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Naval History and Heritage Command

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S-421 Naval Railway Gun Photo Collection
S-421 Naval Railway Gun Photo Collection

Topic
  • Ordnance and Weapons
Document Type
  • Finding Aids Glossaries Guides
  • Photograph
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War I 1917-1918
Navy Communities
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC
Author Name
Place of Event
Recipient Name
Title: Naval Railway Gun Photo Collection
Description: Collection of a book/album (non-original photography- photographs printed directly onto pages) containing 54 photographs and drawings of the 14" Naval Railway Gun, Mark I. The book shows the wartime history of the guns with some supporting text. The book was presented to Mr. Samuel M. Vauclain (president of the Baldwin Locomotive Works) by RADM Ralph Earle, Chief of BuOrd, circa 1919.
Accession#: S-421
Donor: Francis G. Tatnall (daughter of Samuel M. Vauclain)
Copyright Owner: Naval History and Heritage Commadn
Circa: 1918-1919
Format: Black & white photographs

Collection Guide: 

Subject matter includes:

- A completed gun, its manufacture and assembly, circa April 1918
- Views of the gun car in various stages of manufacturing, construction, assembly, and completion
- Views of supporting cars, including ammunition car (inside and out), box car for berthing and shops (inside and out), 3”/50 twin A.A. gun car, gondola car, and crane car
- Naval barracks at St. Nazaire, France that housed the Battery’s personnel, including exterior and interior views
- Assembly of 14” MK I railroad guns, with supporting locomotives and cars at St. Nazaire, circa July – August 1918
- Gun en route to the Front, crossing a bridge
- VIPs with the Battery, including Assistant SecNav Franklin D. Roosevelt and Battery Commander RADM Charles P. Plunkett, USN
- Gun under test at the Sandy Hook Proving Grounds, NJ
- Gun camouflaged
- Gun in action on the Western Front
- Damage at the Laon Railway Yards, targeted by the gun

For information about the rest of the collection: nhhcphotoarchives@navy.mil