The Lewes Historical Society “Lewes Lunch and Learn” on March 11th
Lewes, Delaware- February 24, 2016- During the Lewes Lunch & Learn on Friday, March 11, at noon in Hotel Rodney, George Contact will present “Battery X, a Classified Military Project at Ft. Miles in Lewes, Delaware.”
During the 1940’s, Fort Miles was a bustling coastal defense fort just outside of the small town of Lewes. Women were just beginning to come into military service to “free a man to fight,” but were forbidden to participate in anything remotely related to combat themselves. It might not have been “acceptable” to allow women to physically load a huge anti-aircraft artillery piece, but many were convinced that women were more than able to find the enemy and tell male gunners where to point those guns.
Battery X testing occurred at the gunnery range at Bethany Beach, which was a sub-post of Fort Miles. Fort Miles was about to play a major role in a scheme that would not be declassified from Top Secret until 1968.
In honor of Women’s History Month, be a part of this lecture and hear a lesser known story of Lewes’s collective past.
Speaker George Contact has been a Delaware State Park historian-researcher since 1999. He is also the curator for the Middletown Historical Society and was the researcher and composer for the “Middletown Goes to War” exhibit, designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ CARE Team.
The Lewes Historical Society hosts presentations called “Lewes Lunch & Learns,” which include various topics relating to the history of Lewes and surrounding area. This series of presentations are led by local history buffs, heritage area experts, and museum professionals. Lectures take place on announced dates, beginning at noon in the downstairs meeting room of the Hotel Rodney at the corner of Second and Market Streets. These events are free and open to the public. Space is limited. Seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. It is suggested that attendees bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy during the lecture.
These programs are sponsored by Hotel Rodney.
For a complete listing of Lewes Lunch & Learns, and to learn more about The Lewes Historical Society, please visit www.HistoricLewes.org or call 302-645-7670.