U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: WLV 604
YEAR BUILT: 1950
BUILT AT: East Boothbay (ME)
APPROPRIATION: ?
BUILDER: Rice Brothers
CONTRACT PRICE: $500,000
SISTER VESSELS: WLV 605
DESIGN: Diesel propelled; steel hull and deckhouses; breakwater on foredeck; 2 masts; stack amidships
LENGTH: 128'0" (loa); BEAM: 30'0"; DRAFT: ll'0"; TONNAGE: 617 displ ("light")
PROPULSION: Diesel - one Atlas Imperial 8 cyl, direct reversing engine; 550 SHP ~ 750rpm; 7'dia propeller; max speed 10.7 knots
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Duplex 500mm electric lens lantern on foremast only; 15,000cp each light
FOG SIGNAL: Twin F2T diaphones aft of pilot house; hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES &
IMPROVEMENTS:
-Commissioned Dec 19, 1950; delivered Seattle Mar 1951-
-Same general plan as for WLV 189; all welded construction with transverse
bulkheads carried to weather deck level; hawsepipes carried to weather deck
before leading to chain locker; alternating current electrical system
throughout-
-Later added to mainmast was a high intensity light using 24 locomotive
headlights mounted in groups of 6 on each face of a 4ãsided revolving lamp
housing; originally designated WAL 604, changed to WLV 1965-
-1964: USCG lists vessel with CG high intensity optic on foremast,
600,OOOcp; radome on main; other characteristics as shown above-
Radio and visual call sign NEWP (1950-1979)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1951-1979: Columbia River (OR)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
-1951/52: Took aboard man and daughter lost in fog while fishing: later
taken ashore by USCG utility boat-
-1962: Took aboard crew of sinking USCG 36 foot motor lifeboat; later taken
ashore by utility boat-
-1962/63: Blown off station during severe storm on Columbus Day-
-1963/64: Sideswiped by unknown vessel; withdrawn for repair of collision
damage
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1979; AGE: 29; LAST LIGHTSHIP TO SERVE ON THE WEST COAST.
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Dec 13, 1979; sold 1980 to Columbia River Maritime Museum Astoria OR, replacing former LV 88. Afloat and open to public. Last lightship to serve on the West Coast.
COMMANDING OFFICERS: WLV 604
1949-1951: Lt George E Tardiff, CO
(?) Joe McCarthy (?), CO
1951: CWO John 0 Woodworth, CO
1951-1952: CWO Francis E Barnett, CO
1952: WO Perry H. Christensen, OIC
1952-1954: CWO Roland E Miller, CO
1963-1965: CWO E S Slater, CO
1965-1966: CWO Joseph R Rowland, CO
1966-1967: (?) CWO Joseph H McCarthy, CO
1967-?: CWO Leonard S Flood, CO
1977-1978: CWO John S. Tolejko, CO
1978-1979: CWO Harold Moorehead, CO
1978-1979: BMC Willis J Blakely, Exec
1979: BMC Willis J Blakely, OIC
Images:
Not an official U.S. Coast Guard photograph.
Coast Guard veteran Richard L. Davis (who is also Chief Red Hawk of the Latgawa Indian Tribe) donated this image of WLV-604 on station in April, 1973. He noted: "This was my first duty station in 1972. (My last duty station was at Air Station Miami at the end of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift). . .This particular photo was taken from the stern of a Cape Disappointment 44 MLB as I was being taken into shore for my 2 weeks off after being on station for 6 weeks. It was during these crew transfers that I learned (and trained) with the boat crews from Cape D about calm and heavy surf rescue. This experience helped tremendously throughout my career and especially as a SAR aircrewman." Click here for a high resolution pdf copy of this image.
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