Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook must have been a really cool place back in the day. The buildings and military structures here continue to fascinate me to this day and are often a subject of my photography. One of these locations is the military formation called Battery Gunnison.
Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Battery Gunnison is a six inch coastal artillery battery and has an interesting history around it. The battery housed two six inch Barbette Guns built in 1903. The guns has some pretty cool engineering behind it. The gun would range the target, fire and then after the shell was launched the gun would sink into the structure for reloading and also to hide it’s location from the enemy. The enemy at this time were mainly German submarines which were frequently off the coast of the US and which at least a couple were sunk not far from here.
Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) In 1942 the battery was altered to replace the aging barbette guns with six inch pedestal mounted guns along with the addition of two shell hoists and a plotting room. Battery New Peck is unique in that is still retains its two guns and an ongoing restoration effort has brought the battery to a near original appearance. Sadly with the exception of these 2 guns the remaining artillery of Sandy Hook was sold for scrap but thankfully some guns remained to allow the restoration of the battery.
Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.) Batttery Gunnison, built in 1904 as part of Fort Hancock’s Endicott period defenses. The battery’s two guns were originally mounted on counterweight carriages. These so-called “disappearing” guns recoiled back to their loading position behind the protective concrete wall each time they fired their 6-inch caliber shells. During World War II, the army raised Battery Gunnison’s gun platforms and mounted two barbette guns here. These guns were also 6-inch diameter, but could rapid-fire 108lb armored piercing projectiles more than 10 miles in any direction. The Battery Gunnison’s Barbettes are the only guns at Fort Handcock not scrapped after World War II. (Michael J. Treola Photography/©2015 Michael J Treola Photography All Rights Reserved.)
