U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 72
YEAR BUILT: 1900
BUILT AT: Quincy (MA)
APPROPRIATION: ?
BUILDER: Fore River Shipbuilding Co
CONTRACT PRICE: $89,000
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull, 2 masts with lantern galleries; stack
amidships
LENGTH: 123'6" (loa); BEAM: 28'6"; DRAFT: 12'6"; TONNAGE: 693 displ
PROPULSION: Steam - 350 IHP reciprocating engine, (builder listed speed at 6 1/2 knots)
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of three 100cp electric lens lanterns mounted in gallery at each masthead
FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam chime whistle, hand operated 1000-lb bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS:
-1904: Equipped with radio telegraph equipment by USN
-1905: Equipped with 18" searchlight with beam kept southeasterly at 45
degree angle to horizon while on Diamond Shoal
-1906: Original lights replaced by single 375mm electric lens lantern at
each mast head
-1910: Submarine bell signal installed
-1912: Equipped with radio provided by USLHS
-1922: Equipped with radio-beacon
-1931: Fog signal changed to steam diaphragm horn (Leslie 17" Typhon)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
-1900-1922: Diamond Shoal (NC)
-1922-1927: Relief (5th district)
-1927-1928: Cape Charles (VA)
-1928-1933: Chesapeake (VA)
-1934-1937: Cross Rip (MA)
-(From 1900-1918 LV 72 and LV 71 alternately relieved each other at 3
month intervals on Diamond station. When not on the Diamond station, LV 72
was also used to relieve other stations as shown below:
-1903: Jul 1-Oct 1, temporary duty on Cape Charles (VA)
-1904: Oct 1-Jan 1, 1905, temporary duty on Overfalls (DE)
-1906: Mar 31-Jul 1, temporary duty on Cape Lookout Shoals (NC)
-(1928: Cape Charles station renamed Chesapeake)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
-1900: Delivered by contractor in spring; assigned to Diamond Shoals
station
-1905: While on Diamond station, showed searchlight in southeasterly
direction and 45 degree angle to horizon "to provide earlier warning
than masthead lights"
-1907 May 21, steamed to New York, picking up supplies for all lighthouses
in 5th District, returning to Portsmouth VA May 29
-1915: Jan 26, while relieving Fenwick Island Shoal, picked up 39
shipwrecked men from lifeboats of steamer WASHINGTON; later transferred to
passing steamer HAMILTON
-1924: Aug 25, dragged off station in hurricane force winds and mountainous
seas; ship completely submerged several times by boarding seas; pumped 3000
gallons fresh water overboard to trim ship down by the stern
-1927: Mar 2, while on Cape Charles, parted chain in heavy gale; unable to
make headway under power; returned to station Mar- 4 when weather moderated
-1927: Dec 4, during severe NE storm, boarding seas broke ports in after
house, flooding radio shack and engine room
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1937 AGE: 37
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Sold 1937
COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 72
1900-1905: Arthur C Vany, Mate
1905-1906: Robert H Bertram, Mate
1906-?: Charles S Swanberg, Mate
?-1915: John Hanson, Master
1915: James F Mason, Master
1915-1925: Unaka B Jennet, Master
1917: Benjamin L. Harris, 1st Mate
1918-1919: Charley E O'Neal, Mate
1919-1923: Walter Barnett, 1st Mate
1920-1922?- Benjamin L. Harris, Master
1925-?: Anelius Anderson, Master
1925-?: Robert A Dixon, 1st Mate
1920-1927: Frank L Dixon, Mate
1927-1928: August Knipps, Mate
1929-?: Dallas K Tillette, Mate
1928-1929: Thomas S Simmons, Mate
?-1929: Charles L Swanberg, Master
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