U.S. Coast Guard Communications / The End of Loran (USCG LSA)

The End of Loran

LOng RAnge Navigation

At 1316 local time, 03 Aug 2010, ETCS Fred Ripley, USCG, Officer in Charge of USCG Loran Station Caribou, directed ET2 Andrew Petersen to secure the Canadian East Coast 5930 Master Signal, terminating last United States Coast Guard Loran-C transmission. Loran Stations Shoal Cove, George and Nantucket had secured their transmissions just before Caribou. All the USCG loran transmitters are now silent.

For the first time since 1942, there is not a loran signal in the atmosphere above United States or Canada. There are no longer any Coast Guard engineers and technicians designing new systems, maintaining and operation fielded ones or providing support to the field units to keep them on air and in tolerance. With this, the Coast Guard's Loran-C engineering mission is complete and the Loran Support Unit engineers and technicians now move forward to disestablish our unit. As Tim Kelley, the Canadian Master of Ceremonies noted, the US Coast Guard was a steady partner with the Canadian Loran program, moving with them from

Loran A to C, from vacuum tubes to solid state transmitters, and to frame relay and LCCS. He thanked my crew - "the Loranimals of LSU" - for all they had done over the years. However, that accolade really includes all those who served at not only LSU in the past, but also those that served in the Loran branch of EECEN and truly dates all the way back to then LCDR Lawrence Harding, an electrical engineer and the first Coast Guardsman who started our involvement with Loran A in May 1942 by helping to establish the first operational stations in Canada and US during WWII.

In the world of Coast Guard operations, the operators often appear to get more glory than the engineers. But in the world of Loran, the engineers were the operators and they shined through. And while Loranimals mostly operated in out of the way places without much visibility, they earned the glory none the less, even if it was not as often mentioned. You made a difference to the nation.

With the closure, take a moment to remember those who went before you, what they accomplished and the expected level of performance they established. For six decades, Coast Guard engineers and technicians upheld their legacy. Job well done, you have much to be proud of.

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26 October 1945

From: Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas

To: Commandant, United States Coast Guard

Via: Chief of Naval Operations

Subject: Loran Service

1. The installation, maintenance, and operation of Loran service in the Pacific Ocean Areas by the officers and men of the United States Coast Guard contributed in great measure to the successful prosecution of the war against the Japanese. The navigational service afforded to our sea and air forces through the use of Loran Service was of vital importance not only in the transportation demands in moving troops and material, but in actual combat operations as well.

2. The Coast Guard personnel who constructed the Loran stations conquered many hazardous and difficult problems of weather and terrain, and those officers and men who have manned the isolated stations have done a magnificent and exacting job in transmitting Loran signals.

3. It is requested that the appreciation of the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, be expressed to all officers and men of the United States Coast Guard who participated in the extensive Loran program for their outstanding performance in support of the operations which resulted in the final victory.

/s/ C. W. Nimitz

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Regards,

GMT

Shape the Technology to the user, NOT the Reverse

CDR Gary M. Thomas

Commanding Officer

USCG LORAN Support Unit

12001 Pacific Avenue

Wildwood, New Jersey 08260-3232

(609) 523-7248

(609) 602-2201 cellular