On September 4, 1904, the headquarters of the Harbor Defense Command of Puget Sound was transferred from Fort Flagler to Fort Worden along with the 6th Artillery Band.
 Once work on the main batteries and army post had been completed, more troops were assigned there.
 By the fall of 1905, Fort Worden was fully staffed with four Coast Artillery companies, and the harbor defense system, costing approximately $7.5 million, was considered complete and operational.
 The initial armaments consisted of six gun emplacements: Batteries Randol, Quarles, Ash, Powell, Brannon, and Vicars.
 Between 1905 and 1910, six additional gun emplacements were added: Batteries Benson, Tolles, Walker, Stoddard, Putnam, and Kinzie.
When completed, Fort Worden had 41 artillery pieces, completing its point in the "Triangle of Fire": two 12-inch disappearing guns, two 12-inch barbette guns, two 10-inch disappearing guns, five 10-inch barbette guns, eight 6-inch disappearing guns, two 5-inch balanced pillar guns, four 3-inch pedestal guns, and sixteen 12-inch mortars.

During World War I, the complement at Fort Worden was greatly expanded as soldiers arrived for training prior to being sent to European battlefields.
 To keep up with the demand, construction of new barracks and buildings continued throughout the war.
 36 of 41 artillery pieces were dismantled and shipped to arsenals to be retrofitted for usage on European battlefields; many were never replaced.
 After World War I, the fort's staffing was reduced to 50 officers and 884 enlisted men.

In its intended role, Fort Worden was obsolete soon after construction: the rapid advance in warship and gunnery design, as well as the advent of aircraft, quickly made fixed artillery positions ineffective and greatly diminished the role of coastal artillery in national defense.
 In the 1920s, an observation balloon hangar was built at Fort Worden at a cost of $85,000.
 During this time, some of the batteries were modernized to be made "bomb-proof."

During World War II, Fort Worden remained the headquarters of the Harbor Defense Command and it was jointly operated by the Army and Navy.
The fort was home to the 14th Coast Artillery Regiment of the U.S. Army, the 248th Coast Artillery Regiment of the Washington National Guard, the 2nd Amphibious Engineers, and miscellaneous U.S. Navy personnel.
 The Army operated radar sites and coordinated Canadian and U.S. defense activities in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
 The Navy, responsible for the detection and identification of all vessels entering and leaving Puget Sound, monitored new underwater sonar and sensing devices.
 Fixed anti-aircraft positions were installed behind Battery Benson and south of the mortar batteries.
 Fort Worden personnel also manned batteries and fire control towers at the Cape George Military Reservation, six miles (10 km) southwest of Port Townsend on the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the entrance to Discovery Bay.

After World War II, the Coast Artillery units at Fort Worden were disbanded and the remaining guns were removed or scrapped.
 It remained active as an administrative unit until June 30, 1953, when the Harbor Defense Command was deactivated and the fort officially closed, ending fifty-one years of military jurisdiction.

Following World War II, the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade was stationed at Fort Worden.
 At the outset of the Korean War, the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade was among the first Army units ordered to Korea to reinforce the Far East Command.
After the departure in the summer of 1950 of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade for Korea, an Army Reserve unit, the 369th Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (later re-designated the 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment), was stationed at Fort Worden where the regiment trained engineer replacements.
The 369th was a subordinate unit of the 409th Engineer Special Brigade.
 The regimental headquarters and the boat battalion were stationed at Fort Worden.
 The regiment's shore battalion was located at Fort Flagler.
The 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment was demob
On September 4, 1904, the headquarters of the Harbor Defense Command of Puget Sound was transferred from Fort Flagler to Fort Worden along with the 6th Artillery Band.  Once work on the main batteries and army post had been completed, more troops were assigned there.  By the fall of 1905, Fort Worden was fully staffed with four Coast Artillery companies, and the harbor defense system, costing approximately $7.5 million, was considered complete and operational.  The initial armaments consisted of six gun emplacements: Batteries Randol, Quarles, Ash, Powell, Brannon, and Vicars.  Between 1905 and 1910, six additional gun emplacements were added: Batteries Benson, Tolles, Walker, Stoddard, Putnam, and Kinzie. When completed, Fort Worden had 41 artillery pieces, completing its point in the "Triangle of Fire": two 12-inch disappearing guns, two 12-inch barbette guns, two 10-inch disappearing guns, five 10-inch barbette guns, eight 6-inch disappearing guns, two 5-inch balanced pillar guns, four 3-inch pedestal guns, and sixteen 12-inch mortars.
During World War I, the complement at Fort Worden was greatly expanded as soldiers arrived for training prior to being sent to European battlefields.  To keep up with the demand, construction of new barracks and buildings continued throughout the war.  36 of 41 artillery pieces were dismantled and shipped to arsenals to be retrofitted for usage on European battlefields; many were never replaced.  After World War I, the fort's staffing was reduced to 50 officers and 884 enlisted men.
In its intended role, Fort Worden was obsolete soon after construction: the rapid advance in warship and gunnery design, as well as the advent of aircraft, quickly made fixed artillery positions ineffective and greatly diminished the role of coastal artillery in national defense.  In the 1920s, an observation balloon hangar was built at Fort Worden at a cost of $85,000.  During this time, some of the batteries were modernized to be made "bomb-proof."
During World War II, Fort Worden remained the headquarters of the Harbor Defense Command and it was jointly operated by the Army and Navy. The fort was home to the 14th Coast Artillery Regiment of the U.S. Army, the 248th Coast Artillery Regiment of the Washington National Guard, the 2nd Amphibious Engineers, and miscellaneous U.S. Navy personnel.  The Army operated radar sites and coordinated Canadian and U.S. defense activities in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.  The Navy, responsible for the detection and identification of all vessels entering and leaving Puget Sound, monitored new underwater sonar and sensing devices.  Fixed anti-aircraft positions were installed behind Battery Benson and south of the mortar batteries.  Fort Worden personnel also manned batteries and fire control towers at the Cape George Military Reservation, six miles (10 km) southwest of Port Townsend on the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the entrance to Discovery Bay.
After World War II, the Coast Artillery units at Fort Worden were disbanded and the remaining guns were removed or scrapped.  It remained active as an administrative unit until June 30, 1953, when the Harbor Defense Command was deactivated and the fort officially closed, ending fifty-one years of military jurisdiction. 
Following World War II, the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade was stationed at Fort Worden.  At the outset of the Korean War, the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade was among the first Army units ordered to Korea to reinforce the Far East Command. After the departure in the summer of 1950 of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade for Korea, an Army Reserve unit, the 369th Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (later re-designated the 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment), was stationed at Fort Worden where the regiment trained engineer replacements. The 369th was a subordinate unit of the 409th Engineer Special Brigade.  The regimental headquarters and the boat battalion were stationed at Fort Worden.  The regiment's shore battalion was located at Fort Flagler. The 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment was demob
Fort Worden