Michael Stark - The WWII Lookout Tower Project. The WWII Lookout Tower Project- This tower is one of the last remaining unused beach lookout towers in the State of Florida. The tower is on the dunes around the 2100 block of Ocean shore Boulevard in Ormond By The Sea Florida. Members of Flotilla 44, then called Flotilla 1-3, stood guard in this tower around the clock during World War II, looking for enemy ships and submarines, troop movements, and American and Allied ships torpedoed by enemy submarines. Flotilla 1-3 (present day Flotilla 44) was formally chartered on December 18, 1941. German submarines arrived off the Atlantic Coast in January 1942. By May of that year, 180 vessels had been sunk. The Coast Guard Auxiliary responded to aid the sinking vessels and rescued those who were forced to abandon ship. At times, people on the beach could see these U-boat engagements. In addition to their responsibilities for patrolling the beaches of Volusia and Flagler Counties, members of Flotilla 1-3 also conducted river patrols on the Intracoastal Waterway and patrolled the offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean searching for harbor infiltrators and enemy submarines. This rare World War II coastal watch tower was refurbished in 2004 including a placard placed at its base with a brief history. The 30 foot tower was reorganized as a historic site in the mid 1990s. Source ovrealty/WWII_Watch_Tower.html Michael Stark
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 22:26:53 +0000
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