The Panama Mount is a form of gun mount for fixed coastal artillery developed by the U.S. Army in Panama during the 1920s. Widely used during the buildup to and during World War II by the United States military, [1] it was typically equipped with a 155 mm (6.1 in) rifled gun.
The Panama mount featured a central concrete pier surrounded by a concrete-embedded steel ring
The Panama mount was constructed as needed to provide 180, 270, and 360 degrees of traverse, with its gun mounted on a central 10 ft (3.0 m) diameter concrete pier surrounded by a full or partial approximately 36 ft (11 m) concrete-embedded steel rail. Concrete beams connected the two for alignment and stability.
Originally the guns were traversed by pivoting their trailing arms around the steel ring with prybars. Later installations added a geared steel ring inside the rail.
The principle weapon employed was the Canon de 155mm GPF, the primary gun of the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps' tractor-drawn mobile units 1920-1945 (designated 155 mm gun M1917 (French-made) or M1918 (US-made) in U.S. service).
In World War II, Panama mounts were used to rearm six Harbor Defense Commands that had been disarmed in the 1920s; augment existing and new harbor defenses in the US and overseas; and for new defenses in Alaska, Newfoundland, Puerto Rico, and Australia.[2]
Many surviving examples of these mounts can be found throughout former US coast defense sites including California, Florida, Alaska, and Panama.
Typical plan for Panama mount
Panama mount in Western Australia showing center concrete pier and concrete beams
Berhow, Mark A., ed. (2004). American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide (Second ed.). CDSG Press. ISBN0-9748167-0-1.
List of all US coastal forts and batteries at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
External linksedit
Sitka's 155mm Battery
Americans in Aruba
May 02, 2024
panama, mount, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2020, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Panama mount news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message The Panama Mount is a form of gun mount for fixed coastal artillery developed by the U S Army in Panama during the 1920s Widely used during the buildup to and during World War II by the United States military 1 it was typically equipped with a 155 mm 6 1 in rifled gun 155mm gun M1918 with Panama Mount The term Panama mount is often incorrectly used to describe other gun mounts with similar layouts and or purpose Contents 1 Description 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksDescription edit nbsp The Panama mount featured a central concrete pier surrounded by a concrete embedded steel ring The Panama mount was constructed as needed to provide 180 270 and 360 degrees of traverse with its gun mounted on a central 10 ft 3 0 m diameter concrete pier surrounded by a full or partial approximately 36 ft 11 m concrete embedded steel rail Concrete beams connected the two for alignment and stability Originally the guns were traversed by pivoting their trailing arms around the steel ring with prybars Later installations added a geared steel ring inside the rail The principle weapon employed was the Canon de 155mm GPF the primary gun of the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps tractor drawn mobile units 1920 1945 designated 155 mm gun M1917 French made or M1918 US made in U S service In World War II Panama mounts were used to rearm six Harbor Defense Commands that had been disarmed in the 1920s augment existing and new harbor defenses in the US and overseas and for new defenses in Alaska Newfoundland Puerto Rico and Australia 2 Many surviving examples of these mounts can be found throughout former US coast defense sites including California Florida Alaska and Panama nbsp Typical plan for Panama mount nbsp Panama mount in Western Australia showing center concrete pier and concrete beams nbsp Panama mount at Battery 22 Former Fort Miles now Cape Henlopen State Park Delaware with park s beach house in background nbsp Restored Panama mount of the Peron BatterySee also editBarbette mount Disappearing carriage Seacoast defense in the United States List of U S Army weapons by supply catalog designationReferences edit Berhow pp 200 223 Berhow pp 200 223 Berhow Mark A ed 2004 American Seacoast Defenses A Reference Guide Second ed CDSG Press ISBN 0 9748167 0 1 List of all US coastal forts and batteries at the Coast Defense Study Group Inc websiteExternal links editSitka s 155mm Battery USACE Cape Cod Canal Americans in Aruba Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Panama mount amp oldid 1187095503, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
