U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 99/WAL522
YEAR BUILT: 1920
BUILT AT: Boothbay Harbor (ME)
BUILDER: Rice Brothers
APPROPRIATION: ?
CONTRACT PRICE: $97,220
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull; single tubular lantern mast with gallery, short jigger mast aft for riding sail; steel pilot house with bridge; smokestack with fog whistle
LENGTH: 91'8" (loa); BEAM: 22'0"; DRAFT: 10'7"; TONNAGE: 215 displ, fresh water
PROPULSION: Steam -. one single cylinder engine, 125 IHP
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Single acetylene lens lantern
FOG SIGNAL: 10" steam whistle mounted on stack: hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES &
IMPROVEMENTS:
1916: Jun 29, construction started but hull and other parts of vessel
destroyed by fire Jul 10 when 54% complete. New materials procured and
vessel completely rebuilt-
1919: Nov 7, launched: sea trials and conditional acceptance Nov 8/9-
1920: Dec 8, delivered by contractor-
1923: Equipped with submarine bell-
1930: Equipped with radiobeacon; illuminating apparatus electrified-
1931: Submarine bell discontinued-
Radio and visual call sign NNGI assigned 194.0ã19??-
1949/50: At USCG Yard, Curtis Bay, Md, propulsion and auxiliary machinery,
shaft and propeller removed; vessel than refitted and equipped for use as an
unmanned light vessel with capability for being remote controlled by radio -
designated EXP-99
(See listing for EXP 99 for further details)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1921-1929: Poe Reef (Ml)
1929-1935: Grays Reef (MI)
1937-1942: Overfalls (DE) (Our thanks to William Camp for this
information.)
1942-1943: Examination Vessel, WWII
1943-1950: (located at Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, ND)
1950: (Designated EXP-99, and moved to 3rd District
1950-1956: ?
Poe Reef station discontinued Aug 5, 1929
Grays Reef station discontinued 1936
1937 , Sept transferred to 2d District and towed to Boston
1942-1943: During WWII, assigned to 7th District, stationed at Port
Everglades (FL). and used as examination vessel; armed with one 3" gun
and two 20mm.
1943-1950: Arrived Curtis Bay Yard 29 Mar 1943 arid commencing in 1949
vessel was extensively modified for use as an experimental, radio controlled
lightship designated EXP 99, later referred to as Sandy Hook Experimental
Lightship EXP. Plans for placing it near Scotland Lightship during
1950 were indefinitely postponed and the experimental vessel was apparently
never used.
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1921: May 18, LV 99 and LV 103 towed from Maine to St Lawrence River
entrance by HIBISCUS; lightships then proceeded independently to Ogdensburg
NY, met by CROCUS and convoyed to Detroit. LV 99 placed in commission at
Detroit Jul 21-
1921: Jul, placed on Poe Reef station-
1929: Assigned to Grays Reef until station discontinued in 1936-
1937: Sep, transferred to 2nd District and towed by tender HIBISCUS from
Milwaukee (WI) via St Lawrence River to Boston (Chelsea Depot)
1937-1942: Service on the Overfalls, DE, station. (Our thanks to William
Camp for this information.)
WWII service as an Examination Vessel. Standard Distribution Lists,
photos and correspondence show that the vessel was at the Curtis Bay Yard
1943-1950 where it was modified and refitted as an experimental, radio
controlled lightship designated EXP-99. It was moved to the Third
District in 1950 but plans for placing it on station near Scotland lightship
did not materialize, and no further information on use and history could be
found. (See EXP-99 for further details)
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1956; AGE: 35
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned May 24, 1956; sold Nov 5, 1956
COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 99 / WAL 522
1921-1929: Ernest Lebahn, Master
1921: Charles Bernier, Mate
1921-1928: Walter McCash, Mate
1929-?: John A Renehan, Mate
1929-?: Harry McRae, Master
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