The Fort Miles Historical Association is another step closer to its planned museum at Cape Henlopen State Park.
The non profit group expects to receive the final round of multi-ton weapon parts from a Virginia Naval boneyard later this month to complete a 16-inch gun display.
The World War II era gun will incorporate the barrel that was on board the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrendered to end World War II. The group received that barrel in April 2012
Gary Wray, president of the Fort Miles Historical Association says getting the weapon parts is just a piece of the puzzle.
“We have another year, year and a half to really clean the parts up and get them looking new and then the final piece is putting them all together with a great big huge crane," said Wray. "The gun barrel itself weighs 110 tons, the yoke, which is a counterbalance to to the barrel weighs 19 tons and the breech block weighs 3 tons so we’re talking about some big parts.”
Wray adds when all the work is done the weapon will be exhibited near the entrance to the fort’s Battery 519.
“Its going to be right out in front of our museum aimed right towards Cape May. So its going to sit right up on the hill, all 400 tons of it. It’s going to be an absolutely spectacular static display for all the people who are interested in Delaware history and World War II history to come to Cape Henlopen State Park and go,” said Wray.
Fort Miles was a key coastal defense area during the war and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.