Fort Randolph (Panama) Explained

Fort Randolph in Panama was a Coast Artillery Corps fort built to defend the northern end of the Panama Canal in conjunction with Fort Sherman.^[1]

History

Fort Randolph was built on Margarita Island which had been connected to the mainland by a railway causeway, so that the eastern breakwater of Limon Bay could be built. Like most of the Panama forts, construction began in 1913 and the breakwater was complete in 1916. The fort itself was completed on 9 April 1920 and named after Major General Wallace F. Randolph. After World War I, emplacements were added for the M1920 railway guns. These emplacements were located east of Battery Tidball.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Batteries

The following batteries were built on the fort.

• Tidball, four -12-inch mortars, (John C. Tidball)
• Zalinski, four -12-inch mortars
• Webb, two 14-inch Disappearing gun
• Weed, two 6-inch Disappearing gun
• four 75-mm guns
• four 155-mm guns
• Two emplacements for the 14-inch M1920 railway guns

See also

• Coastal artillery
• List of United States Army installations in Panama
• Coco Solo
• Panama Canal Railway
• Naval Base Panama Canal Zone

External links

• Wikimapia map of Fort Randolph
• "Gun Train Guards Ends of Panama Canal -- Rolling Fort Crosses Isthmus in Two Hours" Popular Mechanics, December 1934 pp.844-845 excellent drawings in article on the 14-inch M1920 railway gun

9.3844°N -79.8878°W

Notes and References

1. https://members.tripod.com/william_h_ormsbee/cocosolo_naval_base_hist_p01.htm Coco Solo Naval Reservation and Fort Randolph
2. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Building_Bases/bases-18.html US Bases
3. Military Railroads on the Panama Canal Zone by Charles S. Small, Railroad monographs 1982
4. http://www.czimages.com/CZMemories/Photos/photoof414.htm Fort Randolph