14-inch gun M1907

14-inch Gun M1907
14-inch gun on disappearing carriage, Sandy Hook Proving Ground, New Jersey
Type	Coastal artillery
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1908–1945
Used by	United States Army
Wars	World War I, World War II
Production history
Designer	Watervliet Arsenal
Designed	1907–1910
Manufacturer	Watervliet Arsenal
Variants	M1907, M1907MI M1909 M1910, M1910MI
Specifications
Weight	M1907: 111,900 pounds (50,800 kg) M1907MI: 118,700 pounds (53,800 kg) M1909: 139,240 pounds (63,160 kg) M1910: 137,300 pounds (62,300 kg)^[1]
Length	M1907: 495 inches (1,260 cm) M1907MI: 495 inches (1,260 cm) M1909: 579 inches (1,470 cm) M1910: 579 inches (1,470 cm)^[1]
Barrel length	M1907 & M1907MI: 34 calibers (476 inches (1,210 cm)) M1909 & M1910: 40 calibers (560 inches (1,400 cm))

Shell	separate loading, bag powder charge, 1,515 pounds (687 kg) AP shot & shell ^[2]
Caliber	14 inches (356 mm)
Breech	Interrupted screw, De Bange type
Carriage	M1907, M1907MI, and M1910 guns: M1907 & M1907MI disappearing^[3] M1909 gun: M1909 turret^[3]
Elevation	disappearing: -5° to +15°, turret: -0.09° to +15°^[3]
Traverse	disappearing: 170°, turret: 360° (varied with surrounding structures)
Maximum firing range	disappearing: 25,000 yards (23,000 m)^[2]
Feed system	hand
Sights	Telescopic

The 14-inch Gun M1907 (356 mm) and its variants the M1907MI, M1909, and M1910 were large coastal artillery pieces installed to defend major American seaports between 1895 and 1945. They were operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. Most were installed on disappearing carriages, with four guns in twin turrets at the unique Fort Drum in Manila Bay, Philippines.^[4] All of the weapons not in the Philippines were scrapped during World War II.

History

In 1885, William C. Endicott, President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of War, was tasked with creating the Board of Fortifications to review seacoast defenses. The findings of the board illustrated a grim picture of existing defenses in its 1886 report and recommended a massive $127 million construction program of breech-loading guns, mortars, floating batteries, and submarine (underwater) minefields for some 29 locations on the US coastline. Most of the Board's recommendations were implemented. Coast Artillery fortifications built between 1885 and 1905 are often referred to as Endicott period fortifications.

After the Spanish–American War, the government wanted to protect American seaports in the event of war, and also protect newly gained territory, such as the Philippines and Cuba, from enemy attack. A new Board of Fortifications, under President Theodore Roosevelt's Secretary of War William Taft, was convened in 1905. Taft recommended technical changes, such as more searchlights, electrification, and in some cases less guns in particular fortifications. The seacoast forts were funded under the Spooner Act of 1902 and construction began within a few years and lasted into the 1920s. The defenses of the Philippines on islands in Manila Bay were built under this program.^[5] 14-inch guns were emplaced in the harbor defenses of Los Angeles, the Panama Canal, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Manila Bay, Philippines, all constructed under the Taft program. Except for Fort Drum, the guns were on disappearing carriages; when the gun was fired, it dropped behind a concrete and/or earthen wall for protection from counter-battery fire.^[4]

14-inch gun M1907 and M1907MI

The M1907 was a wire-wound gun 34 calibers long. The M1907MI was a built-up gun (the usual US practice) of the same length. Twelve were deployed, all on M1907 disappearing carriages. Four were in Hawaii and eight were in the Panama Canal Zone.^[1]^[6]

14-inch gun M1909

Fort Drum in Manila Bay, called the “concrete battleship”, was a unique fort mounting four 14-inch guns in two twin turrets.

A twin 14-inch turret made for Fort Drum being tested at the Sandy Hook Proving Ground.

Fort Drum in 1983 with USS New Jersey (BB-62) behind the fort.

The M1909 was a wire-wound gun 40 calibers long designed specifically for the turrets of Fort Drum on El Fraile Island in Manila Bay, Philippines. An unusual design feature was that it was made without trunnions.^[7] The turrets were made by Newport News Shipbuilding. Fort Drum was built by razing the small island down to the water and building a massive concrete fort on it. The fort had four 14-inch M1909 guns in two twin M1909 turrets, with four 6-inch M1908 guns in casemates on the sides.^[6]^[8] Despite holding out against Japanese bombardment, the fort was surrendered after destroying the guns along with Corregidor on 6 May 1942. It was recaptured by US Army Rangers on a modified Navy landing ship in April 1945.

14-inch gun M1910

The M1910 was a wire-wound gun 40 calibers long. Eight were deployed, all on M1907 disappearing carriages. Locations included Fort Frank and Fort Hughes in Manila Bay (2 guns each) as well as Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA (4 guns).^[9]^[6]

World War II

Along with other coast artillery weapons, the 14-inch guns in the Philippines saw action in the Japanese invasion in World War II. Since they were positioned against a naval attack, they were poorly sited to engage the Japanese, and the open mountings were vulnerable to air and high-angle artillery attack; their only protection was camouflage nets. Destruction procedures were executed on all the guns prior to the surrender of US forces on 6 May 1942.

In 1940–44, 16-inch gun batteries were constructed at most harbor defenses, and all 14-inch guns not in the Philippines were scrapped 1943–44.

Surviving examples

Probable 14-inch disappearing gun fires.

Six 14-inch guns of this type remain in the Philippines.^[10]

1. Two 14-inch Guns M1909 (#4 & #3 Watervliet) in one Turret M1909 (#1 Newport News), Battery John M. Wilson, Fort Drum, El Fraile Island, Philippines.

2. Two 14-inch Guns M1909 (#2 & #1 Watervliet) in one Turret M1909 (#2 Newport News), Battery William L. Marshall, Fort Drum, El Fraile Island, Philippines.

3. One 14-inch Gun M1910 (#15 Watervliet) on Disappearing Carriage M1907MI (#20 Watervliet), Battery Gillespie, Fort Hughes, Caballo Island, Philippines.

4. One 14-inch Gun M1910 (#8 Watervliet) on Disappearing Carriage M1907MI (#17 Watervliet), Battery Woodruff, Fort Hughes, Caballo Island, Philippines.

References

1 2 3 Description of 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16-inch Seacoast Guns, p. 45
1 2 Berhow, p. 61
1 2 3 Berhow, pp. 158–163
1 2 Coast Defense Study Group fort and battery list
↑ Berhow, Mark A. and McGovern, Terrance C., American Defenses of Corregidor and Manila Bay 1898–1945, Osprey Publishing Ltd.; 1st edition, 2003; pages 7–8.
1 2 3 Berhow, pp. 158-163, 220-223
↑ Description of 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16-inch Seacoast Guns, pp. 40-42
↑ Berhow, pp. 102-103
↑ Description of 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16-inch Seacoast Guns, p. 42
↑ Berhow, p. 229

Berhow, Mark A., Ed. (2004). American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide, Second Edition. CDSG Press. ISBN 0-9748167-0-1.
Lewis, Emanuel Raymond (1979). Seacoast Fortifications of the United States. Annapolis: Leeward Publications. ISBN 978-0-929521-11-4.

External links

United States artillery of World War I
Tank guns	Puteaux SA 18 QF 6 pounder 6 cwt Hotchkiss
Small and pack guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP QF 2.95 inch Mountain Gun
Field, medium and heavy guns	3-inch M1902 field gun 75 mm Gun M1897 75 mm Gun M1916 75 mm Gun M1917 4.7 inch Gun M1906 5-inch gun M1897 6-inch howitzer M1908 6-inch gun M1903 155 mm GPF M1918 155 mm Howitzer Carriage M1917 (Schneider), BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk VI – VIII BL 9.2-inch howitzer 240 mm Trench Mortar
Anti-aircraft guns	75 mm Gun M1916 3-inch gun M1917 3-inch Gun M1918
Coast artillery guns	3-inch gun M1903 4.72-inch Armstrong gun 5-inch gun M1897 6-inch Armstrong gun 6-inch gun M1897 8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 14-inch gun M1907 16-inch gun M1895 16-inch gun M1919 155 mm gun M1918MI
Railway artillery	8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 12-inch gun M1895MIA1 14"/50 caliber railway gun

United States artillery of World War II
Tank guns	37 mm gun M5/M6 75 mm gun M2/M3/M6 76 mm gun M1 3 inch gun M7 90 mm gun M3 105 mm howitzer M4
Anti-tank guns	37 mm M3 57 mm M1 75 mm M1897 3 inch M5 90 mm T8 105mm T8
Field, medium and heavy guns	75 mm M1897 75 mm howitzer M1 105 mm howitzer M2 105 mm howitzer M3 4.5 inch gun M1 155 mm howitzer M1918 155 mm howitzer M1 155 mm gun M1918MI 155 mm gun M1/M2 "Long Tom" 8 inch howitzer M1/M2 8-inch gun M1 240 mm howitzer M1
Mortars	60 mm mortar M2 81 mm mortar M1 4.2 inch mortar M2 Little David
Other vehicle-mounted	75 mm howitzer M2/M3 75 mm gun M1897 105 mm howitzer M2 155 mm gun M1918MI 155 mm gun M2
Anti-aircraft guns	37 mm M1 40 mm M1 3-inch gun M1917 3 inch M3 90 mm M1 120 mm M1
Coast artillery guns	3-inch gun M1903 90 mm M1 6-inch gun M1903 155 mm gun M1918MI 8-inch Mk. VI 8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 12-inch gun M1895 14-inch gun M1907 16-inch gun M1895 16-inch gun M1919 16-inch Marks 2 and 3 16-inch howitzer M1920
Railway artillery	8-inch Mk. VI 8-inch M1888 12-inch coast defense mortar 14-inch M1920

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