5-inch gun M1897

The 5-inch gun M1897 (127 mm) and its variant the M1900 were coastal artillery pieces installed to defend major American seaports between 1897 and 1920.In 1885, William C. Endicott, President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of War, was tasked with creating the Board of Fortifications to review seacoast defenses.The findings of the board illustrated a grim picture of existing defenses in its 1886 report and recommended a massive $127 million construction program of breech-loading cannons, mortars, floating batteries, and submarine mines for some 29 locations on the US coastline.In the overall system, it was an intermediate caliber between the heavy 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch weapons and the small 3-inch guns intended to defend minefields against minesweepers.[7] Under the Endicott program, 52 5-inch guns were emplaced in the United States, 32 on M1896 balanced pillar carriages and 20 on M1903 pedestal mounts.
5-inch gun M1897 on balanced pillar mount M1896 (middle).
Balanced pillar emplacement for 5-inch gun M1897, Battery Boutelle, Fort Scott, Presidio of San Francisco . Photographed in 2019.
6-inch gun M1900 on pedestal mount M1900, generally similar to the 5-inch gun M1900 on pedestal mount M1903.
Coastal artilleryField gunUnited States ArmyWorld War IWatervliet ArsenalBethlehem SteelBarrelcalibersCaliberBreechInterrupted screwDe BangeRecoilHydro-springbalanced pillarWatertown ArsenalElevationTraversePresidio of San FranciscoseaportsUnited States Army Coast Artillery Corpsdisappearing carriagebarbetteWilliam C. EndicottPresidentGrover ClevelandSecretary of WarBoard of Fortificationsmortarssubmarine mines8-inch10-inch12-inch3-inch guns6-inch gun M1897harbor defensesdisappearing carriagesone-pounderAmerican entry into World War IWestern Frontfield gunsArmisticeBethlehemWoodstown, NJFort CaswellWarren, OHFort BakerValley Forge Military Academy and CollegeWayne, PAFort SchuylerIndiana, PAVirginia War MuseumNewport News, VAFort Winfield ScottChewsville, MDFort WordenBoonsboro, MDSeacoast defense in the United StatesHarbor Defense Command5"/51 caliber gunCoast Artillery fire control systemList of field gunsCrowell, BenedictartilleryPuteaux SA 18QF 6-pounder 6 cwt HotchkissCanon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP37 mm Infantry Gun Model 1917QF 2.95-inch mountain gun3-inch M1902 field gun75 mm gun M189775 mm gun M191675 mm gun M19173.2-inch gun M18974.7-inch gun M19066-inch howitzer M19086-inch gun M1903155 mm GPF M1918155 mm howitzer M1917BL 8-inch howitzer Mk VI – VIIIBL 9.2-inch howitzer240 mm trench mortar3-inch gun M19173-inch gun M19183-inch gun M19036-inch Armstrong gun8-inch gun M188810-inch gun M189512-inch gun M189512-inch coast defense mortar14-inch gun M190716-inch gun M189516-inch gun M1919155 mm gun M1918MI7"/45 caliber gun12-inch gun M1895MIA114"/50 caliber railway gun