For generations, this tower has symbolized the protection of the Delaware coast. In 1941, the U.S. Army began building Fort Miles to protect the Delaware Bay and River from attack, and the fort eventually held over 2,000 people and 12 batteries of artillery guns. As part of Fort Miles, Fire Control Towers could spot and direct fire on enemy ships up to 25 miles away. Although the towers never had to spot an enemy ship, those who served within them did so with honor and distinction. Activity at the towers continued after World War II. Since 1946, the U.S. Armed Forces have used various towers to test rockets, detect enemy aircraft, and communicate with ships entering and exiting the bay. During World War II, men watched for enemy vessels from the towers, and local artist Howard Schroeder, who served at Fort Miles in the 1940s, painted that work. From 1946-47, the U.S. Navy used Towers 5 and 6 as stations to track test rockets, and during the 1950s, the Army placed a radar dish on Tower 12 to detect enemy aircraft. Today, Delaware Seashore State Park manages six miles of wild, undeveloped ocean and bay shorelines to the south, while Cape Henlopen State Park and the Fort Miles Historical Association preserve the former military base and that area's natural and cultural resources farther north.