Delaware's Ghost Towers

A military historian explores an unheralded front of World War II.

As a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, Grayson has long studied military history and is the author of multiple books and articles in that field. He’s also made periodic visits to Delaware’s Atlantic coast, where he, like many fellow Washington, D.C.–area residents, passed weekends of relaxation and fun. Visitors to that coastal string of resort towns can’t help but notice the collection of “mysterious towers” that dot Route 1. Despite a number of local “myths borne of guesswork,” very little has been published about the towers’ history—not even pamphlets at state parks. Written as a remedy to this historiographic silence, this book centers on little-discussed civil defense measures taken during World War II on Atlantic coasts adjacent to the nation’s capital. The aforementioned towers, such as those located at Delaware’s Fort Miles, served as essential elements of homeland defense, providing radar signals and observation posts for those that kept watch for naval threats throughout the war. This concise book provides a brief but detailed look at the role of Delaware’s U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps in protecting the country’s shores during that era. In doing so, the author hopes to not only provide curious Delaware residents with an accurate history of the towers, but also highlight the valor of soldiers who “are not specifically depicted or credited for their front line obedience to orders during the war’s darkest hours.” This hagiographic approach feels a bit overplayed at times. However, the book’s strength lies in its unusual, in-depth examination of the military’s use of its towers and artillery defense networks. It also provides a detailed survey of the underlying science and math behind observation towers, which allow corpsmen to see approaching ships beyond the horizon. It’s an accessible narrative, overall, and it’s accompanied by historical photographs, text-box vignettes, maps of tower locations, and weaponry-related charts that add up to an engaging reading experience.

A well-researched history of Delaware’s strategic role during the Second World War.