Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound

Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound
Active1900-1950[1]
Country United States
BranchUnited States Army Coast Artillery Corps
TypeCoast artillery
RoleHarbor Defense Command
Part of
Garrison/HQFort H. G. Wright, Fishers Island, New York
Motto(s)Stop[2][3]
Mascot(s)Oozlefinch
Map of eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut showing historical fort locations.

The Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound was a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps harbor defense command.[1] It coordinated the coast defenses of Long Island Sound and Connecticut from 1895 to 1950, beginning with the Endicott program. These included both coast artillery forts (all but two on islands in the sound) and underwater minefields. The area defended included the approach via the Sound to New York City, the port cities and manufacturing centers of New London, New Haven, and Bridgeport, and eventually included the submarine base and shipyard in Groton. The command originated circa 1900 as an Artillery District, was renamed Coast Defenses of Long Island Sound in 1913, and again renamed Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound in 1925.[4][5][6][7]

  1. ^ a b Gaines, p. 9
  2. ^ Berhow, p. 573
  3. ^ Coats of arms, pp. 123-125, 127
  4. ^ Stanton, pp. 455-481
  5. ^ Coast Artillery Organization: A Brief Overview at the Coast Defense Study Group website
  6. ^ Rinaldi, pp. 165-166
  7. ^ Berhow, pp. 430-434