Dewees Island History Tour Station 7: Sub Tower
A prominent Dewees Island landmark is a tower built by the U.S, Army in 1942. It was manned until 1944 by the Coast Guard as an observation post in the campaign against German submarines. The Dewees tower and others like it along the Atlantic coast (only a few of which remain) were a part of the successful effort to win the battle of the Atlantic.
Built as a “fire tower” in 1942 by the US Army, this watch tower was a plotting room to keep track of military activity in the Atlantic. Part of a 5 fort defense system, it was manned by the Coast Guard during WWII.
In 1944, sentries inaccurately reported an “invasion” on Bulls Island. It turned out to be a pod of Pilot Whales beaching themselves.
In the 1940s, a group of young men stayed in the tower regularly. They called themselves the TJ boys. Click here for the memories of George Grice.