U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 116 / WAL 538
YEAR BUILT: 1930
BUILT AT: Charleston (SC)
APPROPRIATION: ?
BUILDER: Charleston Drydock & Machine Co
CONTRACT PRICE: $274,434
SISTER VESSELS: LV 100,113,114,115,117
DESIGN: Diesel-electric propelled; steel hull; steel deckhouses; 2 masts, smokestack amidships
LENGTH: 133'3" (loa); BEAM: 30'0"; DRAFT: 13'0"; TONNAGE: 630 displ
PROPULSION: Diesel-electric - one 350 HP electric motor driven by any or all of four 75 KW diesel engine/generator units; 350 SHP @ 300 RPM; 5'9"dia propeller; max speed 10 knots, average 9 knots
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 375mm electric lens lantern at each masthead
FOG SIGNAL: Electric diaphragm horn using 4-way multiple horn; hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES &
IMPROVEMENTS:
Launched Oct 22, 1929; completed Aug 14,1930 - Equipped with radio and
submarine bell when built-
1933: Equipped with radiobeacon-
1935: Fog signal changed to air diaphone F2T-
1945: Fitted with detection radar-
1964: USCG lists vessel with duplex 375mm lens lantern on foremast, 13,000cp
each lamp; AN/SPN-l1 radar; other characteristics as shown above-
Radio and visual call sign NMJD (1940-1970)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1930-1933: Fenwick Island Shoal (DE)
1933-1942: Chesapeake (VA)
1942-1945: Examination Vessel, WWII
1945-1965: Chesapeake (VA)
1965-1970: Delaware (DE)
(Fenwick station discontinued Jun 30, 1933)
(1942-1945 during WWII, withdrawn from Chesapeake station, assigned to 1st
District based at Sandwich (MA) and used as examination vessel off northern
entrance to Cape Cod Canal; armed with two .30 caliber Lewis machine guns as
of March, 1943)
(Chesapeake station discontinued 1965)
(Delaware station discontinued 1970)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1936 Sep17/18: in track of hurricane, parted chain and adrift; dropped
spare anchor and ran full ahead for 10 hours to reduce dragging; motor
launch and whaleboat damaged, dory carried away; relieved for repair Sep 19
and took station again Sep 25
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1970; AGE: 40
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION:
Decommissioned Aug 25, 1970; transferred to National Park Service Aug
25, 1971 and on display at Hams Point, Washington DC until 1980; moved in
1982 to Baltimore Harbor Place, Constellation Dock; afloat and open to
public. Marked
CHESAPEAKE.
COMMANDING OFFICERS: Click Here
Oral Histories of five former LV-116 crewmen: Click Here
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