Information from an Envelope
October 1942Dearest Reader,
In October 1942, my grandmother’s letters to my father were address to Battery B, 264th Coast Artillery, Fort Worden, Washington. This places my father within the coastal defense system, of the Pacific Northwest during World War II.
Fort Worden is located at Point Wilson in Port Townsend, Washington, guiding the entrance to Puget Sound. Along with nearby Fort Flagler and Fort Casey. It formed what was known as the “Triangle of Fire”. a network of coastal artillery posts designed to protect naval shipyards, ports and inland waterways from enemy attack.
By October 1942, the United States was less than a year past Pearl Harbor, and the West Coast was on high alert. There was genuine fear of Japanese naval incursions, submarine activity and potential bombardment of ports. Coastal artillery units like the 264th Coast Artillery Regiment were part of the Army’s first line of homeland defense.
Being assigned to Battery B indicates that my father served in a specific gun battery, a smaller operational unit within the regiment. These batteries were responsible for manning and maintaining large coastal guns, conducting drills, maintaining readiness and standing watch around the clock.
Letters addressed listing unit, battery and fort, reflect the military precision of the time. It also situated my father within a very specific moment: a young 21-year-old man, stationed far from home, serving in a defensive role during one of the most uncertain phases of the war.
Dr. Nancy Watson
Rambling With Nan
Washington
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