UXO Site selected: Fort Miles Military Reservation, DE
General Area: Lewes, DE

Site Type/Program: FUDS

Location: The former Fort Miles Military Reservation, consisting of 2,011.25 acres, is located on Cape Henlopen, just east of the Town of Lewes, Sussex County, Delaware. The site can be accessed via US Route 9. The site is at approximately Latitude 38°47’ 30 and Longitude 75°05’ 08. The primary current use of the property is as a state-owned and operated public park, the Cape Henlopen State Park. The U.S. Navy operates a reserve center on approximately 16 acres, and the University of Delaware and City of Lewis each control certain tracts. The lands are readily accessible by the public.

Brief History: Originally known as Cape Henlopen Military Reservation, the site was part of the Harbor Defenses of Delaware Bay during WW I and WW II. A 6-inch gun emplacement was located on Cape Henlopen Point during WW I. During WW II, numerous gun emplacements of sizes eight, twelve and sixteen inch were scattered about the reservation. The entire site was officially called Fort Miles by an Act of Congress in 1938. A fort was built in the early 1940’ s. The 261st Coast Artillery was present. The Navy set up a Harbor Entrance Control Post and mines were laid across the channel in Delaware Bay. Post facilities were built. A small arms firing range was established. Fort Miles continued as an army post after WW II and was quite active as a training post during the Korean War in 1950. It was then used to support anti-aircraft gun firing units and for reserve component training. In 1958, the Army decided to close Fort Miles. The Army officially transferred 614 acres to the Department of the Navy for a Naval Oceanographic Research Station on February 13, 1961. The Navy resurveyed the property and determined it contained 593.47 acres. The Army retained 190 acres of land for the establishment of the First Recreation Area(FARA). The Navy retained 13.77 acres for a Naval Oceanographic Research Station.
Range / Site Description:

Associated Munitions:

Activities Completed: The draft Archives Search Report for Fort Miles Military Reservation was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, in August 1996.

Issues: The strategy is EE/CA with a score of RAC 1 for Areas A-C and NOFA with RAC 5 for Area D. The ASR RAC form includes values for Medium/Large Caliber and Grenades, Practice, which are not included as confirmed or potential OE in the Project Description above. Large caliber ammunition fired from the site into the Atlantic Ocean would not be a factor as far as EE/CA of the site unless some are buried in the plot identified as “Dud area” in Area A. The Grenade, Practice was included because one was present as a souvenir in an office at the site, but it was not determined where it was actually found on the site.

Other Information: EE/CA
UXO Site Maps no map available
Fort Miles- Click Map for Larger View
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