Miller Field during World War 2

Updated: January 2, 2005

The 102nd Observation Squadron During World War 2:
On October 15, 1940, just prior to WW2, the 102nd Observation Squadron of the New York National Guard was activated for federal service and moved to Fort McClellan, Alabama. This unit served during the war and a memorial plaque is located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

The 102nd Obs Sqdn Memorial Plaque.

Miller Field as a Supply Depot During World War 2:
During WW2, Miller Field was a Supply Depot for trucks and other material to be shipped overseas. The field was also one of the many facilities in the US designed to hold Axis Prisoners of War.

Trucks awaiting shipment during WW2 at Miller Field.

The Coast Artillery at Miller Field During World War 2:
During WW2, Fort Hancock, Fort Tilden, Fort Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton were tasked with the harbor defense of the New York Harbor. Miller Field was also chosen as the site of one of the tactical gun batteries. The US Army Coast Artillery Corp manned a battery of twin 90mm Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) guns from June 1943 to 1946. This battery was never named, but was designated AMTB Battery #11. Other AMTB gun batteries were located around the harbor area. The guns could rotate through 360 degrees, elevate from -8 to 80 degrees, and had a range of 8,000 yards. A crew of 15 men (9 men in the gun squad and 6 men in the ammunition squad) was required for each gun. The guns were mounted on concrete platforms, typically 14' in diameter, 5' 9" tall, and supported by 12 underpinning pilings.

A 90mm AMTB Gun.

Fire Control Tower at Miller Field.

In addition to the 90mm guns, other Coast Artillery structures were also constructed. In September 1943, a 44-foot tall concrete fire control tower was completed. This tower was a base end station for the four 6-inch guns of Battery Livingston at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and the twin 6-inch guns of Battery 218 at Fort Wadsworth (A base end station acts as a spotting tower to locate targets and help triangulate their position by reporting the observed azimuth over a dedicated telephone line to a plotting room). A 100-foot steel radar tower was completed in June 1944. A 60" searchlight on a wooden platform was also emplaced at Miller Field.