Salisbury Beach MR

In 1941 the War Department took over 237 acres at the current Salisbury Beach State Reservation for the installation of a four-gun 155mm battery. Another 1-acre plot 1.5 miles from the other on the beach near the Star of the Sea Chapel was used for construction of a Fire Control Station with a telephone switchboard for Battery 103/Seaman at Fort Dearborn. Both of these plots were designated Location 137B. The Star of the Sea Chapel near where the FCS was located was used as a temporary Fire Control Station until the new FCS on the beach's completion. The FCS was completed in 1943 on a leased site. The station was disguised as a beach summer cottage, and it contained a Fire Control Switchboard and an Anti-Aircraft Intelligence OP 3. This station is identical in design to the stations at Bald Head Cliff and Moody Beach in Maine. The 237-acre site had a 155mm gun battery completed on it in 1941 with four emplacements. An assortment of temporary buildings to support the reservation were constructed and a BC station and magazines were built for the guns. This reservation was operated by Boston and the FCS reservation was operated by Portsmouth. The guns were removed in 1943 and the property was returned to the MA state park service who had the buildings razed. In 1969 the park was transferred to DCR who razed any remaining military structures. The Panama mounts were buried during the storm of 1978 and can be seen after large coastal storms. The FCS was transferred to the MA State Police in 1945 and it was used as their beach station until 1958. On April 2nd, 1958, a coastal storm undermined the foundation of the structure which was on the moving beach causing the structure to collapse. Today the only fully visible remains of the Salisbury Beach Military Reservation is the Star of the Sea Chapel.

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  This church was used as a temporary Fire Control Tower until 1943
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  Undated image
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  155mm Panama Mount Locale
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  Panama Mount Locale
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  Panama Mount Locale
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  Panama Mount Locale
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  Panama Mount FUDS Report 1995
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  Center ring of a Panama Mount FUDS Report 1995
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  Salisbury Beach MR plan
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  FCS Plan
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  Gun Battery Plan
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  Preparing a gun for firing 1944 CDSG
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  Gun crew in 1943 or 44 CDSG
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  Abdulla Family Photo of the FCS
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  Newspaper Scan 1958
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  FCS Foundation 1962