Casco Bay Under Military Rule

by Tom Seymour

The Liberty Ship Isaac Sharpless at Pier 1 East at the West Division of the South Portland Shipbuilding Corp. on Feb. 20, 1943. The ship was chartered by the Army Transportation Service and could hold 550 troops. The company built Liberty Ships for the U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II. Photo from collections of Maine Historical Society

Today, looking out over Casco Bay and its islands, it’s hard to imagine a time when a military presence controlled all vessels entering and leaving the bay.

But as of March, 20, 1942, the Navy and Coast Guard maintained strict control of all activity in and around Casco Bay. Special orders restricting the movement of pleasure and commercial crafts of all types in the Fleet Anchorage, Casco Bay, Maine, made it mandatory that all vessels heading for summer homes or landings in Casco Bay first proceed to a Coast Guard Control Point.

Captains of ships and owners of pleasure craft were issued maps, showing “forbidden areas” as well as established boat lanes where vessels, once passing muster at the control point, could sail through gates equipped with submarine nets. The bay was ringed with buoyant mines and hydrophones for detecting submarine presence. It was, given the surprising array of defenses, nearly impossible for an enemy submarine to enter Casco Bay undetected.

However, since a number of summer homes on Clapboard, Basket and Sturtivant Islands were inside the forbidden zones, special accommodations were permitted by making special arrangements with the Captain of the Port.

Members of the Women’s Army Corps detachment at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, playing volleyball, ca. 1944. They served during World War II doing harbor defense. Photo from collections of Maine Historical Society

Everyday Life

Despite such strict control over vessels in Casco Bay, local residents did their best to live life in as “normal” a fashion as possible. Chebeague Island resident Anne Holmbom was 14 when the Navy chose Casco Bay as a place of strategic importance in winning the Battle of The Atlantic. As such, boatyards worked feverishly to build Liberty Ships for the now-growing U.S. Navy. In fact, Casco Bay was one huge, spread-out naval base.

Anne graciously consented to an interview with this author. Anne spoke of seeing huge searchlights at night, lighting up the sky, searching for enemy fighter planes. This required some getting used to, but area residents took it all in stride. Anne told a story about her father going to great lengths for a night of smelt dipping with a friend.

Since it was illegal for residents to venture outdoors during nighttime hours, Anne’s father and a friend devised a plan. They would go to their daily jobs as usual, but would bring smelting gear with them. Then when darkness fell, instead of heading home they went out smelting, probably by the light of the moon, since lanterns would have served as a dead give-away. Anne didn’t say how many smelts her dad brought home, but however many there were, were dearly won.

Anne talked about a cement guardhouse on Chebeague Island and how, over 70 years later, the structure still stands, an eerie reminder of the dark days of World War II.

Anne said that one of the Casco Bay forts regularly fired loud, booming charges at regular intervals. These were even more difficult to acclimate to than were the searchlights, since they rattled houses and broke windows and dishes.

Military installations around Casco Bay meant that lots of sailors were stationed there. Anne spoke of the numerous romances and marriages between local girls and sailors.

Anne told of a dormitory built by the military. At war’s end, this structure was turned into a watch-making school. Of all the things that vacant buildings might have been used for, a watch-making school seems the most unlikely of choices. But the war was over and people quickly began building their new lives, some of those including learning how to make watches.

Finally, Anne recounted seeing special flags on vessels. These identified the vessels as having been properly processed and therefore, posing no danger. All vessels, from sailboats to fishing boats, were required to fly these special flags.

Integral Location

Viewing military defenses in and around Casco Bay in 1941 as part of a larger plan, we see that Casco Bay was in a location of strategic importance. Casco Bay was close to convoy routes, ships going to and returning from Britain to bring much-needed supplies to the beleaguered island nation. In fact, the only other option for a large naval base was Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. However, Rhode Island sat too far from convoy routes and perhaps by default, Casco Bay became the Navy’s inner base.

The rest of the Navy’s logistical plan required the establishment of an outer base and for this, Argentia, on Placentia Bay in Newfoundland was chosen. So with both inner and outer bases firmly established, the navy could supply convoy escorts to ships sailing to Britain.

Special Regulations

In an attempt to make at least small concessions to residents of Casco Bay towns, on April 4, 1942, the navy released special regulations encouraging yachting and small boating. These regulations suggested that owners should put all boats in the water and leave them there so that they could not only be ready for recreational use, but also for military use for war needs.

Under these regulations, all boats were required to first obtain a permit from the Captain of the Port before departing from or entering a harbor. Also, owners or employees of owners of any boat carrying passengers were to carry an identification card with names and addresses of all passengers.

Prohibited on any private vessels were cameras, firearms and, as if it even required stating, enemy aliens. The military was taking no chances, even as it endeavored to lessen its impact on residents.

No one was exempt from these strict regulations and that included doctors. Since the islands had no resident doctors, physicians were brought to patients by boat. Vessels carrying doctors and personnel working on government defense contracts were required to carry Coast Guard licenses for all movement.

One such permit was issued to American vessel Betty B (we can assume the “B” stood for Betty Boop, a popular cartoon character of the day) for the purpose of bringing one Doctor Woodman to Chebeague Island. The permit was issued for the various trips needed to take the doctor to and from the island and also, for fishing, two dissimilar activities.

Ghost Structures

Today, forts, dormitories and batteries remain in place, ghostly reminders of Maine’s place in World War II. Battery Steele on Peaks Island still stands, its thick, steel-reinforced concrete walls and its 300-foot tunnel has withstood the test of time. Its guns were long ago removed, but the old Battery nevertheless displays an air of military might despite being in a decrepit condition.

Peaks Island was home to 58 different military structures. Even today, remains of the searchlights remind visitors of a time when nighttime attack from the air was a very real possibility.

But Peaks Island is only one of many islands with still-standing structures from the war. And if nothing more, these relics should remind us of the time when America rolled her sleeves up and put all her energy and resolve into the war effort.