Post by batteryboy on Dec 27, 2011 20:29:50 GMT 8
Good comments gents. I will just make my comments short:
- Note that just before the war, there was a cage mast and a "typhoon deck" including a few structures on top of the fort. Access to the insides was thru the sally port. Direct acess to the upper deck was thru a cat ladder or stairs from the port side dock or pier.
- ammo for the M1917 3-inch guns were transported via: 1) the loading elevators of the 14-inch guns and 2) a hoist (some say portable) thru an opering from the top of the sally port.
- come wartime, all deck structures were cleared and pushed aside. The catwalks were said to have been removed as well to prevent Japanese landing parties from climbing the walls. A 3-inch M1915 seacoast RF gun from Battery Hoyle at Fort Frank was transferred to the Fort Drum and mounted at the rear deck. Ammo was transported the same method (via hoist and thru the turrets.
- it was said that the crews of the AA and the 3-inch gun made their quick escape thu a portable ladder down the sally port.
- By late Feb 42 onwards up to surrender in May, most of the crew members were holed up inside the fort as the Japanese already had guns in the Ternate area and subjected both Drum and Frank to daily artillery fires.
HTH,
- Note that just before the war, there was a cage mast and a "typhoon deck" including a few structures on top of the fort. Access to the insides was thru the sally port. Direct acess to the upper deck was thru a cat ladder or stairs from the port side dock or pier.
- ammo for the M1917 3-inch guns were transported via: 1) the loading elevators of the 14-inch guns and 2) a hoist (some say portable) thru an opering from the top of the sally port.
- come wartime, all deck structures were cleared and pushed aside. The catwalks were said to have been removed as well to prevent Japanese landing parties from climbing the walls. A 3-inch M1915 seacoast RF gun from Battery Hoyle at Fort Frank was transferred to the Fort Drum and mounted at the rear deck. Ammo was transported the same method (via hoist and thru the turrets.
- it was said that the crews of the AA and the 3-inch gun made their quick escape thu a portable ladder down the sally port.
- By late Feb 42 onwards up to surrender in May, most of the crew members were holed up inside the fort as the Japanese already had guns in the Ternate area and subjected both Drum and Frank to daily artillery fires.
HTH,
