Talk:Fort Slocum (New York)

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Please check your facts before writing articles. According to [1], Fort Slocum never had nuclear-tipped missles. The Nike Hercules was the nuclear version, Slocum only had the Ajax, which carried conventional warheads. --RoySmith 15:58, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Comments from Michael A Cavanaugh

This article is a very brief version of the history of the military use of Davids' Island. Indeed it was taken up by the US Army from 1861 as DeCamp Hospital, and used from 1862 as a hospital for Union soldiers. After Gettysburg in 1863 it was also used, simultaneously, as a hospital and prison camp for Confederate soldiers, who were housed there at least until 1864. DeCamp Hospital ended in 1866, though the island continued to be occupied as an Army post. It was purchased in 1867 by the US government, became in 1869 a subdepot of the Recruiting Service, and continued to be occupied until 1874. In early October of that year it was abandoned by the US, considered for sale, but was taken up again in July 1878 as the Principal Recruiting Depot. It continued as such until 1894, when recruiting was given over to individual regiments. Beginning in the early 1890's it was fortified as a coast artillery post, until in 1907 it was dropped as such. Guns were placed on caretaker status and were removed by 1920.

Yes, it is clear when it was named, and this was not until long after the Civil War. It only became Fort Slocum from 1 July 1896. Prior to that it was known as Davids' Island Military Reservation. Hart Island was never known as Fort Slocum. During the Civil War, Hart Island was a separate post, though troops garrisoning both were intermingled (and Hart was a prison not in 1856 but in 1865); and later as noted the Nike missiles emplaced at Hart Island were controlled from the Integrated Fire Control (IFC) station located at the southernmost tip of Ft. Slocum. The Nike site with missiles on Hart & IFC at Slocum (NY-15) was unique in being split between two separate islands. But the Nike installation (whether on Slocum or Hart) was never part of the Ft. Slocum garrison, it was controlled from Ft. Totten. And it lasted 1955-1961, not 1960, though construction began 1954. (Incidentally Army installations are always forts, camps, or reservations; never bases. But it was indeed designated Slocum AFB in 1949, as noted.)

There is much more to be said about its uses during WWI, the interwar period, and WWII.

Also there is more to commemorate its existence than Fort Slocum Road on the mainland. The Army abandoned the post for the final time 30 Nov. 1965. Vandals and fires have claimed many of the buildings, though its signpost 1929 water tower still remains on the horizon to mark its location to onshore viewers. Currently the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is charged with abatement of hazardous structures, but it has been designated an historical district and is intended for use by Westchester County as a public park.

The website www.home.earthlink.net/~michaelacavanaugh is the main website for Ft. Slocum (the Fort Slocum Alumni & Friends), and the first page contains links to other websites and a chat room. It features accounts i.a. of Sound Off aka the Duckworth Chant aka the Jody Call, as well as of the coast artillery presence. USACE intends a website in future. Michael A Cavanaugh 06:37, 16 May 2006 (UTC)