Joint Expeditionary Base East
| Fort Story | |
|---|---|
| Part of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story | |
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | |
Command Logo
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| Coordinates | 36°55′38″N 76°00′59″W / 36.9273°N 76.0164°WCoordinates: 36°55′38″N 76°00′59″W / 36.9273°N 76.0164°W |
| Type | Army Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
 United States Navy
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| Site history | |
| In use | 1914–present |
Joint Expeditionary Base-Fort Story, commonly called simply Fort Story is a sub-installation of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story, which is operated by the United States Navy. Located in the independent city of Virginia Beach, Virginia at Cape Henry at the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay, it offers a unique combination of features including dunes, beaches, sand, surf, deep-water anchorage, variable tide conditions, maritime forest and open land. The base is the prime location and training environment for both Army amphibious operations and Joint Logistics-Over-the-Shore (LOTS) training events.
The base includes 1,451 acres (5.9 km²) of sandy trails, cypress swamps, maritime forest, grassy dunes and soft and hard sand beaches. The western beaches are wide, gently sloped and washed by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Eastern beaches are exposed to the rougher waters of the Atlantic surf. The
Fort Story became a military installation in 1914 when the Virginia General Assembly gave the land to the U.S. Government "to erect fortifications and for other military purposes". The base was named for Gen. John Patten Story, a noted coast artilleryman of his day.
During World War I, Fort Story was integrated into the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay, which included Fortress Monroe (Headquarters) and Fort Wool. After World War I, the base was designated a Harbor Defense Command and entered a period of post-war inactivity which lasted until the beginning of World War II. In May 1928, the first battle practice of units of the coast artillery was held since the end of the war. A battalion of 8-inch railway guns fired at "hostile" ships 16,000 yards at sea, The 1st Battalion of the 12th Coast Artillery, and the 52d Coast Artillery, Railway, participated.
In 1941, prior to the United States entering World War II, the Headquarters of the Harbor Defense Command was moved from Fortress Monroe to Fort Story, more land was acquired, and two additional harbor defense installations were added. In 1944, Fort Story began to transition from a heavily fortified coast artillery garrison to a convalescent hospital for returning veterans. By the time of its closing March 15, 1946, the hospital had accommodated more than 13,472 patients.
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