Howitzer 8-Inch M2 and Breech - Right View
Between the world wars, the port of Freeport, 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Galveston, gained sufficient importance to merit some coastal defense, but not large fortifications. The solution was to install a temporary defense with two field guns on Panama Gun Mounts.
Field artillery is usually unsuited for coastal defense because such guns cannot easily follow a moving target, such as a ship. The US Army developed in Panama in the 1920s the Panama Gun Mount as a cheap way to mount medium size coastal defense. The mount consisted of a circular concrete track, with a small concrete platform in the center. A US M1918 155 mm GPF gun was mounted on the center platform, with the trail extended to the circular concrete track. This allowed the gun to quickly traverse and follow a moving target.
Here, we see one of the two Panama mounts built at this site, but the gun we see is not the correct one. Instead of a US M1918 155 mm (6.1 inch) GPF gun, which had one axle and a pair of wheels, we see here a US M115 8-inch (203 mm) Howitzer, which is similar in size to the correct weapon. Originally designated M2, it was redesignated M115 in 1962. This mount, Battery Quintana, is at Quintana Beach County Park, Freeport. The second mount is 300 feet (91 m) to the northeast and has not been restored. I visited this place on March 16, 2021.
Howitzer 8-Inch M2 and Breech - Right View
Between the world wars, the port of Freeport, 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Galveston, gained sufficient importance to merit some coastal defense, but not large fortifications. The solution was to install a temporary defense with two field guns on Panama Gun Mounts.
Field artillery is usually unsuited for coastal defense because such guns cannot easily follow a moving target, such as a ship. The US Army developed in Panama in the 1920s the Panama Gun Mount as a cheap way to mount medium size coastal defense. The mount consisted of a circular concrete track, with a small concrete platform in the center. A US M1918 155 mm GPF gun was mounted on the center platform, with the trail extended to the circular concrete track. This allowed the gun to quickly traverse and follow a moving target.
Here, we see one of the two Panama mounts built at this site, but the gun we see is not the correct one. Instead of a US M1918 155 mm (6.1 inch) GPF gun, which had one axle and a pair of wheels, we see here a US M115 8-inch (203 mm) Howitzer, which is similar in size to the correct weapon. Originally designated M2, it was redesignated M115 in 1962. This mount, Battery Quintana, is at Quintana Beach County Park, Freeport. The second mount is 300 feet (91 m) to the northeast and has not been restored. I visited this place on March 16, 2021.