Taken from slide image, courtesy of former crewman David Luiz.
Provided courtesy of MK1 Rick Bennett, USCG (Ret.)
YEAR BUILT: 1950
BUILT AT: Curtis Bay (MD)
APPROPRIATION: ?
BUILDER: USCG Yard
CONTRACT PRICE: $500,000
SISTER VESSELS: WLV 613
DESIGN: Diesel propelled; steel hull and deckhouses;
breakwater on foredeck; 2 masts; stack amidships
LENGTH: 128'0" (loa); BEAM: 30'0"; DRAFT: 11'0" TONNAGE: 617 displ
PROPULSION: Diesel - 550 HP
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Duplex 500mm electric lens
lantern on foremast only; l5,000cp each light
FOG SIGNAL: Twin F2T diaphones mounted aft of pilot house
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS -
EQUIPMENT
CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: WLV 612-
Same general plan and features as WLV 189-
Used all-welded construction; transverse bulkheads carried to weather
deck level; hawsepipes carried to weather deck before leading to chain locker;
alternating current electrical system throughout-
Designated WAL 612 when built; designation changed to WLV in 1965-
1971: High intensity light installed on mainmast; using 24 locomotive
headlights arranged in groups of 6 on each face of a four-sided revolving
lamp housing; duplex lantern retained on foremast-
1982: RACON installed-
Radio/visual call sign NMDN (1950-1983)
STATION ASSIGNMENTS: WLV 612
1951-1969: San Francisco (CA)
1969-1971: Blunts Reef (CA)
1971-1975: Portland (ME)
1975-1983: Nantucket Shoals (MA)
(designated Nantucket I in 1979; thereafter WLV 612 & 613
alternated on the Nantucket station, relieving each other
approximately every 21 days from 1979-1983)
HISTORICAL NOTES: WLV 612-
1951/1971: Service as indicated under station assignments-
1971: Made West Coast to East Coast transit; transferred to 1st District-
1983: The lightship served as a radar platform for Vice President George
Bush
when he resided in his vacation home. Vice President Bush was visiting
aboard the lightship when Soviet fighters downed Korean Airlines Flight 007
in the Sea of Japan on 1 September 1983. He departed quickly
to return to Washington, D.C.*
1983: Dec 20, relieved by WLV 613 at 0230 and departed for Boston.
(WLV 613 then marked the Nantucket station briefly
until approximately 0800
when replaced by LNB)-
1983/84/85: After leaving station, WLV 612 remained officially designated
as a lightship although performing duty as a cutter, participating in
various law enforcement, security and public relations missions-
1984 (September 26) - 1985 (February 2): proceeded to southern waters
and participated in exercises to evaluate her suitability as a support vessel
for surface effect ships and patrol cutters engaged in law enforcement operations.
While conducting these exercises, she towed a disabled Coast Guard surface
effects ship to safety after the former drifted close to Cuban national waters.
She was relieved of the tow just outside of Miami harbor.* Despite this success,
however, the extent of modifications required for the lightship to perform as a
support vessel were not considered cost effective and the vessel returned to Boston.
WLV 612 (Nantucket I) was the last US lightship in commission
More notes:
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1983; AGE: 33
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Mar 29, 1985; sold to Boston
Educational Marine Exchange Jul 7, 1985; to be given pseudo name "Boston".
Returned to GSA due to financial problems. Acquired by Boston MDC,
to be placed on display at Georges Island, Boston Harbor.
COMMANDING OFFICERS: WLV 612
1950: BOSN-1 Fred L. Finlay commanding officer upon commissioning of the ship
18 September 1950 at the Coast Guard Yard,
Curtis Bay, Maryland.
1950: LT James E. Flemming relieved BOSN Finlay as voyage commander
on 3 October for the trip to the West Coast. BOSN Finlay
remained on board as
executive officer.
1950: Upon completion of the voyage, LT Flemming departed and BOSN Finlay
resumed command on 5 December 1950 at CG Base Yerba Buena Island, San
Francisco, California
1950: 5 December CHBOSN Fred L. Finlay
1952: 15 January BOSN Edwin H. Baird
1955: 26 October CHBOSN Fred L. Finlay
1958: 30 December CHBOSN William H. Blaylock
1960: 1 June CHBOSN James B. Gill
1962: 28 December BOSN James C. Sawyer
1964: 24 October BOSN A.K. Fenne
19??: 1967 logbooks missing; CHBOSN Francis A. France
1968: 20 September CHBOSN W.W. Croft
1969: June CHBOSN Koenig
1970: 24 June CHOBSN R.W. Goodrich
[The above information was provided to the Historian's Office by J.B. Gill, USCG (Ret.)
and we are grateful for his assistance.]
1971: CWO R.W. Minzy [Information provided by John
Fridge]
1972: LCDR Jack E. Arrington, CO (voyage commander, San Francisco-Boston)
1972-1973: CWO Richard D'Entremont, CO
1975: CWO Richard E. Rainville, CO
1975-1977: CWO J. P. Allwein, CO
1977-1979: CWO Donald W. Cowell, CO
1979-1981: CWO Larry A. Everman, CO
1981: CWO H. W. Davis Jr, CO
1981-1983: CWO Robert C. Collins, CO
1983-1985: CWO Dana P. Lewis
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