VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 112/WAL 534

YEAR BUILT: 1936

BUILT AT: Wilmington (DE)

BUILDER: Pusey & Jones

APPROPRIATION: None
(Paid for by British Government -reparation for sinking of LV 117 in 1934)

CONTRACT PRICE: $300,956

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull; steel pilot house and deckhouses, 2 masts with lantern galleries; smokestack amidships; high degree of compartmentation, 6 exits to upper deck and many other emergency and safety features

LENGTH: 148'10" (loa); BEAM: 32'0"; DRAFT: 16'3"; TONNAGE: 1050 displ

PROPULSION: Steam - compound reciprocating engine, 600 IEP; 2 oil fired Babcock-Wilcox water tube boilers, max speed 12 knots

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 500mm electric lens lantern at each masthead

FOG SIGNAL: 2-tone air diaphone synchronized with radio beacon, submarine oscillator, hand operated bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 112-

Largest lightship ever built-
1936: Equipped with radio, radiobeacon, and short range warning radiobeacon when built. Also equipped with submarine oscillator when built, however it was later declared obsolete and removed 1939-
1943: Fitted with detection radar-
1960: Apr, to Curtis Bay Md for major modifications, modernization, and refit; stack removed; repowered with Cooper-Bessemer 900 HP diesel main engine, being until this time the last steam propelled US lightship. Fitted with duplex 500mm lens lantern on foremast; mainmast equipped with high intensity light consisting of 24 locomotive headlights mounted in groups of 6 on each face of a 4-sided revolving lamp housing-

Radio and visual call sign NMGZ (1940-1975)

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 112 / WAL 534
1936-1942: Nantucket Shoals (MA)
1942-1945: Examination Vessel, WWII
1945-1958: Nantucket Shoals, (MA)
1958-1960: Relief (1st District)
1960-1975: Nantucket Shoals (MA)

(1942-1945 During WWII, withdrawn from station, and used as examination vessel serving at Portland ME; armed with one 3" gun)
(1958-1960 During most of this period, relieved stations throughout First District including Portland, Boston, Pollock Rip, Stonehorse, Cross Rip Buzzards Bay, and Brenton Reef. Commencing in Apr 1960, major modification, modernization and refit was carried out at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay Md. then reassigned to Nantucket Shoals)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 112 / WAL 534-

1943: Sep 1, struck by barge under tow; slight damage-
1954: Sep 14, during Hurricane Edna in 70 ft seas and 110 mph winds, bow plates damaged, bridge and pilot house stove in, small boats demolished and rudder severely damaged; minor injuries to several crew members-

(Detailed information and news story about the above incident.)


1956: July, during preparations for being relieved, an overhand knot found in the chain prevented hoisting anchor. Relief LV 114/WAL 532, commanded by Ken Black, was unable to take station and had to stand by until the tender HORNBEAM arrived from Woods Hole and cut the chain-
1958-60: Withdrawn and assigned to Relief duty, First District. Replaced by Relief lightship WLV 196 during this period-
1959: Jan 5/6 blown 80 miles off station in hurricane force winds with 50-ft seas; out of communication for several days due to water damaged electronics-
1960: Apr, to Curtis Bay Yard for modernization, then reassigned to Nantucket station later in 1960-
1975: Mar 21, withdrawn from Nantucket station, replaced by WLV 612

More notes:

Subsequent Disposition (cont'd)

1986: Jul 3/4 Present at Statue of Liberty rededication ceremony in New York Harbor
1987: Toured and on display at various ports in Maine during the summer
1988: Remains in Maine, based at Portland

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1975; AGE: 39

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Mar 28, 1975; laid up at Chelsea (MA). On Dec 6-7 1975, delivered from Chelsea to Nantucket by volunteer civilian crew of Nantucket islanders; used as museum until 1984; sold 1986 to Nantucket Lightship Preservation Inc. , Boston. Restored for use as mobile floating museum.

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 112 / WAL 534

1936-1937: David B. Studley, Master

1948-1950: CWO Edward Gosson, CO

1954: BMC John C. Corea, OIC
1956-1958: CWO George G. Bannan, CO
1958: WO Arthur H Cushing, OIC
1958-1960: CWO Robert J W Collins, CO
1960: CWO Charles J J McGrath, CO

3/1963-4/1964: CWO Glendon Grantham, CO

1965: CWO Norman Bourque, CO

1967: CWO McWilliams, CO
1969- 1970: CWO R E Morong, CO
1970-1971: CWO P A Brunk, CO
1971-1972: CWO R W Johnson, CO
1972-1973: CWO J H Perry, CO
1973-1975: CWO Richard E Rainville, CO

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