Report by Charlie Bolton LSA Member

I reported aboard the WAL-613 Ambrose July 15.1960. She had already been towed out to station when I came aboard from Sandy Hook on a 40 footer.

Theses are some of the name and things I remember at the that time period and some of the stories I was told.

When the Relief was sunk in June 1960 on our station, WAL-613 was in un available status at Base St. George Staten Island, NY. She was towed out to station the next day by the Tamaroa and I think the Tamaroa stayed out there a day or two with the Ambrose till they could get enough power to operate the light.

When I went aboard there were enginemen from Sandy Hook aboard still trying to get the engines in working order.  For a 17 year old boy this was quit an impact on me as this was my first duty station out of boot camp and the reality that a ship I was on could be sunk. Needless to say the sinking of the Relief on our station made a lot of tension among our crew. Periodically Navy divers would come out and retrieve records and articles from the Relief. We were told they also used the wreck of the Relief for training purposes.

These are some of the men that were aboard when the Ambrose was towed out to station:
Tripetta CWO(deceased)
Clements ENC(deceased)
Hudson EXO(went to Groton Conn.off Ambrose)
William Lambert SN (from Trenton NJ area)
Richie  Singer FA(from Bronx NY)
Mills SN
Patton  EN2

 

Ambrose Lightship then and now.

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Revised: 10/23/06.