YEAR BUILT: 1904

BUILT AT: Camden (NJ)

BUILDER: New York Shipbuilding Co

APPROPRIATION: $90, 000

CONTRACT PRICE: $89,030

SISTER VESSELS: LV 78,80,81,83

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull, 2 steel masts with wood spencers; stack amidships

LENGTH: 129'0" (loa); BEAM: 28'6"; DRAFT: 126"; TONNAGE: 668 displ

PROPULSION: Steam-one compound surface condensing engine, 16" and 31" bores x
24" stroke, 325 IEP; 2 boilers 9'3" dia x 164" long, 100 psi; propeller 79"
dia; max speed 10 knots; also rigged for sail initially

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of 3 oil lens lanterns raised on each mast

FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam chime whistle, hand operated 1000 lb bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 79
-1910: Equipped with submarine bell signal
-1918: Equipped with radio
-1921: 375mm acetylene lens lanterns mounted at mastheads; lantern houses removed
-1928: Illuminating apparatus converted to electric operation
-1930: Equipped with radio-beacon
-1931: Jul, repowered with Diesel; Cooper-Bessemer 310 HP main engine, 5' dia
4 bladed propeller, max speed 7 knots
-1933: Fog signal changed to air diaphragm horn (17" Leslie typhon)
-1952: USCG lists the vessel with 1 375mm l5,000cp lens lantern on foremast only;
fog signal and power as above
-Radio and visual call sign NMGC (1940-1967)

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 79 / WAL 506
1904-1924: Five Fathom Bank (NJ)
1924-1926: Relief (3d District)
1927-1942: Barnegat (NJ)
1942-1945: Examination Vessel, WWII
1945-1967: Barnegat (NJ)

(Barnegat station established about Aug 15, 1927 approx. 8 mi E of Barnegat Light; occulting white showing 8 sec out of every 10; steam chime whistle, 1 blast every 20 sec, submarine bell; station established to provide a better reference mark for the course change required by coastwise shipping)
(1942-1945, during WWII withdrawn from Barnegat station and based at Edgemoor (DE) for use as examination vessel; no armament provided)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 79
-1904 Placed on Five Fathom Bank (NJ)
-1924 Assigned to Relief duty (3d District) until 1926
-1927 Assigned to Barnegat (NJ) until 1967
-Withdrawn from Barnegat station 1942-1945 and used as examination vessel
then re stationed on Barnegat until 1967

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1967; AGE: 54
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Mar 3, 1967 then donated Oct 13, 1967
to Chesapeake Maritime Museum, St Michaels (MD) remaining there until early
1970's, then sold to Heritage Ship Guild for floating display at Penns Landing,
Philadelphia PA. One of 3 oldest lightships still in existence

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 79 / WAL 506

1904: Horiatiow C Pierson, Master (Aug-Sep)
1904-1914: Oliver Clark, Master
1914-1919: Alfred Johansen, Master
?-1918: H Hansen, Mate
1918-?: James Keyes, Mate
1919-?: John Carr, Master
1929: William Duggan, Mate
1929-?: Wilton S Dwyer, Mate
?-1937: Albert A Rogers, Mate
1937-1939: Joseph Semon, Master
1948: BMC Otto B Lange, CO
1950: CWO Caldwell Davis, CO
1951: WO Moses McNure, OIC

Back to Five Fathom Lightship Station History.

Copyright © 2003  United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association INC. All rights reserved. Copyrights also protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
Revised: 10/23/06.