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Fort Miles receives WWII observation post

Structure, originally manned by civilians, to arrive Oct. 10
October 10, 2017

The Fort Miles Historical Association has secured one of the last remaining World War II observation posts that were a part of the Aircraft Warning Service for the Fort Miles Museum. The AWS was a civilian service of the U.S. Army Observer Corps established during World War II to keep watch for enemy planes entering American airspace. As it was not practical to use military personnel as ground observers, civilians of all ages and walks of life were called on to watch the skies.

Delaware was one of the first states to have ground observers organized and serving at observation posts. Posts were manned in two-hour shifts around the clock. Some were only shacks, hen houses, or junked automobiles while others were more elaborate. The post donated to the museum has remained under the care of the family upon whose land it was constructed and manned more than 70 years ago. Used during both World War II and the early 1950s, the call sign of the station was Peter Jig.

Coastal Towing has donated towing services to bring the structure from its Hooper's Island, Md. home to the Fort Miles Museum. The post is expected to arrive at Cape Henlopen State Park about 11:30 a.m. Oct. 10. As with other recent artifacts, such as the 90 mm anti-aircraft gun, the observation post will undergo restoration work under the supervision of FMHA's "Bunker Buster" volunteers before it goes on public display.

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