Battery 223 – A World War II Abandoned Bunker in Cape May, New Jersey

“Monuments, like men, submit to fate.”

Alexander Pope

Having heard so much about this bunker through Obscura Atlas, we felt the need to find it. We did find it purely by accident the day we were visiting Cape May, New Jersey. After we rushed off the Cape May-Lewes Ferry near sunset, we drove straight to Cape May Point State Park to see the Cape May Lighthouse. We caught that just in time to see the setting sun glowing on the conical beige tower standing strong.

After I took pictures of the lighthouse, I ran up to the wooden overlook to where my husband, Joe was and saw the most beautiful sunset. The sun was kissing the land and sending up to the heavens gorgeous streaks of color displayed across the sky. We stood there enjoying the beautiful sunset and watching the waves lapping the beach. Then I looked away from the sunset, and there it stood.

This eerie, massive, cement WWII Bunker stood out against the sandy beach with the waves crashing nearby. It looked so surreal. This building was built without windows giving it an even starker look. Originally they had it covered with earth to camouflage it but over the years it has become exposed.

Just before WWII, the United States realized our coastal defenses were not well fortified and knew they had to do something. During that time, many German ships and submarines were patrolling our coast line and it was thought they would try to come ashore to attack us. That is hard to believe now, on this beautiful, peaceful day here at the park watching families with children running along the beach enjoying the day. But back in the early 1940’s, it was so.

The US Army Corps of Engineers started constructing the bunker on September 12, 1942 and completed it on June 23, 1943. It was to be used as part of the Harbor Defense Project of 1942 to protect our coastline. The bunker was then located in the Cape May Military Reservation.

This building had twenty rooms inside including a plotting room, switchboard room, latrine, 6 shell rooms, 2 powder rooms, and a chemical warfare service room. There was also an airlock to protect our service men from chemical attacks. They powered this facility with three diesel generators that had exhaust pipes and mufflers.

The Bunker contained heavy artillery and was manned round the clock by Naval gunnery crews who stood watch scanning the ocean for any impending trouble. There were two 6 inch T2 Rapid Fire guns mounted that could fire at a rate of five rounds per minute. These guns would fire 105 pound armor projectiles over 15 miles. That’s impressive. There were only tests and preformed here and no live fire was ever used against at the enemy.

After running down the beach to get some pictures before it got too dark, I stood there looking at this massive site huffing and puffing. It is not easy running on a sandy beach at least it wasn’t easy for me. I read the bunker has walls that were six foot thick and a blast proof roof. At one time this bunker stood over 900 feet from the waterline but now at high tide, it gets surrounded by water. The ocean is eroding this fixture and now there is 8 feet of this structure under the sand. Now the bunker appears to be just sitting on the sand when it used to be up on a pier like structure.

The bunker was decommissioned in 1944 and later that year was transferred to the United States Coast Guard and later deactivated in 1947. By 1948, all the defensive guns had been scrapped and by 1950, the Army dismantled all the fixed guns harbor defenses and the building was used for other purposes. One of the purposes was that it was used as a US Navy Radio Transmitter Station for the Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War. During that time, they poured a concrete base on top and put a Quonset Hut on top. It was later decommissioned in 1963 after becoming a part of the Cape May Point State Park.

During the 1970’s they added wooden steps and allowed people to walk to the top of the bunker. They added a coin operated fixed binocular system where you could get a good view of the ocean for ten cents. Now this building is unsafe and can not be walked on or in and there are no trespassing signs everywhere.

Many men were stationed here and served our country with honor. As the sun set over the beach on this historic monument, I was glad we made it to see it. This is a part of the US history and something I’m glad we had the time to witness today. It is said, people have seen the forms of men in WWII military uniforms lurking around here at night. I don’t know if it is true but if it is, they are still on duty watching to keep us safe. If you are ever in Cape May, go check this out before this historic monument is gone. Till next time. Bye for now.