
Construction begins on temporary
wooden barracks. |
|
16 MAR |
US Navy installs AMTB boom
at Reedy Island in the
Delaware River. |
|
22 MAR |
Three ships are aground
after a gale in the Delaware
breakwater including a Navy
Minesweeper. |
|
23 MAR |
General Order #1 establishes
the
Eastern Defense
Command. |
|
15 APR |
Construction begins on
Battery Hunter. |
|
21 APR |
Colonel Robert E. Phillips,
CAC, assumes command of Fort
Miles. |
|
28 APR |
Freighter
Arundo, Netherlands, sunk by
U-136 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
1 MAY |
Tanker
Bidevind, Norway, sunk by
U-752 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
15 MAY |
Battery C,
52nd Coast Artillery (Railway)
arrives at Fort Miles (Railway
Battery). |
|
22 MAY |
General Order #9 assigns
Battery C,
261st CAC to
Battery 519.
Battery C (det),
261st CAC assigned
to
Battery #5 (3 inch) at Ft. Miles. |
|
25 MAY |
Tanker
Persephone, Panama, sunk by
U-593 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
6 JUN |
Planting of buoyant
mine
field at Fort Miles complete. |
|
10 JUN |
Harbor Defense of the
Delaware
command post transferred to
Fort Miles.
General Order #7
moves HQ Battery,
21st CAC to Fort
Miles. |
|
11 JUN |
General Order #5 names
Battery Herring for deceased LTC
Ralph E. Herring, CAC US Army and
Battery Hunter for deceased COL
Charles H. Hunter, CAC US Army. |
|
16 JUN |
Temporary
HDCP established at
Construction #119, Fort Miles. |
|
22 JUN |
Freighter
Rio Tercero, Argentina, sunk
by
U-202 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
10 AUG |
US Army Mine Planter
Ord stationed at Fort
Miles for temporary duty (Mine
Battery). |
|
29 AUG |
US Army Mine Planter
Hunt stationed at Fort Miles for
temporary duty (Mine
Battery). |
|
10 SEP |
Battery D,
52nd
Coast Artillery (Railway) arrives at Fort Miles (Railway
Battery). |
|
11 SEP |
Battery #5 (3 inch)
operational at Fort Miles. |
|
12 SEP |
Construction begins on
Battery 223 (Battery Dunn) in
Cape May. |
|
13 SEP |
War Department halts
construction on proposed
Battery 119 (2 - 16") |
|
21 SEP |
Captain William C. Paynter,
one of the last surviving
members of the Cape Henlopen
Life Saving Station, erected
in 1884, dies at his home in
Lewes, Delaware. |
|
31 OCT |
Construction on
Battery
Smith (2 - 16") completed.
Cost: $1.3 million. |
|
1 NOV |
US Army Mine Planter
Sylvester (MP-5) arrives at Fort
Miles and is manned by 12th Coast
Artillery Mine Planter (CAMP)
battery. |
|
15 NOV |
Construction on
Battery 519 begins
from halted Battery 119 project. |
|
28 NOV |
Injuries received when his
motor-cycle skidded on a wet
highway proved fatal to
Private Henry E. James, age
27. He was riding on the
Fort Miles Highway two miles
east of Lewes when he lost
control of his cycle and was
thrown against an abutment.
|
|
4 DEC |
Navy AMTB boom removed from
Reedy Island and
EDC directs
removal of
Battery #5 from Fort
Miles. |
|
15 DEC |
Captain Levi Lynch, who was
a Coastguardsman, cited for
bravery during the blizzard
of March 1888, dies at 87
years old. He was the last
survivor of the original
crew of the Cape Henlopen
Coast Guard Station, opened
in 1877. |
|
19 DEC |
US Army Mine Planter
Frank (MP-12) arrives at Fort
Miles and is manned by 19th Coast
Artillery Mine Planter (CAMP)
battery. |
|
1943 |
|
|
1 JAN |
Construction begins on
Battery #7 (90mm) in Cape
May, NJ. |
|
8 JAN |
Dismantling of Battery
Haslet, Fort Saulsbury
begins. |
|
17 JAN |
Delaware Bay
Mine
Project completed and approved by
War Department. |
|
18 JAN |
Battery B (det),
261st
CAC transferred from Fort Saulsbury
to
Battery Smith, Fort Miles. |
|
23 JAN |
Battery C,
261st CAC assigned to
Battery #5 (3 inch).
Battery A,
261st CAC assigned to
Battery 22 (155mm).
Batteries A & B,
21st CAC assigned to
Battery Herring.
Headquarters Battery,
261st CAC assigned to
searchlights. |
|
30 JAN |
The Fort Miles Players hold
the première of their
vaudeville revue “That’s
Right Funs A-Flyin” at
Rehoboth. Earlier in the
winter the group produced a
musical “Here We Go”. The
new show is staged by
Corporal’s David E.
Fitzgibbon and Stanley Ross.
The 15 piece Harbor Defense
Band, conducted by Warrant
Officer Henry K. Schmidt
provides the music. |
|
6 FEB |
Battery #5 (3 inch)
dismantled.
Battery C (det),
261st CAC assigned to
Battery #5A
(90mm), Fort Miles. |
|
12 MAR |
12 inch guns removed from
Battery Haslet, Fort
Saulsbury for installation
at
Battery 519, Fort
Miles. |
|
16 MAR |
Battery #5A (90mm)
operational and manned by Battery C
(det),
261st CAC. |
|
27 MAR |
HDCP moves out of
temporary facility at Construction
#119 and into permanent
HDCP
casemate. |
|
22 APR |
Battery C,
52nd Railway
Artillery is re-designated Battery
A, 287th Coast Artillery.
Battery D,
52nd Railway Artillery is
re-designated Battery B, 287th Coast
Artillery (Railway
Batteries).
Planting of the M-4
ground mines commenced in
mine
field. |
|
31 APR |
Construction on
Battery
Herring complete. Cost:
$181,300. |
|
MAY |
Battery of 90mm guns (Battery
7) operational at Cape May, NJ. |
|
8 JUN |
HECP occupies new station in
Tower #9. |
|
15 JUN |
Construction on
Battery #7
(90mm), Cape May complete.
Cost: $15,300. |
|
23 JUN |
Construction on
Battery
223 (Battery Dunn), Cape May
complete. Cost: $342,000. |
|
11 JUL |
Because of the Fort Miles
defense project and the
influx of Army, Navy, and
USCG families, the local
population has doubled,
resulting in a food
shortage. Many families have
only bread and vegetables.
Commodore Wine of the Lewes
yacht club is providing
local families with crabs. |
|
24 JUL |
What appeared to be a dead
dog was found on the
basement floor of the Fort
Miles Surf Club earlier in
the week by the Post
Engineering Officer, Capt.
Justus B. Naylor. The dog, a
male Gordon setter, was
alive but emaciated and
covered with oil and salt
water. Its leather collar
had no identification. The
dog, apparently unused to
English will let no one
approach except Capt.
Naylor. It is known that the
Nazi army specializes in
training of Gordon setters.
There are various surmises
about the dog ranging from a
refugee from a sunken
submarine to it was sent
ashore as a saboteur. |
|
31 JUL |
Because of a labor shortage
the local farmers are
concerned about the loss of
their lima bean crops and
appealed to COL. Robert
Phillips, commander of the
Harbor Defenses for help.
Large numbers of soldiers
volunteer and work the
fields for a fortnight. This
emergency was considered
second only to the coastal
defense mission.
Arrangements were made to
immediately get the troops
back to their post if it
were required. |
|
31 AUG |
Construction on
Battery
519 complete. Cost: $857,000. |
|
15 SEP |
16" guns at
Battery
Smith proof fired. |
|
16 SEP |
6" guns at
Battery
Herring proof fired. |
|
14 OCT |
General Order #11 names
Battery Smith for Major General
William R. Smith, US Army. |
|
23 OCT |
Planting of the M-4 ground
mine field completed. |
|
29 OCT |
Construction on
Battery
Hunter complete. Cost:
$180,200.
A spacious new hospital for
the Fort Miles Coast
Artillery post on the
Delaware Capes, is to be
ready for occupancy by early
summer, Capt. Donald M.
Shafer, post surgeon, said
today. The hospital will be
built on Savannah Road at
Lewes, between the High
School and the camp. |
|
4 NOV |
Warrant Officer John B.
Worthington, assigned to
Fort Miles is found dead of
a gunshot wound at his home
in Rehoboth, Delaware.
|
|
6 NOV |
Warrant Officer Carl
“Frenchy” Moulinie, of Fort
Miles, and Mrs. Elaine Brown
Worthington, are in police
custody for the shooting of
W.O. Worthington. |
|
15 NOV |
6" guns at
Battery Hunter proof
fired. |
|
3 DEC |
Warrant
Officer Mouline is convicted
of involuntary manslaughter
in the shooting of WO
Worthington. |
|
23 DEC |
Warrant Officer Mouline is
sentenced to 18 months for
involuntary manslaughter for
killing his close friend,
W.O. Worthington. Mouline
said the shooting was
accidental. |
|
1944 |
|
|
1 FEB |
155mm guns removed from Fort
Miles (Battery
22). |
|
4 FEB |
155mm guns removed from Cape
May (Battery
26). |
|
MARCH |
Phase III Cantonment
construction completed. |
|
16 APR |
Tanker
Pan Pennsylvania, United
States, sunk by
U-550 off coast of New Jersey. |
|
9 MAY |
General order #7 makes the
following tactical
assignments:
|
HQ Battery,
21st CAC |
Tower 12
HDCP |
|
Batteries A & B,
21st CAC |
Underwater Defenses
Tower 5, Level B
Tower 7, Level C
Tower 9, Level C |
|
Battery C,
21st CAC |
Battery 7 (90mm)(Cape
May)
Tower 23 (Cape May)
Tower 24 (Cape May)
Searchlights (Cape May)
SCR-582 |
|
Battery A,
261st CAC |
Battery Hunter
Tower 3, Level C
Tower 6, Level B
Tower 9, Level B
Searchlights
SCR-296A Set 4 |
|
Battery B,
261st CAC |
Battery 5B (90mm)
Tower 10
Searchlights |
|
Battery C,
261st CAC |
Battery Herring
Tower 4, Level C
Tower 6, Level C
Tower 9, Level A
Searchlights |
|
Per General Order #7, the
following maintenance
assignments were made: |
|
Battery C,
21st CAC |
HD installations in New
Jersey |
|
Battery A,
261st CAC |
Battery 519 |
|
Battery B,
261st CAC |
Battery 5A |
|
Battery C,
261st CAC |
Battery Smith, Fort
Saulsbury |
|
| |
|
|
23 JUL |
Ensign John R. Bund and
Radioman 3rd class Charles
J. Centurioni were killed on
21 July when their plane, on
a routine training flight,
crashed near Lewes,
Delaware. |
|
9 AUG |
Father McCarthy, a Priest
from Rehoboth, died at his
home. He Recently he served
as the Chaplain for the
German prisoner of war camp
at Lewes, Delaware. |
|
22 AUG |
The
287th Coast
Artillery moved from Fort Miles to
Fort Bragg, NC.
Redesignated the 539th Field
Artillery Battalion on 30 Aug. |
|
14 SEP |
The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944
hits Fort Miles and Cape May Point
as a category 1 with 90 mph sustained winds.
Property damage: $67,475.00.
The same hurricane was responsible
for the sinking of the
USS Warrington. |
|
19 SEP |
Battery A,
261st CAC redesignated Battery
E,
21st CAC.
Battery B,
261st CAC redesignated Battery
D,
21st CAC.
Battery C,
261st CAC redesignated Battery
F,
21st CAC. |
|
OCT |
Infrared voice testing takes
place at Cape Henlopen.
Westinghouse has developed a
“Talking Lamp” which made
possible secret two-way
conversation over an
invisible infra-red beam.
The lamp uses cesium vapor
and serves as a transmitter.
On the receiving end a photo
electric cell mounted in
another reflector picks up
the infra-red rays and
converts them to spoken
words. The equipments
“clinching tests” occur at
Cape Henlopen, Delaware,
during a ship to shore
demonstration. Two runs were
made with sending and
receiving equipment on the
ship and on the shore.
Equally good results were
obtained except where the
line of sight was obscured
by a mountainous wave or
when the ship was lost
beyond the horizon to the
shore station observers. |
|
16 OCT |
General order #15 rescinds
General Order #7, making the
following tactical
assignments:
|
HQ Battery,
21st CAC |
Tower 12
HDCP |
|
Batteries A & B,
21st CAC |
Underwater Defenses
Tower 5, Level C
Tower 7, Level A
Tower 9, Level C |
|
Battery C,
21st CAC |
Battery 7 (90mm)(Cape
May)
Tower 23 (Cape May)
Tower 24 (Cape May)
Searchlights (Cape May)
SCR-582
2 - 40mm guns
4 - 50 gal MG |
|
Battery D,
21st CAC |
Battery 5B (90mm)
2 - 40mm guns
4 - 50 gal MG
Tower 10
Searchlights |
|
Battery E,
21st CAC |
Battery Hunter
1 - 40mm gun
2 - 50 gal MG
Tower 2, Level C
Tower 3, Level C
Tower 6, Level B
Tower 9, Level B
Tower 13, Level B
Tower 14, Level B
SCR-296A Set 4 |
|
Battery F,
21st CAC |
Battery Herring
1 - 40mm gun
2 - 50 gal MG
Tower 2, Level C
Tower 4, Level C
Tower 6, Level C
Tower 9, Level A
Tower 13, Level C
Tower 14, Level C |
|
Battery G,
21st CAC |
Searchlights |
|
General Order #15 makes the
following maintenance
assignments: |
|
Batteries A & B,
21st CAC |
Tower 5,Level B
Tower 7, Levels B & C |
|
Battery C,
21st CAC |
All HD installations in NJ
not already assigned. |
|
Battery D,
21st CAC |
Battery 5A |
|
Battery E,
21st CAC |
Battery 519
Tower 2, Level B
Tower 3, Level B
Tower 14, Level A |
|
Battery F,
21st CAC |
Battery Smith
Tower 2, Level C
Tower 4, Level B
Tower 6, Level A |
|
Battery G,
21st CAC |
All
searchlights not already
assigned. |
|
| |
|
|
1945 |
|
|
11 FEB |
U-869 sunk by
USS Howard D. Crow and
USS
Koiner off coast of New
Jersey. |
|
16 MAR |
Image forming Infra-red (IR)
testing is conducted at Cape
Henlopen. An IR device was
used to conduct nocturnal
shoreline reconnaissance. |
|
8 MAY |
VE Day
Teletype message received at
0914 indicating "Action 87
completed." Upon
receipt of "Action 87" all
organized resistance in
Germany was considered
ended. |
|
14 MAY |
U-858 surrenders to US
forces at Fort Miles. |
|
14 JUL |
Lt. Colonel Samuel S. Neill,
CAC, assumes command of Fort
Miles. |
|
14 AUG |
Headquarters,
Eastern
Defense Command notifies
Headquarters, Harbor Defenses of the
Delaware at Fort Miles of Japanese
surrender. |
|
2 SEP |
VJ Day -
WWII ends, Cold War begins.
Col Alfred
Reese (Sgt at this time)
sent from Aberdeen Proving
Grounds to Fort Miles,
possibly to conduct testing
on Proximity Fuzes. Joseph
Hesse , formerly of the
525th MI, states that such
fuze testing took place at
gunnery ranges in September
1945 at Lewes, Delaware. |
|
24 SEP |
The Navy Bureau of Ships
recommends that the “Test
Station at Fort Miles
Delaware” be operated by
private companies so it
could be quickly converted
to the Navy on short notice. |
|
1946 |
|
|
4 FEB |
The captured German heavy
Cruiser Prinz Eugen is at
Overalls Lightship. A small
Navy ship is damaged in the
attempt to get Prinz Eugen
into the Delaware Bay. From
there Prinz Eugen is taken
to Rhode Island where she
was stripped down before
being sent to her final
destination, Bikini Atoll,
in the Pacific, where Eugen
will be part of the Atomic
Bomb test “Operation
Crossroads”. |
|
1 MAR |
Active Army units
permanently assigned to Fort
Miles: HQ and HQ Battery,
Batteries A, C, and E,
Harbor Defense of Delaware.
Signal Corps platoon,
Battery G, 19th Coast
Artillery, AMP Battery.
|
|
MAY |
The Navy ship E-PCER-852 has
completed conversion to an
experimental ship to test
infrared equipment for the
Bureau of Ships. E-PCER-852
begins tests work along the
Delaware coast in
cooperation with the
previously converted USS
Callao. |
|
14 MAY |
A group of six USCG Sikorsky
R-6 helicopters take off
from Floyd Bennett Field in
NY bound for Elizabeth City
NC. The first leg of the
flight is Cape May NJ where
they stop to refuel. They
took off on their second leg
going across the water to
Delaware to follow the beach
south. While flying south of
Cape Henlopen, two of the
helicopters landed to help a
Jeep that was stuck in the
sand. |
|
18 JUN |
Navy launches Project
Bumblebee Ramjet rocket from
Fort Miles. Fort Miles
serves as a test facility
for "Operation Bumblebee,"
the US Navy's supersonic RamJet rocket project. Fort
Miles was only used for a few months
as a test facility before full
testing was transferred to Topsail
Island, NC.
Photo of a Cobra RamJet rocket being
fired at Fort Miles. |
|
16 AUG |
President Truman is
vacationing on the
Presidential Yacht USS
Williamsburg accompanied by
the Destroyer USS Weiss.
On 17 August at 16:40 the
USS Williamsburg anchored
at Harbor of Refuge, Cape
Henlopen, Delaware. The USS Weiss anchored 1,000
yards abeam. At 1700 the
President went for a swim to
the shore where he had a
short rest before returning
to the yacht. During his
brief period ashore he was
un-escorted. At 17:33 the
Williamsburg and Weiss were
underway headed towards Five
Fathom Bank Light Vessel and
from thence to Long Island.
The President vacations
there until 2 September. |
|
SEP |
Project Bumblebee Ramjet
launched from Fort Miles.
|
|
OCT |
Project Bumblebee Ramjet
launched from Fort Miles.
|
|
1947 |
|
|
1 JAN |
A Navy Dive Bomber crashed
into the icy Atlantic off
Lewes, Delaware. A heavy
snow storm with visibility
limited to 20 feet has
hampered a USCG search. The
search started the previous
day when a fishing trawler
reported it heard a plane
and later picked up a flyers
cap and part of a tail
assembly. |
|
MAR |
Operation Bumblebee
headquarters moved to
Topsail Island, NC. |
|
11 MAY |
TWA Airline, a Lockheed
Constellation, explodes and
crashes into the Delaware
Bay about 10 miles from Cape
May. There were no
passengers on board. The
crew of 4 was killed.
|
|
2 JUN |
Project Bumblebee Ramjet
launched from Fort Miles. |
|
8 JUL |
The Wilmington “Morning
News” newspaper reports that
an aircraft pilot, Mr.
Forrest Wenyon had twice
seen a “flying disc” while
flying his aircraft over
Rehoboth Beach. The objects
were traveling from west to
east at very high rates of
speed, 1,000-1,200mph.
Investigation by the FBI and
military revealed the UFO’s
were nothing more than
Project Bumblebee Ramjets
launched from Fort Miles. |
|
SEP |
The Bureau of Ships moves
the infrared testing program
from Fort Miles, Delaware to
New London, Conn. |
|
1948 |
|
|
11 FEB |
Flight tests of a ground
speed indicator are
conducted by the Naval
Research Lab. There are
multiple tests runs, one
being made from Cape
Henlopen Delaware to
Chincoteague, Virginia. The
aircraft used was a Navy
PB4Y2. |
|
26 APR |
A portion of Fort Miles is
declared inactive by the
Department of the Army for
use by the Lewes School
District. |
|
5 MAY |
Department of the Army
declared permanently
emplaced seacoast artillery
batteries at Fort Miles as
surplus. |
|
12 JUL |
The following structures are
considered surplus by the
Department of the Army:
FC
Tower #1,
FC Tower #2,
FC Tower #14,
FC Tower #26. |
|
20 AUG |
President Truman is
vacationing on the
Presidential Yacht USS
Williamsburg accompanied by
the River Escort Vessel
Lenore and the Destroyer
USS Joseph P. Kennedy. On
23 August at 7:30PM the
Presidential party anchors
at Harbor of Refuge, Cape
Henlopen, Delaware. Shortly
afterwards Mr. Wynn Booth,
Time Magazine reporter, came
alongside in a small boat
from Fort Miles, Delaware.
He asked and was granted
permission to embark in the
USS Kennedy. On the
starboard bow of the USS
Williamsburg was a Navy
seaplane, earlier that day
the plane landed near
Williamsburg to drop off
General Gruenther who had
urgent business with Fleet
Admiral Leahy and had then
flown on to Harbor of Refuge
to rendezvous with
Williamsburg. At 7:50PM
General Gruenther left the
USS Williamsburg in #2
motor whaleboat and was
taken to the seaplane which
departed at 8PM.
|
|
24 AUG |
Presidential party departed
heading for Virginia at
09:39. |
|
1949 |
|
|
8 MAR |
Naval detachment arrives at
Fort Miles to effect the
transfer of the
USS Milwaukee (CL-5), a US light
cruiser that ended its war days as
the ship Murmansk of the Soviet
Navy. |
|
31 DEC |
The following structures are
considered surplus by the
Department of the Army:
FC
Tower #3,
FC Tower #4,
FC Tower #5,
FC Tower #6, and
FC Tower #13.
The Cape May Reservation of Fort
Miles is also considered surplus and
is released to the State of New
Jersey. The following towers
in New Jersey are considered
surplus:
FC Tower #23,
FC
Tower #24, and
FC Tower #25. |
| |
|
|
1950 -
1959 |
|
1950 |
|
|
NO DATE |
Photographic evidence shows
a surveillance radar
operating atop one of the
towers at Fort Miles. The
cut-line on the reverse of
the photograph states
“surveillance radar Korean
War”. A sign on a near-by
structure shows Air Defense
Artillery insignia and the
word “Brigade” can be seen.
This is a possible reference
to the 35th Artillery (AD)
Brigade which was
headquartered at Fort Meade.
|
|
SPRING |
2nd Army is making
arrangements for
establishing the AAA ranges
at Bethany Beach and Fort
Miles. Described as “two
excellent ranges, one for
guns, the other for
automatic weapons fire”. The
35th AAA Brigade conducts
gunnery at these locations.
The 75th AAA Gun Battalion
fired 120mm target practice
at the Fort Miles Range. The
70th AAA Gun Battalion
(90mm) and the 4th and 39th
AW Battalions fired target
practice at Fort Miles and
the Bethany Ranges. Tow
target service was provided
by the Air National Guard
for these firings. |
|
9 JUL |
The current Commanding
Officer of Fort Miles is
COL. O. C. McIntyre.
Army Reserve units conduct
summer training at Fort
Miles. Training included gun
drill, marksmanship (firing
rifles and carbines),
communications, grenade
throwing, map reading,
marching, and physical
fitness. The final few days
of training consisted of
firing of quad 50’s and 40mm
guns. Instruction Teams were
provided by the 19th AAA
Group from Fort Meade,
Maryland. Units included
318th AM Gun Battalion,
853rd Coast Artillery
Battery, 302nd AAA Group,
399th AW Battalion, 472nd AW
Battalion, 455th AW
Battalion, 313th AAA Group,
459th Battalion, 453rd
Battalion – Batteries D and
G, 326th Group, 479th
Battalion, and the 159th
Airborne Battalion.
A Washington National Guard
convoy is on its way to Fort
Miles for summer encampment.
Six miles south of Milford
an 18 ton M-4 Sherman tank
experiences a track
malfunction that sends it
into the lane of oncoming
traffic. The tank crashes
into a car killing a
prominent Delaware banker,
Mr. Thomas O’Toole, age 54,
and causing injury to his
wife and chauffeur. An Army
ambulance takes the
chauffeur and Mrs. O’Toole
to Milford Memorial
Hospital.
|
|
SUMMER |
The 261st AAA Brigade
(Delaware National Guard)
drills using ranges at
Bethany Beach and encamps at
Fort Miles. Training support
is provided by 2nd Army from
Fort Meade, Maryland. Units
participating include: 945th
AAA AW Battalion, 736th Gun
Battalion, 193rd Gun
Battalion, 361st Signal
Radar unit, and the 262nd
Ordnance Medium Maintenance
Company. Weapons used were
90mm and 40mm. Direct
telephone lines were
established between HQ at
Fort Miles and the Battalion
Command Posts along the
coast.
35th AAA Brigade provides
instructors to support
summer encampments at Fort
Miles. |
|
1951 |
|
|
SPRING |
Mayor Smith of Lewes,
Delaware successfully sues
the State for the $61,664
that the State received from
the Federal Government for
the tract of land “now the
site of the Fort Miles
Artillery Post”. |
|
18 APR |
Hitler’s yacht “Grille”,
purchased by a smelting
company, is towed from Cape
May up the Delaware Bay to
Wilmington. The scrap will
be used for defense
products. The yacht which
had 88 radio receivers and
103 transmitters was used
for command and control of
U-boats during WWII. It was
from this yacht that Admiral
Karl Doenitz announced
Hitler’s death to the German
people on 1 May 1945.
|
|
27 APR |
President Truman signs
Executive Order 10238
revoking the designation of
Lewes, Delaware as a Customs
Port of Entry. |
|
11 MAY |
The 432nd Engineer
Construction Battalion is en
route to Fort Miles. The
213th Medical Battalion
orders the 916th Ambulance
Company to provide 4 men to
accompany the 432nd and
furnish ambulance and
medical services. |
|
9 JUN |
Seaman Robert Smith, age 20,
was returning to Fort Miles
where he was stationed with
two Soldier friends,
Corporal Hamrick, age 22,
car driver, and Corporal
Bishop, age 21, when the car
skidded and over turned on
RT. 18. Seaman Smith was
injured and his friends
helped him to the side of
the road. James Johnson of
Lewes, age 55, pulled off
the highway to avoid the
wreck and ran over Seaman
Smith who was dead on
arrival at Beebe Memorial
Hospital.
|
|
18 SEP |
The Navy explodes a “huge”
mine one mile from the east
end lighthouse on the
Delaware breakwater.
|
|
26 DEC |
Portions of Fort Miles are
turned over to control of
the Department of the Navy. |
|
1952 |
|
|
OCT |
Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institute conducts a study
on the effects of wind on
the sea level at Atlantic
City, New Jersey, for the
Office of Naval Research.
Data is compared to data
sets collected at Fort
Miles. |
|
7 DEC |
LT.COL. Walter LeRoy Abrams,
former Commanding Officer of
Fort Miles, Delaware, died 6
December at the Army
Hospital at Fort Belvior,
Virginia. He was 57 years
old. |
|
1953 |
|
|
21 APR |
Chief Warrant Officer
Francis A. Massey,
Commanding Officer of the
Lewes Coast Guard Station
received correspondence from
Paul M. Anderton, a 24 year
old University of Maryland
student, who departed Lewes
in his sloop “Senta” on 2
April. Mr. Anderton had
intended to make a solo
voyage from Lewes to the
Azores Islands but was back
in the States and wrote CWO
Massey to let him know the
attempt had failed. |
|
4 JUL |
Army Reserve units drill at
Bethany Beach and Fort Miles
until 18 Jul. The following
units participated: 313th
AAA Group, 302nd AAA Group,
199th AAA AW Battalion,
453rd AAA AW Battalion,
482nd AAA AW Battalion,
301st AAA Operations
Detachment, 326th AAA Group,
486th AAA AW Battalion,
463rd AAA AW Battalion,
387th AAA AW Battalion,
457th AAA AW Battalion, and
the 304th AAA Operations
Detachment. |
|
25 JUL |
The 129th AAA AW Battalion
from Portsmouth, Virginia,
uses the Dewey Beach Range
and is encamped at Fort
Miles until 8 Aug.
|
|
AUG |
During the last 2 weeks of
the month the 51st AAA
Brigade from Pennsylvania
drilled at Fort Miles and
Bethany Beach. Units
participating included the
118th AAA Group, 416th AAA
Gun Battalion, 707th AAA Gun
Battalion, 709th AAA Gun
Battalion, 211th AAA
Detachment (RCAT), 213th AAA
Group, 213th AAA Gun
Battalion, 337th AAA Gun
Battalion, 688th AAA Gun
Battalion, 690th AAA AW
Battalion, 151st AAA
Operations Detachment, 218th
AAA Group, 689th AAA Gun
Battalion, 708th AAA Gun
Battalion, 724th AAA Gun
Battalion, 724th AAA Gun
Battalion, 149th L-/AA
Detachment, and the 212th
AAA Detachment (RCAT). On 27
August the encampment was
visited by Pennsylvania
Governor John Fine, he was
accompanied by Major General
Charles Curtis who commanded
the 51st AAA Brigade in
WWII. |
|
1954 |
|
|
JULY |
Training was conducted at
Bethany Beach and Fort
Miles. Units participating
included: 260th AAA Group,
340th AAA Gun Battalion,
380th AAA Gun Battalion,
313th AAA Group, 302nd AAA
Group, 199th AW Battalion,
614th Gun Battalion, 301st
AAA Operations Detachment,
326th AAA Group, 457th AW
Battalion, 463rd SP
Battalion, 486th AW
Battalion, and the 304th AAA
operations Detachment.
|
|
10 JUL |
Retirement parade is held
for COL. McGarraugh, the
Commanding Officer of Fort
Miles, who will retire in
the next month. Music for
the massed unit parade was
provided by the 331st USAR
Band. |
|
1955 |
|
|
27 MAR |
Atmospheric conditions are
causing another mirage as
residents of Cape May, New
Jersey, look across the
Delaware Bay to see that
Lewes, Delaware appeared to
be up-side down. A month
earlier Cape May appeared to
be up-side down to residents
of Lewes. (Source: NYT, 28
March 1955, page 11,
“Upside-Down Town Sees
Neighbor Downside-Up”). |
|
10 JUN |
Mine wharf is considered
surplus by the Department of
the Army and is recommended
destroyed. |
|
15 AUG |
Naval Facility (NAVFAC)
Cape May is commissioned. |
|
1958 |
|
|
15 NOV |
Mine casemate at Fort
Miles was given by the
Department of the Army to
the Sussex County Civil
Defense Department. In a
public ceremony Delaware
Governor Boggs gave a speech
on the importance of Civil
Defense. |
|
1959 |
|
|
9 JAN |
Mr. Albert Herman Murray of
Lewes, Delaware was arrested
at Poughkeepsie, New York
when he visited the Murray
Plastics Company which he
operated. He is accused of
being a World War II Navy
deserter. |
|
NO DATE |
The Delaware Department of
Transportation installs
communications equipment at
the Sussex County Civil
Defense offices at Fort
Miles. |
| |
|
|
1960
- 1969 |
|
1960 |
|
|
6 FEB |
Delaware Senator Frear
announces $1,293,000 to
build a new Navy
Oceanographic (cover name
for SOSUS) Facility at Fort
Miles to replace the Navy
Oceanographic Facility at
Cape May NJ which was in
danger of being overtaken by
the sea because of bad
erosion of the beach. About
100 Navy personnel will be
transferred to the new
installation. |
|
26 OCT |
626 acres of Fort Miles is
considered surplus and
control is transferred to
the Department of the Navy. |
|
1961 |
|
|
31 JAN |
USCG announces new
navigational aids. The
Overfalls Lightship will be
discontinued for 1 year. The
brightness of Cape May and
Harbor of Refuge lights will
be increased to 2 million
candle-power and a radio
beacon will be placed at
Cape Henlopen. |
|
OCT |
231st Transportation Company
(Floating Craft), called to
active duty as a result of
the Berlin crisis (Aug 61),
participated in exercise
“Wet Horse II” at Fort
Miles. |
|
1962 |
|
|
6 MAR |
Ash Wednesday storm destroys
NAVFAC Cape May.
Equipment is shipped by LST across
the Delaware Bay to former Fort
Miles site at
Battery Herring.
The President declares
Delaware a disaster area
after the Ash Wednesday
Storm. The Army Corps of
Engineers lets contracts for
reconstruction. During the
summer projects for the
placement of emergency dunes
and beach fill were started
and completed for the area
between Fort Miles and the
Maryland line. |
|
1 MAY |
NAVFAC Lewes is
commissioned. Lieutenant
Commander Orville L. Tomlinson, USN
assumes command. |
|
16 NOV |
Lieutenant Bruce L. Pickett,
USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
|
DEC |
Spec 5 Earl Morris a United
States Army Signal Corps
soldier with the 35th
Artillery (Air Defense) is
assigned from the Missile
Master site at Fort Meade,
Maryland to the Missile
Master Gap Filler Radar site
at Fort Miles. The gap
filler radar is atop
casemate 519, that casemate
is called Radar-1 by the men
assigned there. The Missile
Master at Fort Meade became
operational in 1958;
however, it is not known
when Radar-1 was opened at
Fort Miles. |
|
1963 |
|
|
SPRING |
The Navy is operating a club
called “The Oasis” out of
the old Battery Smith
Plotting Room. It isn’t
known when the club first
opened or when it finally
closed its doors. Fort Miles
Veteran Earl Morris
remembers visiting the club
in the spring of 1963. Fort
Miles Veteran Bob Savage
frequently visited the club
in the early and mid 1970’s.
FMHA member Mike Hamilton
visited the club in 1972.
FMHA member John Roberts
remembers the club being
boarded up by the early
1980’s. |
|
JUN |
Naval Radio Station (NAVRADSTA)
Lewes is opened. Operations
are established at Battery
Hunter. Two TROPO antennas
are installed atop Battery
Hunter. The NAVRADSTA Lewes
mission is to provide
communications to the USS
Northampton and USS Wright,
called ‘doomsday ships”,
their purpose is to be a
National Emergency Command
Post Afloat (NECPA) for the
President in the event of a
strategic nuclear exchange.
There are 2 other NECPA
shore stations established
in 1968, one in North
Carolina the other in Mass. |
|
NOV |
The Missile Master gap
filler at Fort Miles is
deactivated. |
|
1964 |
|
|
NO DATE |
564 acres of land considered
surplus by the Department of
the Army and transferred to
the State of Delaware,
establishing
Cape Henlopen State Park. |
|
1965 |
|
|
15 FEB |
Commander John M. Liston,
USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
|
NO DATE |
The Delaware Department of
Transportation, Small Boat
Division moves to Fort
Miles. A communications
tower is installed to
support their operations. A
tower is also installed to
facilitate FM communications
for the Office of Civil
Defense to communicate with
the State. |
|
1966 |
|
|
1 JAN |
HQ 2nd Army is deactivated
at Fort Meade, Maryland. The
Colors are cased and HQ 1st
Army is moved from Fort Jay,
New York to Fort Meade,
Maryland. |
|
1967 |
|
|
20 APR |
Commander Robert H. Fall
III, USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
|
1968 |
|
|
NO DATE |
The Navy moves the Tropo
antennas from atop Battery
Hunter to a location further
inland. |
|
13 OCT |
A New York Times article
about recreation at Cape
Henlopen misidentifies the
Troposphere antennas that
supported the National
Emergency Command Post
Afloat mission, as
“radarscopes”, mentioning
“…Fort Miles an
antisubmarine installation
during WWII. The Navy
operates two huge
radarscopes there…”
|
|
1969 |
|
|
11 JUL |
Commander George W. Stewart,
USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
| |
|
|
1970 -
1979 |
|
1970 |
|
|
27 FEB |
Fort Miles becomes a
sub-post of Fort George G.
Meade, Maryland. Department
of the Army General Order
number 5 is signed by
General Westmoreland. It
states “Effective 27
February 1970, Fort Miles,
Delaware, a class I inactive
installation under the
jurisdiction of the
Commanding General, First
United States Army was
discontinued as a Department
of the Army Installation.” |
|
22 APR |
Earth Day protesters attempt
to stop Army bulldozers from
leveling dunes at Fort
Miles. An Army Officer (Lt.
Sardoff), tells them to
leave government property
and talk to their
congressmen, the protesters
do both. Delaware Governor
Peterson goes to Fort Miles
to assess the damage that
the Army bulldozers have
done to the dunes.
|
|
NO DATE |
NAVRADSTA Lewes closes as
the NECPA mission is
eliminated.
Mobile Inshore Undersea
Warfare Unit 204 was
operating at Lewes,
Delaware. |
|
1971 |
|
|
10 SEP |
The State of Delaware plans
on destroying 7 of the Fire
Control Towers as soon as
funding is available. The
towers were described as
having become a nuisance.
However, none of the fire
control towers were ever
destroyed. |
|
1972 |
|
|
31 AUG |
NAVFAC Lewes
awarded Navy Unit Citation for
period 1 August 1969 to 31 August
1972. |
|
12 DEC |
Commander William H. Maier,
USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
|
1973 |
|
|
MAR |
Sometime between March 1973
and February 1984 Mobile
Inshore Undersea Warfare
Detachment 604 is operating
at Lewes, Delaware.
|
|
1974 |
|
|
4 SEP |
Lieutenant Commander Robert
J. Eastman, Jr., USN assumes
command of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
|
1976 |
|
|
NO DATE |
The Tropo antennas are
removed by the Navy. |
|
1977 |
|
|
16 SEP |
LCDR Margaret Anne Fredrick,
USN assumes command of
NAVFAC Lewes. She is the
first female commanding officer of a
NAVFAC facility. |
|
1978 |
|
|
31 DEC |
NAVFAC Lewes
awarded Navy Meritorious Unit
Citation for period 1 October 1975 -
31 December 1978. |
|
1979 |
|
|
NO DATE |
Commander William J. Zuberbuhler, USN assumes command
of
NAVFAC Lewes. |
| |
|
|
1980 -
1989 |
|
1980 |
|
|
30 SEP |
NAVFAC Lewes
awarded Navy Meritorious
Unit Citation for period 1
October 1977 to 30 September
1980. |
|
1981 |
|
|
SUMMER |
USCG establishes a LORAN-C
Harbor Monitor System Site
at Lewes, Delaware. |
|
30 SEP |
NAVFAC Lewes
is decommissioned. HQ building
(Biden Center),
Battery Smith, and
Battery Herring retained by US
Navy as a Naval Reserve Facility. |
|
1985 |
|
|
NO DATE |
Cape Henlopen State Park
opens renovated Fire Control
Tower #7 to the public. |
| |
|
|
1990 -
1999 |
|
1990 |
|
|
NO DATE |
Sometime between August and
December Naval Reserve
Mobile Inshore Undersea
Warfare Unit 205 is called
into active duty and trains
at the Naval Reserve
Facility, Lewes for
deployment to the Gulf in
support of Operation Desert
Shield/Desert Storm.
MIUW-205 is probably the
last DOD unit on extended
active duty to serve in what
had once been Fort Miles.
|
|
1991 |
|
|
SEP |
The First Army Recreation
Facility, Fort Miles,
Delaware is closed. All Army
equipment was packed for
shipment to Fort George G.
Meade. This marks the end of
a continuous Army presence
at Fort Miles that started
in 1941.
The Army permits the USCG to
use the land above the
bunker building 640 (Battery
519) to position an antenna
and a room in building 640,
building 641 is used for
generator/transmitter space.
Source document doesn’t
state if USCG would be
permitted to continue to use
640/641 after the Army left,
how long they had been using
those facilities or for what
purpose. |
|
25 DEC |
The Cold War ends with the
collapse of the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics.
The Navy is still operating
a Reserve Center and retains
16.8 acres of what had been
Fort Miles. |
|
1996 |
|
|
23 AUG |
Naval Reserve Facility at
Cape Henlopen
decommissioned. All
remaining government land is
transferred to the State Of
Delaware, expanding Cape
Henlopen Park to its present
day size. This marks
the end of all military
activity at Fort Miles. |
|
1998 |
|
|
SUMMER |
12 inch gun arrives at Fort
Miles from the Naval Surface
Warfare Center in Dahlgren,
VA. |
| |
|
|
2000 -
2009 |
|
2004 |
|
|
SUMMER |
First public tours of
Battery 519 are conducted.
First tour group included
over 100 people. |
|
FALL |
Work crews begin interior
cleanup and restoration of
Battery 519.
Initial
cleanup of barracks buildings begin. |
|
2005 |
|
|
30 APR |
Fort Miles on-site assets
are added to the National
Register of Historic Places.
First re-enactment event
takes place at Fort Miles
Historic Site. |
|
2006 |
|
|
26 MAY |
New 8 inch railway gun and 3
inch gun arrive at Fort
Miles from Dahlgren, VA.
|
|
2007 |
|
|
APR |
12 inch gun installed in
Battery 519. |
|
6 JUL |
CNN arrives at Fort Miles to
shoot a news segment to run
in conjunction with VJ day
programming. |
|
28 JUL |
Veterans of the
SOSUS program dedicate a plaque at
the Biden Center, commemorating the
26 years of dedicated service by
NAVFAC, Lewes. |
|
SUMMER |
Restoration of Rec Hall
T-600 and Supply & Admin T-601
(phase one) completed. |
|
14 AUG |
CNN airs Fort Miles segment
shot in July. |
|
SEP |
Fort Miles off-site assets
are nominated for addition
to the National Register of
Historic Places.
|
|
30 SEP |
M4 Ground Mine arrives at Fort
Miles. |
|
10 OCT |
Tower 3 restoration project
officially begins with
ribbon-cutting ceremony at the base
of the structure. |
|
22 OCT |
1942 Sperry Searchlight
arrives at Fort Miles. |
|
NOV |
US Army Corps of Engineers
begin additional unexploded
ordnance cleanup at Fort
Miles. |
|
DEC |
Roof construction on Fort
Miles Orientation Building
completed. |
|
10 DEC |
WWII Admirable Class
Minesweeper
USS Cruise (AM-215) sunk
26 miles off coast of Indian River
Inlet, Delaware to serve as an
artificial reef. |
|
2008 |
|
|
23 JAN |
Restoration on Barracks
T-606 begins. Work
includes new windows and
doors, concrete restoration
(walls & floor), and roof
repair. |
|
FEB |
Rod feeder and charging
system on Sperry searchlight
restored to operational
condition. |
|
6 APR |
Norfolk Southern agrees to
donate all railway material
to Fort Miles for
construction of 8" exhibit. |
|
JUN |
Restoration of M3 underwater
mine on display at Fort
Miles completed. |
|
1 JUN |
Fort Miles Orientation
Building opened and begins
daily operations on site.
Construction begins on
operations office in FMOB. |
|
15 JUN |
Glass wall surrounding
12-inch gun in
Battery 519 completed.
|
|
29 JUN |
Initial site prep completed
for installation of railway
for 8-inch gun display. |
|
1 JUL |
FMOB Operations Office
complete. |
|
AUG |
Work begins to dry Battery
519. Eight
dehumidifiers are run for
nearly one month to
complete. |
|
SEP |
Metal work on Sperry
searchlight completed.
Demolition of post-WWII
material in Battery 519
begins. Ductwork,
electrical, and plumbing
equipment not directly used
in WWII is eliminated. |
|
DEC |
Demolition teams help to
clear tons of debris from
Battery 519. |
|
2009 |
|
|
FEB |
Searchlight systems fully
repaired and functional.
Cosmetic restoration begins.
Demolition teams continue to
clear several tons of debris
from Battery 519. |
|
1 FEB |
Work begins on restoration
of U-853's Flak 38 on
display in Battery 519. |
|
9 FEB |
Alarm system installed in
Battery 519. |
|
24 FEB |
Volunteer crews clear
remaining demolition debris
from 519. Work begins
on cleaning and prep for
paint. |
|
APR |
Restoration of M4 underwater
mine on display at Fort
Miles completed. |
|
8 JUN |
Cosmetic restoration of 1942 Sperry
searchlight completed. |
|
9 JUN |
Battery communications
system completed to Battery
519. |
|
20 JUL |
Booster pump donated from
Ocean View Plumbing
installed to correct water
pressure in 519. |
|
21 JUL |
Work crews seal Battery 519,
stopping all leaks due to
rain. |
|
28 JUL |
Four EE-91 phones restored
and installed in south gun
room of Battery 519. |
|
15 AUG |
Barracks T-607 renovation
complete. |
|
28 AUG |
Steel doors in Battery 519
are painted after original
WWII color is determined. |
|
4 SEP |
Crews complete an 80-foot
section of rail for 8-inch
railway gun display. |
|
19 SEP |
Color test segments are
painted on walls in 519 to
determine interior color. |
|
1 OCT |
Restoration of barrels and
receiver assembly of Flak 38
complete. |
|
16 OCT |
Graffiti in 519 gun room
chemically removed. |
| |
|
