The Giant Guns That Protected New York in World War II

During World War II, New York City stood dangerously close to the front lines of the Atlantic war. Hidden beneath the beaches surrounding the harbor, massive coastal artillery batteries waited silently for a Nazi naval attack that military planners feared could devastate America’s most important city. This story explores the secret defenses of Fort Tilden and Fort Wadsworth, and how their enormous 16-inch guns helped turn New York Harbor into one of the most heavily defended locations in the world.

As German U-boats hunted ships along the East Coast during Operation Drumbeat, American soldiers prepared underground for a battle they hoped would never come. Using radar, plotting rooms, overlapping artillery fire, and heavily fortified bunkers, the Harbor Defenses of New York created a deadly kill zone designed to stop enemy warships before they ever reached Manhattan.

From hidden tunnels and giant naval guns to the forgotten ruins that still remain today, this is the untold story of the silent sentinels that guarded New York during World War II.