Fort Crockett
Encyclopedia
Fort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island
overlooking
the Gulf of Mexico
originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay
,
thus protecting the commercial and industrial ports of Galveston and Houston and the extensive oil refineries in the bay area. The facility is now managed by the US NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, and hosts the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Laboratory,
the Texas Institute of Oceanography, as well as some university facilities. The area still contains several historical buildings and military fortifications.
on Galveston Island was established in the late 1890s.
Construction got underway just in time to be disrupted by the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900
. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
spent several years rebuilding and expanding the reservation before it was re-garrisoned.
In 1903, the facility was named Fort Crockett in honor of David Crockett, US Congressman from Tennessee and famous
Texas hero of the Battle of the Alamo
. Following extensive repairs and upgrades, the fort was garrisoned by the US Army
Coast Artillery Corps in 1911.
During the First World War, Fort Crockett served as a US Army artillery training center. Troops bound for
France were trained in the use of several types of artillery.
During the 1920s and early 1930s, Fort Crockett housed the United States Army Air Corps' (USAAC) 3rd Attack Group (an ancestor to USAF's 3rd Wing). At this time, the 3rd Attack Group was the only USAAC group devoted solely to attack aircraft. In 1932, Fort Crocket received eleven A-8 Shrike attack aircraft, the US military's very first all-metal monowing combat aircraft. This delivery constituted the first delivery of this aircraft to a forward operational unit. By the mid-1930s, the 3rd Attack group had relocated to Barksdale, Louisiana.
During the Second World War, Fort Crockett was expanded with an additional large gun battery, and focus
was placed on defense against German U-boats. Additionally, the Fort served as a prisoner of war camp.
Following the war, Fort Crockett served for several years as an army recreational center.
In the 1950s, Fort Crockett became home for fisheries research for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Due to the massive amount of concrete used in constructing the protective casemate for the guns and magazines,
Battery Hoskins proved uneconomical to remove. The abandoned casemates remained an unofficial tourist attraction
for decades. In the early 1980s, a luxury resort (the San Luis Resort
) was built on and behind the battery. The massive concrete gun emplacements
remain dramatically visible from the seawall highway that runs along Galveston Beach, even though one gun emplacement now
sports a swimming pool atop it, and the other gun emplacement is adorned with a wedding gazebo.
north east side of Galveston Island, which corresponds to the west side of Bolivar Roads, the entrance to the bay. This was originally named Fort Travis in honor
of William Barret Travis, the commanding officer of the Alamo.
In the late 19th century, the entrance to Galveston Bay was secured by two new fortifications, one on each side of the mouth of the bay. The "Fort Travis" name was
transferred across Bolivar Roads to a new fortification on Point Bolivar, the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, which forms the east side of the entrance to the bay.
An additional new fortification was built on the north east tip of Galveston Island, and was named Fort San Jacinto in honor of the
final battle of the Texas Revolution, which established Texas' independence from Mexico.
At the end of the 19th century, Fort Crockett was established as headquarters for all three facilities. Located west of the city of Galveston,
its long-range guns could command the entire area. By the first half of the 20th century, Fort Crockett had the basic equipment believed needed to
defend the Galveston area from attack from air or sea.
Though installed over several decades, the different guns were selected to provide both long-range and rapid-fire support.
Battery Izard contained eight 12-inch mortars. Battery Wade Hampton
contained two 10-inch "disappearing" guns.
Battery Laval contained two 3 inches (76 mm) guns, and Battery Hoskins contained two 12 inches (305 mm) guns. These batteries were supported by various fire-control structures, with radar and anti-aircraft guns added in the 1940s.
Battery Mercer contained 12-inch mortars. Battery Heileman contained two 10-inch "disappearing" guns. Battery Hogan contained two 4.7 inches (119 mm) guns, and Battery Croghan contained two 3 inches (76 mm) guns.
Battery #235 contained 6 inches (152 mm) guns and another battery contained 90 mm guns.
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
overlooking
the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
,
thus protecting the commercial and industrial ports of Galveston and Houston and the extensive oil refineries in the bay area. The facility is now managed by the US NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, and hosts the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Laboratory,
the Texas Institute of Oceanography, as well as some university facilities. The area still contains several historical buildings and military fortifications.
History
A military facility by the US Army Coastal ArtilleryCoastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
on Galveston Island was established in the late 1890s.
Construction got underway just in time to be disrupted by the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900
Galveston Hurricane of 1900
The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale...
. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
spent several years rebuilding and expanding the reservation before it was re-garrisoned.
In 1903, the facility was named Fort Crockett in honor of David Crockett, US Congressman from Tennessee and famous
Texas hero of the Battle of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
. Following extensive repairs and upgrades, the fort was garrisoned by the US Army
Coast Artillery Corps in 1911.
During the First World War, Fort Crockett served as a US Army artillery training center. Troops bound for
France were trained in the use of several types of artillery.
During the 1920s and early 1930s, Fort Crockett housed the United States Army Air Corps' (USAAC) 3rd Attack Group (an ancestor to USAF's 3rd Wing). At this time, the 3rd Attack Group was the only USAAC group devoted solely to attack aircraft. In 1932, Fort Crocket received eleven A-8 Shrike attack aircraft, the US military's very first all-metal monowing combat aircraft. This delivery constituted the first delivery of this aircraft to a forward operational unit. By the mid-1930s, the 3rd Attack group had relocated to Barksdale, Louisiana.
During the Second World War, Fort Crockett was expanded with an additional large gun battery, and focus
was placed on defense against German U-boats. Additionally, the Fort served as a prisoner of war camp.
Following the war, Fort Crockett served for several years as an army recreational center.
In the 1950s, Fort Crockett became home for fisheries research for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Due to the massive amount of concrete used in constructing the protective casemate for the guns and magazines,
Battery Hoskins proved uneconomical to remove. The abandoned casemates remained an unofficial tourist attraction
for decades. In the early 1980s, a luxury resort (the San Luis Resort
San Luis Resort
San Luis Resort is a beachfront resort located on Seawall Boulevard on Galveston Island, Texas. This resort was recently the recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award....
) was built on and behind the battery. The massive concrete gun emplacements
remain dramatically visible from the seawall highway that runs along Galveston Beach, even though one gun emplacement now
sports a swimming pool atop it, and the other gun emplacement is adorned with a wedding gazebo.
Defensive facilities of Galveston Bay
During the Texas Revolution, Galveston harbor and the entrance to Galveston Bay was secured by a small fortication located at thenorth east side of Galveston Island, which corresponds to the west side of Bolivar Roads, the entrance to the bay. This was originally named Fort Travis in honor
of William Barret Travis, the commanding officer of the Alamo.
In the late 19th century, the entrance to Galveston Bay was secured by two new fortifications, one on each side of the mouth of the bay. The "Fort Travis" name was
transferred across Bolivar Roads to a new fortification on Point Bolivar, the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, which forms the east side of the entrance to the bay.
An additional new fortification was built on the north east tip of Galveston Island, and was named Fort San Jacinto in honor of the
final battle of the Texas Revolution, which established Texas' independence from Mexico.
At the end of the 19th century, Fort Crockett was established as headquarters for all three facilities. Located west of the city of Galveston,
its long-range guns could command the entire area. By the first half of the 20th century, Fort Crockett had the basic equipment believed needed to
defend the Galveston area from attack from air or sea.
Coastal artillery batteries at Fort Crockett
In the mid-20th century, two Regiments of the US Army Coast Artillery were headquartered at Fort Crockett, and manned four major artillery batteries, each supporting a different type of artillery.Though installed over several decades, the different guns were selected to provide both long-range and rapid-fire support.
Battery Izard contained eight 12-inch mortars. Battery Wade Hampton
Wade Hampton III
Wade Hampton III was a Confederate cavalry leader during the American Civil War and afterward a politician from South Carolina, serving as its 77th Governor and as a U.S...
contained two 10-inch "disappearing" guns.
Battery Laval contained two 3 inches (76 mm) guns, and Battery Hoskins contained two 12 inches (305 mm) guns. These batteries were supported by various fire-control structures, with radar and anti-aircraft guns added in the 1940s.
Coastal artillery batteries at Fort San Jacinto
Additional companies of Coast Artillery were stationed at Fort San Jacinto, located on the north-east tip of Galveston Island, commanding the southern portion of the entrance to Galveston Bay.Battery Mercer contained 12-inch mortars. Battery Heileman contained two 10-inch "disappearing" guns. Battery Hogan contained two 4.7 inches (119 mm) guns, and Battery Croghan contained two 3 inches (76 mm) guns.
Battery #235 contained 6 inches (152 mm) guns and another battery contained 90 mm guns.