Naushon Island MR

On Naushon Island (Loc.58) were two sperate Fire Control and Searchlight sites. The land was leased by the army who started construction in 1942. In 1946 it was declared surplus and returned to the landowner.

Site 1 - South Bluff

This FC Station was completed in 1943 and was the 7th spotting station and base-end station for Battery Milliken at Fort Rodman in New Bedford. The entry hatch to this station also served as Antiaircraft Artillery Intelligence Service (AAIS) OP 6. A portable 60-inch searchlight (#5) was located near the two-story barracks building that served for this site. The hurricane of September 14th, 1944, may be the reason the barracks are gone but they also may have been salvaged post-war.

2017 Imagery showing FC and Barracks
Site Map

Site 2 - Eagle Hollow

Two FC Stations were built in an area called Eagle Hollow in 1943. Site 2B which is the topmost station in the aerial image, served as the 6th spotting station and base-end station for Battery Milliken. The bottom-most station in the image served as the 5th spotting station and base-end station for Battery 210 at Mishuam Point MR. This site had two portable 60-inch searchlights (#6 & #7). A two-story barracks building was built near the stations along with another building I am yet to identify (Either latrines or searchlight powerhouse). A house(?) which may have served as officers' quarters existed during the army's tenure here and was demolished in 2008. Similarly to Site 1, the barracks were either removed post-war or destroyed in the September 14th hurricane. Although, based on the fact the unidentified building near the barracks was still standing in 2010, the barracks were probably salvaged post-war (1946-48). A cable terminal may remain on the beach for telephone lines back to mainland.