U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 118/WAL 539
YEAR BUILT: 1938
BUILT AT: East Boothbay (ME)
BUILDER: Rice Brothers
APPROPRIATION: ? (Funds appropriated specifically for a lightship for Cornfield Point)
SISTER VESSELS: None
CONTRACT PRICE: $223,900
DESIGN: Diesel propelled; steel hull; steel deckhouses; single lantern mast with gallery on house aft of pilot house; short smokestack
LENGTH: 114'9" (loa); BEAM: 26'0"; DRAFT: 13'4"; TONNAGE: 412 displacement
PROPULSION: Diesel - one Cooper-Bessemer 8 cylinder air-start engine, 400 BHP, connected to shaft through reduction gear; 7'2" dia propeller; max speed 9 knots
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Duplex 375mm electric lens lantern, each rated l5,000cp
FOG SIGNAL: Dual air diaphones, switchable to single horn; hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATlONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES &
IMPROVEMENTS:
The last lightship designed and built by the Lighthouse Service-
Hull design patterned after LV 112 with respect to compartmentation,
watertight integrity and safety features; two diesel driven compressors
powered fog signal, pumps, windlass and boat hoisters. Electric power by two
diesel driven 10 KW generators and storage battery bank. Fitted with radio,
radiobeacon synchronized with fog signal when built-
1938: Jun 4, launched; sea trials Aug 24/25; delivered Staten Island NY Sep
11, averaging 9.2 knots on the run from Boothbay to NY.-
1943: Fitted with detection radar-
1963: USCG lists vessel with displacement 449 tons; duplex 300mm lens
lantern, 13,000cp each lantern, AN/SPN-1l radar; other characteristics as
shown above Radio and visual call sign NMJF (as of 1963)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1938-l957: Cornfield Point (CT)
1958-1962: Cross Rip (MA)
1962-1972: Boston (MA)
(1942-1945: During WWII, remained assigned to Cornfield station, no armament provided)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1939: Apr 25, placed on Cornfield Point (CT), serving thereafter on the
Cross Rip and Boston stations until withdrawn Oct 5, 1972
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1972; AGE: 34
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Nov '7, 1972; donated to Lewes Historical Society (DE) Aug 9 1973; afloat and on display at Lewes; marked OVERFALLS (although never assigned to that station).
COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 118 / WAL 539
1951-1953: BMC Cyrus Bagley, OIC
1958-1960: CWO4 A. B. Crowley, CO; BMC Norman Mellor, XO
1960: CWO4 James, CO; BMC Benway, XO
1963: CWO D E Dean, CO
1963-1964: CWO John L. Hair, CO
1968 (April) - 1970 (April): CWO2 Stanley M. Pridham, CO
1973: CWO (BM) R. A. Buotte, CO
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