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(1942-1945 during WWII, withdrawn from Chesapeake station, assigned to 1st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. Maintained by Coast Guard Reserve unit. Marked
CHESAPEAKE.
COMMANDING OFFICERS:
31 July 1930 – 6 Oct 1937 Alexander Andersen, Master
6 Oct 1937 – Apr 1939 Robert. A. Dixon, Master
– 31 Jan 1941 Edwin E. Holm, Master
31 Jan 1945 – 31 Dec 1941 CBM Marshall B. Forrest
Apr 1943 – 13 July 1943 Lt, USCG E. F. McCotter
13 July 1943 – 20 July 1943 Ltjg USCG R. K. Bradshaw
20 July 1943 – 22 July 1943 Ens USCG V. L. Greene
22 July 1943 – Ltjg USCG T. J. Walsh
Apr 1944 – 14 June 1945 CH-BOSN F. G. Lundgren
14 June 1945 – 25 June 1945 Lcdr USCG J. T. Hagglove
25 June 1945 – 27 June 1945 Ltjg USCG B. W. Hawthorne
27 June 1945 – 1 Aug 1945 CBM John V. Bolger
1 Aug 1945 – 31 Dec 1945 BOSN John J. Condon
Jan 1948 – 23 Sept 1948 WO-BOSN Otis S. Meekins
23 Sept 1948 – 4 April 1950 WO-BOSN Samuel R. Ghivizzani
4 April 1950 – 1 April 1951 WO-BOSN Earl C. Jones
1 April 1951 – 5 June 1954 WO-BOSN D. H. Scarborough Jr.
5 June 1954 – 21 May 1956 WO1-BOSN Loyd R. Smith
21 May 1956 – 5 June 1958 CWO2-BOSN Frank M. Batha
5 June 1958 – 18 May 1960 CWO2-BOSN Joseph C. Waldrop
18 May 1960 – 12 April 1962 WO1-BOSN Warren B. Barrett
12 April 1962 – 13 May 1964 CWO2-BOSN Donald E. Dean
13 May 1964 - 10 Nov 1965 WO1-BOSN Samuel C. Brown Jr.
10 Nov 1965 – 10 June 1967 CWO2-BOSN James O. Deardoff
10 June 1967 – 9 Nov 1968 CWO2-BOSN Joseph J. Welsh
9 Nov 1968 - 3 Sep 1969 CWO2-BOSN Thomas H. Bernhardt Jr.
3 Sept 1969 – 1 Aug 1970 CWO2-BOSN George K. Lloyd Jr.
1 Aug 1970 – 5 Jan 1971(decom) CWO2-BOSN Frederick W. Shackleton Jr. **
**Commanding Officers' List researched and updated by CAPT Greg Krawczyk,
USN (Ret.).
Updated: 26 March 2008
Click here to access the oral histories of five former crewman of LV-116.