Fort MacArthur Museum, San Pedro, CA - 22 MAR 2018

Name after Henry V. Ogood (1842-1909)
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient
The San Pedro Bay Historical Society was offering a member only tour of Fort MacArthur Museum. Billed as rain or shine, it was a wet, muddy day.
Since it open in 1985, I have taken a tour 2 or 3 times. The museum is always changing and evolving.
Anti-Aircraft Battery Commander's Telescope M-1
They are currently trying to restore several rooms and make it a living history structure.
Once a year they bring out the sirens and flood lights, when they reenact "The Great Los Angeles Air Raid of 1942."
2023 Update: This years Air Raid was cancelled as a Great Horned Owl's nest was discovered on the museum grounds. This will affect any future events involving loud noise and bright lights.
They also have a pet cemetery on the grounds.
This tour was special as we got to see a few rooms that are not included on regular tours.
Below is a machine used for Morse code training. The paper tape emits dashes and dots sounds.
At the start of World War II, the Army made plans for the construction of fifty intermediate range 6-inch coastal defense batteries (100 guns).
Three were built locally. Battery 240 (above Point Vicente in Polos Verdes), Battery 241 (below the Korean Friendship Bell) and Battery 242 at Bolsa Chica, which is now covered up.
Of special interest to me was getting to see Battery 241, which has always been closed to the public. It is located under the Korean Bell of Friendship.
I last set foot inside this battery in 1976, before the doors were permanently closed to keep out hooligans. (The B&W images were scan from negatives I took in 1976.)
Battery 241 is still closed to the public, but is in the process of being restored.
Plotting Room
Plotting Room Ceiling Tile with Communications Box
We were told the ceiling tiles were made from dried seaweed.
Same view in 1976 (taken from half way down the hall just in front of search light):
In 1976, I took a couple of friends with me, to play with taking timed exposures. In total darkness, I put the camera on a tripod, open the lens and walked down the hall setting off flashes to create ghost-like images: