WWI USA Artillery

[IrishGunner]

The standard field gun of the US Army before WWI was the 3-inch M1902 field gun. This gun was in service until 1917, but never saw combat. The AEF received French 75mm guns upon arrival in Europe. The 3-inch field gun was used for training in the US.

[IrishGunner]

US field artillery soldier uniform. (I was told this is a soldier from the 6th FA - my regiment - but I have no way to confirm that...)

[IrishGunner]

The AEF also obtained it's heavy artillery from the Europeans... Here are the 51st Coast Artillery's Mark VI-VIII 8inch howitzers. The US Coast Artillery Corps was the American heavy artillery, like British Garrison Artillery or German Fussartillerie.

Edited December 16, 2013 by IrishGunner

[IrishGunner]

Another view of the Mark VI-VIII 8inch howitzer in action...

[IrishGunner]

This enlisted soldier from the 5th Artillery could be pre-WWI, but I include it here nonetheless.

He also is wearing a badge that is similar to the British "gunner's badge" and a patch on his left arm that looks like a "shell". I know nothing about US uniforms of this time period; so, any assistance or corrections are welcome...

Edited December 16, 2013 by IrishGunner

[IrishGunner]

Artillery officer...

[army historian]

A little hard to date the enlisted man is wearing the US Army model 1902 Dress Blues without the chest cords (undress).This uniform with some modifiIons was worn (1902-1937). I can not tell if he is wearing the colored cap band. You can not see it in the picture but the uniform is piped in red, as the shell insignia. Since there is no stripoe on the leg I think he is a private. The Artillery badge is a "Field Artillery" Expert badge (These are very rare). Here is an M1902 enlisted Cavalry uniform from my collection (shows the piping, cords and chevrons and a service stripe for war). George

Edited December 17, 2013 by army historian

[IrishGunner]

A little hard to date the enlisted man is wearing the US Army model 1902 Dress Blues without the chest cords (undress). You can not see in the picture but the uniform is piped in red, as the shell insignia. Since there is no stripoe on the leg Ithink he is a private. The Artillery badge is a "Field Artillery" Expert badge (These are very rare). Here is an M1902 enlisted Cavalry uniform from my collection (shows the piping, cords and chevrons. George

Thank you, George! I knew you would be the one to come through with the answers. Much appreciated.

Do you know what the "shell insignia" represented?

[army historian]

I'm not positive, but I think 1st Class gunner, since he has no chevrons.

[Hugh]

The AEF also obtained it's heavy artillery from the Europeans... Here are the 51st Coast Artillery's Mark VI-VIII 8inch howitzers. The US Coast Artillery Corps was the American heavy artillery, like British Garrison Artillery or German Fussartillerie.

My father served in the Coast Artillery at Fortress Monroe (as it was called then) in 1917-18, guarding the entrance to Hampton Roads, Virginia. If memory serves, their guns were 14" naval rifles. It seems like a remarkably large gun for the era. Do you have any data / images for these guns?

Thanks.

Hugh

Edited December 18, 2013 by Hugh

[IrishGunner]

My father served in the Coast Artillery at Fortress Monroe (as it was called then) in 1917-18, guarding the entrance to Hampton Roads, Virginia. If memory serves, their guns were 14" naval rifles. It seems like a remarkably large gun for the era. Do you have any data / images for these guns?

Thanks.

Hugh

Hugh,

I don't have anything specific on the guns at Fort Monroe (by the way, only 3-4 hour drive down the Bay from me...), but it very well could have had 14"/50 naval guns. Not large at all for the purpose. This was the standard gun on ships at the time and since Coast Artillery was meant to engage ships, it would make sense they would have similar armament. Several of the 14" guns also made it to France as railway artillery in WWI. I know Fort Story, just up the coast from Fort Monroe had 16" naval guns by WW2.

Fort Monroe was the Coast Artillery School as well; so, all Coast Artillerymen would have passed through.

Most Coast Artillery forts had "disappearing guns" in calibers 6" to 14". This is an image of a 14" "disappearing gun" at Fort Hancock outside New York City:

Edited to add: Fort Monroe had 5 12-inch Gun M1895 at Battery DeRussy and Battery Parrott (according to wiki...)

Here is a 12" Gun M1895"

Edited December 18, 2013 by IrishGunner

[IrishGunner]

The AEF also obtained it's heavy artillery from the Europeans... Here are the 51st Coast Artillery's Mark VI-VIII 8inch howitzers. The US Coast Artillery Corps was the American heavy artillery, like British Garrison Artillery or German Fussartillerie.

Found this website on the 51st Coast Artillery Corps in World War I... According to this history, the 3rd Battalion was equipped with the British 8" howitzers (while the 1st and 2nd had French weapons); so, these photos must be of the 3rd Battalion's guns.

[IrishGunner]

Starting to catalog a lot of stuff I "accumulated" last year... Picked this up last summer at a West Virginia flea market...just happens to be a 12-inch gun, Model 1888, on a Watertown Arsenal Barbette Carriage Model 1892. 66 of these were produced. The one in my photo is at Battery Godfrey, Presidio of San Francisco about 1910. These guns remained in service until 1943.

Posted to Ohio from a soldier in the 45th Company; San Francisco; 2nd Prov. Reg. CAC.