BUILT AT: Toledo (OH)

BUILDER: Craig Shipbuilding Co

APPROPRIATION: $60,000
(Approp. for Eleven Foot Shoal MI plus "one or more other lightships)

CONTRACT PRICE: $13,990 ($41,970 for LV 60,61,62)

SISTER VESSELS: LV 59,60,62

DESIGN: Wood framed & planked, white oak fastened with iron bolts arid spikes; foremast with spencer, short after mast; stack amidships; fog signal ahead of stack; single large deckhouse; daymark on foremast

LENGTH: 87'2" (loa); BEAM: 21'6"; DRAFT: 80"; TONNAGE: 160 displ (fresh water)

PROPULSION: None- riding sail carried on short after mast

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of 3 oil burning lens lanterns hoisted to fore mast head

FOG SIGNAL: 6" steam whistle; hand operated 800 lb brass bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 61-

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 61-
1893: Sep 25, placed on Lake Huron (MI), at foot of Lake Huron marking shoal spot of 11 feet north and westward of Northwest Shoal. Vessels passed to the west and close aboard the lightship. Straw color hull with black letters LAKE HURON; black daymark at both mastheads; single FW light shown on foremast; fog signal, 2 sec blast, 10 sec silent-
Typical of Great Lakes lightships, vessel was withdrawn from station during the period the Lakes were closed to navigation, usually early Dec through Mar/Apr each year. Necessary repairs were performed while in winter quarters. This vessel wintered each year at Detroit Lighthouse Depot-
1896: Jun, a red 35 ft spar buoy was placed west of the lightship "to more definitely fix the limits of the dredged channel"-
1901: May 19-Jul 3, relieved Poe Reef LV 62, which was under repair when navigation opened, then resumed her own station (which apparently remained unmarked during the period)-
1913: Aug, Master and engineer launched boat and rescued a man and woman in a rowboat in danger of foundering near the lightship-
Remained assigned to the Lake Huron station during 1920, then condemned and laid up

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1920 AGE: 27
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Condemned and laid up 1920; sold at public auction
at 11th District Hq Aug 8, 1921

BUILT AT: Muskegon (MI)

BUILDER: Racine-Truscott-Shell Lake Boat Co

APPROPRIATION: $75,000
(Approp. Mar 4, 1911)

CONTRACT PRICE: $71,292

SISTER VESSELS: LV 98 / WAL 521

DESIGN: Non-Propelling; steel whaleback hull; large diameter tubular lantern mast amidships; steel pilot/chart house forward

LENGTH: 10l'6" (loa); BEAM: 23'6"; DRAFT: 113"; TONNAGE: 170 displ, fresh water

PROPULSION: None provided, however was fitted with stern tube for future use

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Large cylindrical lantern housing with electric lamp and revolving parabolic reflector giving l000cp flash 42 ft above water

FOG SIGNAL: 6" air siren, submarine bell, hand operated bell; siren supplied by two 3 cylinder compressors driven by kerosene engines

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 96-

When built, fitted with 2 kerosene engine generator sets and storage batteries-
1925: Equipped with radio, discontinued 1927-
1925: Equipped with radiobeacon-
1932: Radiobeacon synchronized with fog signal for distance finding-
1933: Submarine bell discontinued-
1936: Diesel engine installed, 175 IHP, speed approx 5 knots-
1936: Cylindrical lantern housing removed; duplex 375mm electric lens lantern installed in masthead gallery, 17,000 c.p. each-
1944: Repowered with Cooper-Bessemer diesel 31SHP @ 800rpm, 5'6" dia 3-bladed propeller, max speed 10.2 knots; supplied with ABK radar, removed 1948-
1954: USCG lists vessel with air diaphragm horn (17" Leslie typhon); other characteristics as above-
Radio and visual call sign NMGN (1940-1954)

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 96 / WAL 520
1914: Buffalo (NY)
1915-1920: Poe Reef (MI)
1921-1935: Lake Huron (MI)
1937-1954: Cross Rip (MA)

(1914: While awaiting assignment, was temporarily used to mark the Buffalo station following the sinking of LV 82 on Nov 10, 1913)

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Jan 18, 1955; sold Jul 28, 1955

COMMANDING OFFICES: LV 96 / WAL 520

BUILT AT: Morris Heights (NY)

APPROPRIATION: ?

BUILDER: Consolidated Shipbuilding Co

CONTRACT PRICE: $161,074

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull; tubular lantern mast forward, small jigger mast aft; steel pilothouse at foot of lantern mast; smokestack amidships

LENGTH: 96'5" (loa); BEAM: 24'0"; DRAFT: 9'6"; TONNAGE: 310 displ (fresh water)

PROPULSION: Steam - one compound reciprocating engine, 175 IHP; 2 coal fired Scotch boilers

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: One acetylene lens lantern, 300mm

FOG SIGNAL: 10" steam whistle; hand operated bell

1921-1923: Relief
1924-1926: Grays Reef (MI)
1927-1928: Relief (12th District)
1929: Grays Reef (MI)
1929-1933: Relief (12th District)
1934-1935: North Manitou Shoal (MI)
1935: Relief (11th District)
1936-1970: Lake Huron (MI)

(Hull color changed from red to black - 1936)
(1942-1945: During WWII remained assigned to Lake Huron station)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 103 / WAL 526-
1920: Dec 3/4 sea trials completed in New York, conditionally accepted-
1921: steamed to Maine, picked up by HIBISCUS May 18 and towed (with LV 99) to St Lawrence River entrance; both lightships then steamed to Ogdensburg NY, met by CROCUS and escorted to Detroit, LV 103 then steamed to Milwaukee arriving Jun 9 and assigned Relief duty-
1936: Hull color changed from red to black when placed on Huron station.- 
From 1945 onward, this was the only black lightship in service.

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1970; AGE: 50