Gun Platforms at Naval Training Center Park
The two large gun mounts at this location were once part of a coastal defense system designed to protect the San Diego Bay. These are 5-inch, 51-caliber guns, originally found on older battleships. Built to engage fast-moving surface craft like torpedo boats, they were too swift for the battleships’ large main guns to track and destroy. With large wheels controlling both horizontal and vertical direction, these guns could fire a 50-pound, 5-inch shell at speeds of over 3,100 feet per second, with a range of 8 miles.
Also present is a 5-inch, 38-caliber dual-purpose gun with an elaborate mount. This lighter, more versatile weapon was designed for both surface and aerial targets. Widely used on destroyers, carriers, and later cruisers and battleships, it could fire a 55-pound shell at speeds up to 3,600 feet per second and had a range of up to 9 miles when fired vertically.
Take a moment to admire these historic guns, which once stood as sentinels over the bay, ready to protect the coast from any threat. Please do not go beyond the protective chain fence.