DELAWARE’S GHOST TOWERS

A history of decommissioned military towers on the Delaware coast.

In the third edition of this nonfiction book, military historian Grayson looks into the story behind a collection of large cement towers along the Delaware coast. The structures were constructed as part of a coastal defense system and were manned by soldiers of the U.S. Army’s Coast Artillery Corps throughout World War II until it became clear that the United States wouldn’t face a German invasion by sea. “In hindsight, we now know that the veterans of Fort Miles were actually safe,” the author notes, “but, at the time, none of them knew so and their situation might have been very different, if the Battle of the Atlantic had not been decisively won by the Allies.” Grayson explains the strategic value of the towers, the details of their operation in conjunction with ground-based artillery, and what everyday life was like for the soldiers stationed at Fort Miles. The book also describes the state of each of the towers today, highlighting their status as visual icons of the Delaware shoreline. In appendices to the main text, Grayson goes into more detail about World War II coastal defenses, how artillery trajectories are calculated, and offers a pair of short alternate histories that imagine the roles that the towers might have played if the German navy had indeed attempted a major East Coast military operation. Black-and-white illustrations and photos throughout make it easy for readers unfamiliar with the area to understand the significance of the towers and the geography of the coastline as well as the mechanics of launching ammunition at far-off ships given the technological constraints of the 1940s. Grayson’s subject matter presents a challenge, since the towers were of little operational importance during the war, but he provides enough context to tell an engaging story despite the lack of battlefield drama. The book is likely to appeal most to military history buffs, who will appreciate Grayson’s substantial research, and to readers with an interest in Delaware’s attractions.

A narrowly focused but compelling work that illuminates a largely forgotten aspect of World War II.