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: WLV 604-
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 4ăsided 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: WLV 604
1951-1979: Columbia River (OR)
HISTORICAL NOTES: WLV 604-
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1963/64: Sideswiped by unknown vessel; withdrawn for repair of collision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
More notes:
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
Back to Columbia River Lightship Station
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