WWII Coastal Defenses of the U.S.!!! | History Traveler Episode 101
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ย. 2020
- What if I told you that you didn't have to travel to Normandy to see coastal defense structures? And that you could find similar structures right here in the U.S.? In this episode, we're in exploring some of the defenses that were built along the coastline of Maine in the late 1800s and added to through WWII with the threat of German U-boats looming on the east coast. This is a piece of WWII history that you won't hardly see anywhere else!
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My Dad was stationed there and other Forts down the Eastern coast during WWII. He updated all the search light and anti-aircraft guns to Radar directed. He had some cool stories
Wow! That is awesome.
They're called"disappearing guns" . My grandfather was stationed at Ft. Washington MD and was a battery commander, so to speak. He was there pre WWI. Married my grandmother there too
You My Friend are 100% CORRECT , Those guns FIRE and retract down and out of the line of sight .
Most US Coastal Guns for Coastal Defense were of this type . Casemented Overhead Reinforced Concrete
were added to protect the Guns from aerial attack as well ,in WW2 .
@@Wilett614 That was only on the WW1 Long Range Barbette Batteries. Disappearing batteries were not casemented because their range was bad.
The tower is for observation and fire control for the big guns. The top part would house a huge binocular type device that would give range to the target. Then it would be relaid to the various guns, elev., distance, etc. After the guns would fire, they would watch the splash, and adjust accordingly. It's called ranging the shot. The Army uses 1760 yrds as a mile. Naval mile is 2000 yrds
Are you familiar with the Coast Defense Study Group?
@@julianmalcolm I'm familiar with it.
I have to chime in here with everyone else, only about my "home city" of the two forts of Boston Harbor (originally 3, but Fort Winthrop on Governor's Island blew up in the mid 20th century before being covered by Logan Airport)- Fort Warren in the outer channel, on Georges Island, and Fort Independence on Castle Island, all were renovated during the Endicott Period. All combined with the forts in Portland as part of that Atlantic protection net. I was very lucky to research and write my Master's Thesis for Grad school on this topic.
A couple of great books on the topic are "Fortress America: The Forts that Defended America" (Kaufmann & Kaufmann, DaCapo Press 2004) or ""A Legacy of Brick and Stone: American Coastal Defense Forts of the Third System" (John R. Weaver, Redoubt Press, 2001)
Great job JD!
Oh wow! Thanks for the heads up on those books. I'll have to check those out.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Please contact me at OldFortJW@gmail.com if you would like to buy a copy of A Legacy in Brick and Stone. The new edition, full color, hardbound, greatly expanded, came out in June, 2018. John Weaver
@@johnweaver561 I've been eyeballing that book on Amazon, but $48...
Boston Harbor had its own selection of Brand New Endicott forts. Way more than 3!
Your videos are superbly produced and your content is interesting, engaging, and informative. If you’re ever up in the NH Seacoast area again there is just so much history here. From 1623 to the present , there has been and is a presence of a rich military history throughout the 17 miles of New Hampshire coast. From ft Constitution to Battery Seaman at Odiorne Pt, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Prison, ft Stark, USS Albacore museum and the American independence museum . These are just a few of the parks, installations and museums that make this area maybe not unique, but certainly of some historical significance. Thanks again for the great work you continue to create.
Thanks! Appreciate the kind words. Can’t wait to get back to that part of the country.
Your video/camera work is amazing. You may want to look at Fort Tilden (Queens, NYC), Fort Totten (Queens, NYC), Fort Wadsworth (Staten Island, NYC), Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn, NYC), and Fort Schuyler (Bronx, NYC) for a set of your videos. There were rumors of a tunnel from Fort Wadsworth-to-Fort Hamilton and a tunnel from Fort Schuyler-to-Fort Totten. Fort Tilden has a stretch of battery casements that resemble Hitler's Atlantic Wall in Normandy, France.
Oh wow! Thanks for the tips. I'm wanting to come to NYC at some point and spend about a week or two exploring and filming content. Thanks for the kind words as well :)
Absolutely amazing!! I had no idea that German u-boats were that close to mainland United States. My mind is blown!!! Thank you for the education.😊😊😊
Pretty crazy. Most people don't know how close they got.
If I'm not mistaken you might find this interesting but it's not really all that well-known but German you both sank lots of merchant vessels with supplies going over to England yeah they suck lots of them they were all over the East Coast here and there was one case where you know they caught spies in Manhattan I think that got the they got a sure buyer a U-boat and those are just the ones that caught so yeah pretty interesting not something that you know I guess the the country wanted to be shouted out from the rooftops that the Germans were sinking a lot of our ships merchant vessels cargo stuff like that anyway pretty sure that's that's accurate sincerely Bob the blind bedroom guitars
I knew, in theory, that we had some sort of coastal defense. It's amazing the similarities between the German atlantic wall fortifications and what you took us through today. I imagine there are other locations still around as well.
Yeah, I was amazed at how similar they all were to the German fortifications. I'd like to get out and explore some more some day.
Portsmouth NH has a pretty massive underground bunker system as well as artillery set ups. It's all abandoned and closed off now but lots of rich history. I love living in New England
You're living the life I wish I could live sir! I love studying & visiting historical sights.
I felt pretty fortunate to have permission to explore this place. Pretty fascinating history there. Glad that I could share a bit of the experience!
Brilliant video thank you. Really enjoy your work.
I live in the UK and it never ceases to amaze me how comparatively little the good people of the USA know about this aspect of their own History. I know there was and probably still is a lot of scepticism over how likely a Nazi invasion of the United States could have been. Well from what I’ve learned over the years, back in 1944, there was no guarantees that D Day would have been a success. Eisenhower, on the eve of June 6th, famously writing his press release describing how the landings were not successful and he would take full responsibility. Had the second (or western front) collapsed, then certainly the whole of the UK and the eastern seaboard of the US would have come under direct attack from enhanced V2 ballistic missiles. The Nazis were close to developing the technology to reach eastern US cities with larger warheads. The concept of a Long range bomber (Amerikabomber) had begun shortly after Germany declared war on the United States in 1941 and had seen five prototypes under construction, as noted by Albert Speer in his post war diaries made during his imprisonment. These were to be specifically used in a direct strike against the eastern US. Fortunately the Western allies were successful in Europe and these Scenarios never got the chance to play out. Had the UK not prevailed, then the US would have almost certainly faced a direct threat from the Axis powers or an entire Europe under Soviet control, who would have had the entire Nazi scientific and technological infrastructure at their disposal. Makes for great debates.
Excellent insight. Glad that you enjoyed the video!
Happy to see it hasn't beer defaced.
I think that being on a private island has helped. But I agree. Good to see it in its natural state.
@@TheHistoryUnderground There's some residual. But mostly seasonal. But considering the location and what it is, it's probably protected in some way. I'm a New Englander. Thanks for the cool information.
@@TheHistoryUnderground
This looks very similar to Fort Getty in Jamestown Rhode Island. As well as Fort Greble on Dutch Island. Which is located across from Fort Getty.. There is still a look out tower in Dutch Island as well but the roof of it was covered with light purple glass. Believe it or not. I have been this island more than a few times. The set ups are the same..
If you are interested someone did a drone footage of both on u-tube....
PS. I remember that my brothers ditched me in the tunnels alone without any lights!! So I know the
feeling!! LOL!!
That looked like a gun mount to me in that tower/ lookout.
I WAS thinking the same thing.
This episode was fantastic. We are so separated from battlefields here in the US so It was really cool to step back in time and see what we were preparing for. Well done. Also, welcome to New England. Gotta get you up here more often.
Thanks! I really can’t wait to come back. Waaaay too much up there that I left unexplored.
Don’t know how I missed this fascinating episode. I have to chuckle, I’m unaware of anyone who gets more excited by overgrown decaying concrete and steel than you. Of course I am fascinated by the impact that walking the actual ground of historically significant sites can elicit. That’s why I enjoy your channel.
Ha!
Excellent job. Your camera work is wonderful. I'm no professional but I love the shots you take, it gives a great perspective of the location you are exploring.
Awesome, thank you!
Superb videos! Im Swedish but I have relatives who fought on both sides in WWII. My grandfather on my mothers side, flew transportation aircraft. On my fathers side a Glen P Cook flew recon over France.
Exceptionelly well made videos which grabs your interrest straight from the start! Beeing a huge BoB fan brought me here.
Keep up the great work!
Wow! Thank you!
Wow it is a small world. My Dad Was Glen P. Cook so My Grandmother is is a direct relative of yours. She came to America when she was about 18 years old. Glen brought his Mom back to Sweden in the 70's and I gave your family tours of New York city when they visited. One slight correction though. Glen Flew Anti-Sub Patrols off the East Coast of America out of Rehoboth Beach Delaware, as a charter member of the Civil Air Patrol. then went to the Pacific war theatre. His Best friend was killed in the skies over France. The Interesting part of the Coastal Patrol was that as Civilians they were arm with bombs and served as combatants as military personnel but were not. As such they were denied any thing a solder was offered after service. four of the men Dad flew with were killed, including one of the crew of his sister ship that crashed into the North Atlantic on one patrol. Robert Cook
This was a fantastic history lesson. I really appreciate your camera work. You have the best channel on TH-cam. Thank you for what you do.
I lived right near there for 10 years and never knew it was there! One of my favorite places, Portland Head Light, where you started the video. The old forts in Boston were great too, I haven't been back there in years. I hope you will do a few on Boston. Kepp up the great work.
Definitely need to get to Boston at some point. Thanks!
The Portland head light is at what was once the largest fort in portland
In the 1970s my Boy Scout troop used to camp near some similar gun emplacements on Sandy Hook in New Jersey. When I visited the fort (Fort Hancock), ironically with my son on a scout trip, I was told that all of the large gun emplacements on the bay side had collapsed into the bay!! Great memories!
If you ever get out to the Pacific NW, you should explore Fort Casey, Fort Worden and Fort Flagler. Together they were known as the "Triangle of Fire," a trio of strategically placed fortifications that defended the entrance to the Puget Sound. Used during WW I and II.
Really really hoping to get up there at some point. I'll add those places to the list.
There are 5 Endicott Period fortifications in Puget Sound. Besides Forts Casey, Worden and Flagler, Fort Whitman is located on Goat Island in Skagit Bay. It was a single battery of 4, 6 inch disappearing carriage guns and a mine control station. It would have defended against any hostile forces attempting to come south down Saratoga Passage after transiting Deception Pass. Fort Ward on Bainbridge Island and a mine control station across Rich Passage that was a part of the Fort Ward defenses is on Middle Point.
I've lived in Puget Sound my entire life. I went to Fort Casey multiple times i school outings. :) Amazing place--couldn't appreciate it as a kid though.
Your cinematography is outstanding and your music hauntingly wonderful. Another great video about a place I never knew existed. Thanks.
Thank you very much! I really appreciate that.
I love your History Channel. I've seen things on here I never even knew existed. Keep up the great work
I would love to see those batteries restored to their original condition. That would be so cool. Two possibilities for the pedestal base in the top of the tower. It could have been a mount for an optical range finder so the observers could pass range and azimuth to the gunners, or it could have been a mount for a pair of those giant naval binoculars. I'd bet on the range finder. Great episode. Thanks.
@T-Rex Gordon What do you mean the area is too small? It is looking out over the ocean, It is a coastal defense battery.
That's kind of what I was wondering. Or for optics. Either way, very cool place.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Another give away is the window itself. It goes all the way across the front of the tower without any interruptions. The WWI 6 inch gun had a range of about 1700 yards. The WWII version had a range of 2600 yards. So they would have had to have some way to accurately estimate the range. The gunners down in the battery could not even sea the target or the ocean from their positions.
@@alanbower1193 The 6" gun on a disappearing carriage had a maximum range of 14,600 yards. The WW2 barbette mounted 6" gun had a range of about 27,000 yards. The gun tubes were the same but the disappearing mount had a lower maximum elevation. The limited range was the main reason the old disappearing mounts were replaced.
@@georgem7965 Thanks for the correction and the information George. I wasn't aware the disappearing mounts limited elevation. Thanks.
Very cool. Didn’t know that existed. Thanks for teaching me something new today.
You bet! I was pretty fascinated by the whole complex.
I betting the mount in the top of tower was for range finder and info was phoned to gun emplacement.
Solid hypothesis.
@@TheHistoryUnderground little bit of reading tells me that it was a mount for an azimuth range finder. there should have been another tower somewhere else around there that had the same kind of thing mounted on top that could give a bearing to the target. they were normally constructed in pairs.
@@vw2112 Ahhhhh......good call. There actually was another tower like this one on the north side of the island but I was running out of daylight and didn't have time to go up to it. Thanks!
Thank you to all of you providing interesting information on how things might be on the island !
Several people beat me to it, but the top of that tower was almost certainly part of a range finding system for the batteries.
We have similar emplacements here in Baltimore, Md, particular at Ft. Howard, which was nicknamed "The Bull Dog at Baltimore's Gate". Interesting fact part of the land was later used as a VA hospital which has since closed, as well as housing POWs during WW2. During Viet Nam the Army built a small Vietnamese village on the land to train SF troops in counter-counterinsurgency warfare (The US Army intel school was based in Baltimore till the late 70s at Ft. Hollibard). Lastly, the Ft. is also located near the area called Northpoint, which is where Maryland millita forces fought a decisive delaying action against British regulars during the war of 1812 when the British attempted to attack Baltimore.
Oh dang! That is interesting. Just added that to the list. Thanks!
Oh man I wish I could have gone with you on this one. I grew up in the San Francisco area where these gun emplacement were everywhere. I explored every one of them I could get into. Later I moved to Portland Or. and explored all that the mouth of the Columbia River had to offer. I have been in love with coastal defense history latterly all my life. Hope to get out to Mane at some point. Thanks for showing me all the places I just can't get to right now in ALL your videos. This channel is amazing!
Thanks 🙏🏼
There are three old forts meant to protect the Puget Sound here in Washington state,
that have the same architecture as in your video. These three installations; Fort Worden, Fort Flagler, and Fort Casey are now Washington State Parks that are beautifully maintained. All three have old military homes that can be rented with trails and camping that are very popular. If my memory holds, I believe there is a Battery Endicott at one of the forts.
Wow! Just added that to my list. Thanks!
@@TheHistoryUnderground Fort Casey has 2 10" Disappearing guns emplaced. The guns were originally placed in Battery Warwick at Fort Witt in Subic Bay, Philippines and moved to Fort Casey in 1963.
There were additional fortifications at Battery Whitman to protect the Deception Pass entrance to Puget Sound and 2 more forts that protected the entrance to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. They were all Endicott period.
Another stellar video! Great job brother!
I appreciate that! Thanks for watching.
We're all lucky that your phobia of heights doesn't translate to the open sea! Thanks, JD.
Ha! I'm actually not a good swimmer either.
I found your tour of Cushing Island very interesting. I had never heard of it. Back in the early 60s, I was stationed at the Brunswick Naval Air Station which is located a little northeast of Portland. I was with a patrol squadron (VP-26). We flew P-2V patrol planes.....and one task was anti-sub warfare. Thanks for the tour and history of Cushing Island.
Oh wow! Fascinating!
Wow, fantastic. Had no idea that this installation was in place, most of these are not discussed in education. Thank you for showing the light of day to this subject. What a great video, what an exceptional job you have done here. And the best part as usual is we are fumbling in learning of this place along with you. Again I must say exceptional. Be safe and take care.
Thanks! Hopefully my fumbling encourages people to do some digging to learn more about these places. Glad that you enjoyed it!
I think this is one of the best episodes you have done. Amazing
Thanks! I had a lot of fun with this one.
Great great episode. Other then living up there, very few have prob seen what you’ve shown us. I am a huge WW2 buff, and I have never seen a lot of this. Great piece of history.
I was pretty pumped about it. Very cool structures and history.
That is probably because this is WW1 and the Spanish American war. WW2 Batteries/Bunkers are very different from these because WW2 ones had airplane camouflage while these had Ship Camouflage.
Awesome again my friend. People need to see what went on. 👍👍👍
Thanks!
Great Episode! Glad you made it up here to New England...hopefully you'll be able to come back and check out Lexington and Concord sometime!
So amazing!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏 Thank you for sharing your knowledge and travels of these historical places!! Thank you as well for not cursing. I completely enjoy your videos!! 🇺🇸🙏❤🗽🙏❤👍
Very interesting, amazing and cool! It stands to reason if one thinks about it at all but I've never thought about it. Thank you for taking us along. There are so many places I knew nothing about nor did my dad that I've so close to without knowing it! Again, thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Thank you for visiting! As a Maine resident it's always nice to see visitors getting to experience Maine. Great video as always!
Loved my visit to your state! I wish that I could have spent more time there.
Excellent...You explain the locations very well......Thanks....
Wonderfully interesting Videos and always look forward to the next one.You really know your stuff when it comes to War History!!!
Thanks! Appreciate that.
That was pretty awesome tour. There are a few more, not as big on the south coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Some are at the site of late 18th and 19th century forts. History behind these are truly fascinating. Thank you for sharing!
Great video... very interesting!
l climbed up a 100 foot forestry tower in Alberta Canada. From the top you could see 35 miles in any direction giving a total view of 70 miles. The ladder was totally exposed though... no covered stairwell!😬
Oh dang. That might have been a limiting factor for me.
This is my favourite WWII Urbex channel lol
😅👍🏻
The aerial view gave me goosebumps !
Wow! Awesome, awesome. Another place that I will never be able to get to. Thanks for this.
Glad that you liked it! Probably one of the coolest places I've had the chance to visit.
@@TheHistoryUnderground to be honest I hadn't known about this before. After watching this I actually googled it . Fascinating stuff. Bringing history to life. .👍
Fort Adams in RI is the biggest I think for pre WWII. I have been there several times. We got similar structures regarding WWII in San Diego, San Pedro and San Francisco. They are very fascinating and puts in perspective of what we have today. Thank you and that was awesome!
I visited there nearly 20 years ago. It’s such a wonderful place.
Absolutely. I was amazed.
Excellent Adventure , never new this Military post existed. Cool island defense... I love past history and abandoned buildings 🏚 Thank You for sharing 🇺🇸
Glad that I could share the experience!
Absolutely amazing at how something like that was built. Another awesome episode, keep up the outstanding work.
Thank you very much! Kind of a cool lesser known corner of our history.
Your one of the few people that when I watch a video you post everything else I stop, this one was amazing; I had no clue about this and study WWII a ton.
Thanks! Appreciate that.
Your videos always inform us about little known historical facts regarding our country's history.
Thank you for sharing this very interesting and informative article with me ! Take care , stay safe and healthy with whatever you maybe doing next ! Doing well here in Kansas .
Another great one sir. I originally lived in PA until I enlisted in Army and never took advantage of seeing historical stuff on east coast. I have to go back!!! Thank you sir
Definitely a lot to see out there. Glad that you enjoyed it!
If you are ever in Washington, around Port Angeles, there are defenses all along the coast of the Strait of Juan De Fuca between the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula and Canada that are pretty creepy and being lost to the forest and erosion. I explored one, on one occasion, but didn't have a light to go inside.
Your videos are so inspiring and beautiful. Thank you.
This is totally fascinating. Never have I ever even heard of this. Wow what an incredible vlog 👍🏻😎
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love Portland and it's history, keep up the good work you do!
Thank you! Will do!
Love all the videos that you post. After watching, I then go on google maps and explore the areas that you talk about. Keep it up and I'm positive work you are doing will be enjoyed by future generations to come.
Glad you like them! Thanks!
I live in New Jersey, near Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook. There are so many old buildings that are in such disrepair, and I learned (finally) from this video what they are and what they might look like inside. Fort Hancock has old missal silos (I think that’s what they’re called) and so much history. I wish the buildings there were taken care of better so this part of history could be preserved. Thank you again for another great video!
Thanks! Really hoping to get to Sandy Hook at some point.
I remember visiting old WWII coastal batteries at Santa Rosa Island in Florida as a kid. I and my friends also used to mess around at Fort Fremont outside Beaufort, SC as teenagers. Cool stuff!
You find some of the coolest places!!
This one was definitely a gem. I was pretty blown away.
Wow, that was cool! Nice to see it hasn't fallen victim to the two legged 'elements' (taggers and so on).
Being on a private island has certainly helped this one.
My late Aunt had a house on Great Diamond Island in Portland harbor and the stories I used to hear of ships like the USS Missouri steaming past the island were amazing! And the stand on the top level of the observation tower was likely for optics to watch the harbor.
This is amazing! I had no idea of it's existence! Thank you for taking me here!
Very cool, I knew they existed but never actually saw a picture of one much less a tour. Kudos to you for going through those creepy hallways.
Wow. That observation bunker on top of battery Foote really reminds me of the observation bunker on pointe du hoc in Normandy. Fascinating stuff. On to the next place JD
I thought the same thing. It seriously felt like I was back in Normandy. Crazy that the U.S. has places like this.
I live on the west coast of Oregon. We have these structures at the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon and Washington sides of the river. They were built shortly after the Civil War. They have cleaned them up and you can roam around through them.
Definitely hope to see those at some point.
the part to see that nature is taking over is facinating to me!!
That does certainly add another element to the experience.
Looks just like some of the forts on the west coast! There’s a group of forts in Washington called the triangle of fire that were built just before WWI that had very similar designs with the disappearing guns. What’s cool is there’s still lots of well preserved fortifications and one even had a gun still in place! Great video!
You need to go to Hawaii and see Battery Randolph at Fort DeRussy. Battery Randolph was part of the coastal defense of the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1900's. Also, Battery Randolph has been converted to a military museum.
That is quite high on my list. It's high on my wife's list as well, but for different reasons :)
Again, very interesting to watch.
From Vermont. Been coming to Maine all my life. Just got back from a boat tour of Portland. Saw those same Forts. Very cool!! You know there was a battle in Portland harbor during the War of the rebellion in 1864. Would be cool to dive on the shipwrecks in Portland. Thanks again JD love your channel 👍👍
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Thanks. More Learning.
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Thanks for your dedication. Your channel is amazing!
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There are actually quite a few of the old Endicott batteries still around the U.S. I've been to several, and they are super cool. There are several in Delaware, Ft Monroe in Hampton Virginia, Fort Moultrie outside Charleston, Tybee Island outside Savanah, Fort Monroe in Mobile and others that i can't remember off the top of my head. We even got to see several U-boat watch towers driving down the Atlantic highway from Lewes Delaware to Ocean City Maryland. They definitely deserve to be preserved and visited
Yeah, I'm really wanting to visit a lot more now. Pretty interesting places!
@@TheHistoryUnderground The Outer Banks/hatteras seashore would be a great place for you to visit next. Wright Brothers, lighthouses, civil war and German u-boat wrecks, even the graveyard of the Atlantic museum with artifacts from u-boat wrecks and blackbeards ship queen Anne's revenge.
Mobile has Forts Gaines, Morgan, and Charlotte. As well as Fort Blakeley from the Civil war with BEAUTIFULLY intact earthworks and fortifications. Then an hour east of Mobile is Pensacola which has Forts Pickens, Barrancas, McRea(actually got destroyed by the later two and hurricanes), George, and San Bernardino, with Barrancas, George, and San Bernardino having been in action since the French and Indian War
@@brentsawyer2006 and u.s.s Alabama/u.s.s drum. The graves of Sip Phillips and Eugene Sledge are there as well... and they have a Buc-ees
Absolutely love it. Thank you.
So glad! Thanks!
Had to come on and comment because my heart was pounding while you were in Battery Foote! I just knew someone or something was going to jump out!
Ha!
Wow, amazing to see. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Truly awesome!! I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PLACE.THANK YOU SO MUCH.👍👍☺👵
Glad you enjoyed it!
What you are looking at @ 23:49 is the exhaust for the diesel generators that provided electricity to the battery.
Thanks!
Awesome video! These old coastal forts and gun emplacements fascinate me. There are a few in my area, including Fort Mansfield (Watch Hill, RI), Fort Trumbull (New London, CT) and Fort Griswold (Groton, CT). If you are ever in southeast CT, I would highly recommend seeing both Fort Trumbull and Fort Griswold. Both were involved in the Battle of Groton Heights during the Revolutionary War (the British attack was lead by Benedict Arnold). So much interesting history to be seen here in the US.
Really cool to see thanks for showing!
You bet! Thanks for watching.
First off, I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable of Maine history, but I had NO idea this place existed! Thank you for pointing this fascinating place out to me. If I can tolerate Portland to get to the boat I’ll go down and check out this cool part of Maine history.
Ha! Yeah, very cool place. Just a heads up though. It's a private island. Lots of cool stuff to see in that area though!
@@TheHistoryUnderground sorry I missed your visit to Farmington, I live in the area and know Pete, a mover and shaker. Has employed a lot of people! Really good guy!
Absolutely! He and his wife are top notch people.
So neat ! Thanks for the tag along
Thanks 🙏🏼
Very intresting video. I did my military service in coastal artillery late 80's in Finland and this took me back to those days.
Nice!
Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel first? lol...Awesome. Very cool video. Once again, I learned something new. I had no idea these defenses existed.
Ha! That tunnel wasn't anything for a person with an overactive imagination. Glad that you enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed this one. Never knew this was up there. And Fort Scammel across the bay looks equally impressive.
Yeah, I really wanted to go there. That's a private island though and I couldn't make contact with anyone. With how quick this trip was, I'm not sure that I would've had time anyway. Good excuse to go back, I guess :)
I would love to be able to see this place in person !
You do awesome material, been a subscriber for a while now, and never disappointed, cant wait for you to get back to various parts of Europe. Keep up the good work
Thank you very much! I've got some big plans for Europe after things open back up.
Awesome! a piece of lesser known american history.
Glad you enjoyed it! I had a blast there.
I'm thinking a better flashlight might help keep the boogie man away!!!! Great job as always, and still in awe of your selection of music! And your wonderful sense of adventure! "I don't know what it is, but it's cool." Love it!
That was really cool. Smart of you to bring a drone along. That was some great footage. I only wish there were more photo inserts of what it once was. Still, great sleuthing!
Yeah, I wish that there were some more up close photos of those batteries. Glad that you enjoyed it!
This was a GREAT video. I never thought of there being U.S. bunkers
You should come over to RI. Jamestown still has its costal defenses from WWII. A German sub was also sunk off the coast of RI.
We have so much history up here. If you ever come up this way I would be more then happy to show you around. From Rev war to WWII. You would have a field day.
Oh man, that sounds cool. Can't say that I've ever been to RI either. I'll add that to the list. Thanks!
Cool look into the structures and grateful it didn’t turn into “found footage” of a missing history guy!
That was so amazing wow so cool to see that. Thanks the great video love it take care
I was pretty blown away. I had no clue what I was walking into there. Glad that you enjoyed it!
Great video. We fellow explorers love to watch you explore. My niece is actually moving to Portland, Maine in January after her Marine Corps enlistment ends.
Thanks! I really enjoyed my time there, short as it was.
There is also an extensive bunker and coastal defense system on both sides of the Golden Gate. They even converted some of them into missile silos during the Cold War. My dad tells of sitting in class out in the avenues (Sunset District) and watching them do target practice with a barge being towed behind a navy vessel during WWII. Her said they didn't hit the targets very often.
another very interesting subject/video. Great work.
Glad you enjoyed it!
THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BIG TIME....WELL DONE BUDDY
Agreed. Thanks!
Very cool, We have Fort Stevens on the Oregon coast very simular to this. Thanks for the videos