Battery Lodor - JAAN 1&2
Four 3-inch M1903 Pedestal-Mount Guns
Battery Lodor is the tale of three batteries which began
life on a small sprit of land between Terminal Island and
Deadmans Island in the Los Angeles Harbor. Constructed
commenced on April 15, 1916 and the battery was finished and
operational by July 31, 1917. Four, three-inch model 1903
guns were mounted along with several searchlights to serve
as a rapid fire solution for the proposed controlled
minefield, just inside the harbor entrance.
During the mid-1920's the main channel
to the Los Angeles Harbor was widened and both Deadmans
Island and Battery Lodor were removed at that time. The guns
from the Battery were placed in storage and
remained dismounted until mid 1942 when the four guns were
separated and mounted as two batteries jointly manned by
both Army and Navy crews.
The new batteries, aptly called JAAN
1 & 2 (Joint Army And Navy) were spread out at opposite ends
of the harbor area. JAAN-1 was located on a knoll above
Cabrillo Beach. JAAN-2 was located in Long Beach in what is
today called Bixby Park.
At this time, new shields
were designed by the ordinance department that not only
completely changed the look of the guns but also provided a
greater level of protection for their crews. Both sites
remained active until the end of World War Two.
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| Battery Lodor was named for Brigadier General Richard Lodor
(1832-1917) a well known and respected officer and graduate
of the US Military Academy at West Point class of 1856. He
fought in several Civil War battles including the
Mississippi Campaign, the siege of Corinth, and the battle
of Stone River. During his long career, Richard Lodor became
one of the most respected artillery officers in the US
Army, he also taught artillery tactics at West Point. General
Richard Lodor retired in 1896 and died in 1917. He is
buried in the cemetery at the US Military Academy at West Point. |
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Sgt Manual Ramos and the crew of Battery G - 3rd Coast
Artillery at Battery JAAN-1 above Cabrillo Beach
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3 inch M1903 pedestal-mount gun at Fort Flagler
showing the original gun shield design.
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Battery JAAN2 at Bixby Park in Long Beach,
the ammunition magazine and one of the gun mounts have
been removed.
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3 inch M1903 pedestal-mount gun at
Fort Monroe showing the new gun shield design
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The Guns of Fort MacArthur |
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