▁provide ▁an ▁un ob struct ed ▁field ▁of ▁fire ▁for ▁B atter y ▁Wilson . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Fort ▁Dr um ▁with stood ▁heavy ▁Japanese ▁air ▁bomb ard ment . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁an ▁M 1 9 0 3 ▁ 3 - inch ▁( 7 6 ▁mm ) ▁se aco ast ▁gun ▁with ▁a ▁ped est al ▁mount ▁was ▁transferred ▁from ▁Fort ▁Frank ▁and ▁installed ▁at ▁Fort ▁Dr um ▁to ▁help ▁protect ▁the ▁fort ' s ▁vulner able ▁" st ern " ▁section ▁from ▁attack , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁named ▁B atter y ▁Ho yle . ▁The ▁very ▁next ▁day ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁January , ▁before ▁the ▁concrete ▁emp lacement ▁was ▁fully ▁dry ▁and ▁the ▁gun ▁had ▁been ▁bore - s ight ed ▁or ▁checked ▁for ▁ass urance ▁level , ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁battery ▁of ▁se aco ast ▁art illery ▁to ▁open ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁enemy ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁when ▁it ▁drove ▁off ▁a ▁Japanese - com mande ered ▁inter - is land ▁ste amer , ▁apparently ▁bent ▁on ▁a ▁close ▁ins pection ▁of ▁Fort ▁Dr um ' s ▁vulner able ▁rear ▁approach . ▁Until ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁c age ▁m ast ▁control ▁tower ▁mask ed ▁the ▁fire ▁of ▁the ▁rear ▁main ▁tur ret , ▁while ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁gun ▁above ▁water ▁created ▁a ▁dead ▁space ▁even ▁had ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁fire ▁been ▁clear . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁week ▁of ▁February