90 mm M-2 Anti-Aircraft Gun
This type of gun was adopted in 1942 and was used mainly against enemy planes. It was used in both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation during World War II (1941-1945). The 90 mm M-2 AA gun could fire at airplanes up to an altitude of 33,000 feet. Shells were set to explode when they reached a certain altitude. The men who fired this type of gun were known as ack-ack crews. It could be used as a field gun for bombardment and as an anti-tank gun as well. These guns usually operated in batteries consisting of four guns. There are many devices on this gun that had to be operated in order to fire it. Some gun crews had as many as thirteen men working to carry the large shells, set the fuses, load them, operate the dials, and fire the gun. Gun emplacements were covered by camouflage nets to make them harder to see from the air. These guns were usually dug into circular pits about four feet deep and twenty feet across. It took about twelve hours of hard work to get the gun in place to fire it. The 90 mm M-2 AA gun was used to protect Air Force bases and military installations as late as the mid 1950's.
Marker is at the intersection of North Main Street and Academy Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
