Vessels for the Lighthouse Service and Coast Guard
|
A Place Called YORKSHIP Vessels for the Lighthouse Service and Coast Guard |
| Last Revised: 23 Jul 2009 |
Lightships
The U.S. Lighthouse Board ordered ten steel-hulled, steam-powered second-generation lightships from New York Shipbuilding in the first decade of the 20th Century. The type of power plant first used in LV-78 became the standard for all steam-powered lightships built after 1904. At this writing, at least three (and possibly as many as five) NYSB lightships are still afloat.
| Desig. | Contract | Name | Keel Laid | Launched | Description | History and Disposition |
| LV-78 WAL-505 |
22 | Lightship #78 Blunt's Reef | Apr 21, 1904 | Jul 23, 1904 | Steam lightship (US Dept of Commerce), 660t, 129ft. Prototypical 325 HP vertical, surface condensing compound engine with 16- and 31-inch bores and a 24-inch stroke. | Built for U.S. Lighthouse Establishment for $89,000. One of a class of 5. Transferred to Coast Guard Jul 1, 1939. Sunk off Ambrose Channel, NJ, by freighter Green Bay Jun 24, 1960. |
| LV-79 WAL-506 |
23 | Lightship #79, Cape Lookout Shoal, Relief, Barnegat | Apr 25, 1904 | Aug 12, 1904 |
 Steam lightship (US Dept of Commerce), 660t, 129ft |
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. Currently moored at Pyne Poynt Marina, Camden NJ and reportedly in poor condition. One of 3 oldest lightships still in existence. Added to the National Register in 1979. |
| LV-80 | 24 | Lightship #80, Five Fathom Bank | Apr 28, 1904 | Sep 3, 1904 | Steam lightship (US Dept of Commerce), 660t, 129ft | Sold Dec 13, 1934 |
| LV-81 WLV-507 |
25 | Lightship #81, Heald Banks | Apr 23, 1904 | Sep 22, 1904 | Steam lightship (US Dept of Commerce), 660t, 129ft | Decommissioned Apr 4, 1951; sold Jul 21, 1955 |
| LV-83 WAL-508 |
26 | Lightship #83, Swiftsure, Relief, San Francisco, Blunt's Reef |
Apr 30, 1904 | Oct 8, 1904 |
 Steam lightship (US Dept of Commerce), 660t, 129ft |
Built for U.S. Lighthouse Establishment. Sailed around Cape Horn in company with Lightship #76. Served on West Coast until 1960. Since 1967, museum ship in Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Center, Seattle. Added to National Register in 1975. Currently moored at the foot of Terry Ave. N on Lake Union, Seattle. |
| LV-84 WAL-509 |
44 | Lightship #84, Brunswick, Relief, St.
John's River Big Red |
Feb 20, 1907 | Jun 5,1907 |
 Steam lightship (US Dept. of Commerce) |
Decommissioned Oct 26, 1965; donated Aug
7, 1968 then used by Harry Lundeburg School, Seafarers Int'l Union, Piney Point MD; named Big Red; 1987 sold and towed to Yonkers NY to be used as floating restaurant. Sank alongside a pier at the foot of Richards St. in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Was raised and scrapped sometime after 2007. |
| LV-85 WAL-510 |
45 | Lightship #85, Nantucket
Shoals Recoverer |
Feb 20, 1907 | Jun 19, 1907 | Steam lightship (US Dept. of Commerce) | Decommissioned Nov 15, 1962; sold Oct 17, 1963 Listed in Merchant Vessels of the US 1970 as owned by Oceanology International, named Recoverer, homeported Chicago IL |
| LV-86 WAL-511 |
46 | Lightship #86, Hen & Chickens | Apr 15, 1907 | Aug 3, 1907 | Steam lightship (US Dept. of Commerce) | Retired from lightship duty 1959. Decommissioned Feb 28, 1959; sold Dec 30, 1959 |
| LV-87 WAL-512 |
47 | Lightship #87 Ambrose, Relief, Scotland | Apr 15, 1907 | Jul 27, 1907 |
 Steam lightship (US Dept. of Commerce) |
Built for U.S. Lighthouse Establishment. Retired 1964. Since 1968, on exhibition at the South Street Seaport Museum, Pier 16, New York. Added to the National Register in 1984. |
| LV-88 WAL-513 |
48 | Lightship #88, Columbia
River Belle Blonde |
Jun 12, 1907 | Oct 15, 1907 | Steam lightship, 135'-5", 683 tons | Decommissioned Nov 23, 1960; sold to scrap yard Jul 25, 1962; then became floating exhibit at Columbia River Maritime Museum 1963-1979 then sold. Plans for floating restaurant failed then sold in 1982 to Claude Lacerte, converted to half brigantine Belle Blonde. Operated for Caribbean charters until 1988, when sold to Japan. Fate unknown. |
Lighthouse Tenders [8]
| Desig | Contract | Name | Keel Laid | Ways | Launched | Description | History & Disposition |
| WAGL-202 | 61 | Anemone | 11/12/07 | K | 06/13/08 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | |
| WAGL-211 | 56 | Cypress | 10/15/07 | J | 05/05/08 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | |
| WAGL-218 | 60 | Hibiscus | 11/07/07 | K | 06/09/08 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | |
| WAGL-225 | 58 | Kukui | 10/28/07 | K | 04/25/08 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | |
| WAGL-233 | 54 | Manzanita | 10/08/07 | J | 04/04/08 |
 Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft |
Built for U.S. Lighthouse Service. Transferred to the
Navy 11 April 1917. Returned to the custody of the Department of Commerce 1 July 1919. Assigned to the Pacific Northwest, and serviced the infamous Tillamook Rock Light, among others. |
| WAGL-240 | 59 | Orchid | 10/29/07 | K | 05/12/08 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | Built for U.S. Lighthouse Service, served most of career in lower Chesapeake Bay. |
| WAGL-243 | 57 | Sequoia | Oct 15, 1907 | J | Jun 4, 1908 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | Built for U.S. Lighthouse Service |
| WAGL-249 | 55 | Tulip | Oct 8, 1907 | J | Apr 16, 1908 | Manzanita class lighthouse tender, 190 ft | Built for U.S. Lighthouse Service |
Gunboats (Revenue Cutters) [2]
| Desig | Contract | Name | Keel Laid | Ways | Launched | Description | History & Disposition |
| WPG-20 | 63 | Tahoma | Jun 8, 1908 | L | Oct 10, 1908 | Revenue cutter | Ran aground 20 September 1914 off the Aleutians, lost but all hands saved.. |
| WPG-21 | 64 | Yamacraw | Jun 9, 1908 | L | Oct 24, 1908 | Revenue cutter, 191'-8", 1020 t | Ten crewmen lost 4 Mar 1917 attempting rescue of crew of steamer Louisiana off Ocean City, MD. Decommissioned 11 Dec 1937. |
Cutters [33]
New York Ship built the entire 33-hull class of 125-foot "Buck and a Quarter" cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard in 1926-27. Some of these 320-ton ocean-going cutters served until the 1960s, and at least three are still extant. Some records give the builder of the 125s as American Brown Boveri of Camden, New Jersey, but this is a confusion between the shipyard and its owner at the time--an American subsidiary of the Swiss engineering firm Brown Boveri.
The Actives were originally equipped with two 6-cylinder diesels, but all were reengined in the 1930s with two 600HP 8-cylinder Cooper-Bessemer EN-9 diesels which provided an additional 3 knots.
| Desig | Contract | Name | Keel Laid | Ways | Launched | Delivered | Description | History & Disposition |
| WSC-125 | 320 |
Active |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
01/12/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat (also known as "Buck and a Quarter" cutters), 125' overall, beam 23'-6", draft 7'-6", trial displacement 232 tonnes |
During WWII, served on Greenland Patrol, at Ocean Station A, and as an escprt in the Caribbean. Laid up in Cleveland, 1947-1950. Stationed at Monterey CA, 1951-1962. Decommissioned 1962. |
| WSC-126 | 321 |
Agassiz |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
01/19/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Homeported in Boston, Fernandina (1933), Curtis Bay (1936), and Charleston (1940) prior to WWII. Assigned to Caribbean Sea Frontier. Then Morehead City (1945), Cape May (1956). Decommissioned Oct 1969 and transferred to Merchant Marine Academy. |
| WSC-127 | 322 |
Alert |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
01/25/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Duty stations: Boston MA (1927-1929), Oakland CA (1929-1931), Ketican AL (1931-1940), Alameda CA, Morry Bay CA (1949-1959), San Diego CA (1959-1969). Decommissioned 10 Jan 1969 and sold to Barry Brose. Purchased by Michael Stone and moved to Portland OR, 2006. Cut loose by vandals and badly damaged in collision, 2007. |
| WSC-128 | 323 |
Antietam Bedloe |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
01/22/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Sunk in Hurricane 14 Sep 1944 off Cape Hatteras, loss of 26 crew. |
| WSC-129 | 324 |
Bonham Polar Star Mindy B |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
01/27/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned Apr 1959. Sold Dec 1959. Later Polar Star (1959)for Northland Marine Lines of Seattle, then Mindy B (2005) for Mark Bernert Marine Services of Warren OR. |
| WSC-130 | 325 |
Boutwell State Bell Amoco Rebel Activa |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
02/08/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Stationed at New York, Charleston (1932), Curtis Bay (1936), Panama City (1940), Port Isabel (1952), Brownsville (1953). Decommissioned May 1963. Sold May 1964. Later State Bell (1964), then Amoco Rebel (1972), then Activa (1979). |
| WSC-131 | 326 |
Cahoone |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
02/11/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Based at Stapleton, Curtis Bay (1936), Morehead City (1937), San Pedro (1940), Mt. Edgecumbe (1946), and Galveston (1954). Decommissioned Mar 1968, and sold Dec 1968. |
| WSC-132 | 327 |
Cartigan |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
03/02/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Decommissioned in 1969 and sold to Nicholas Mitchell for $76,000. Berthed in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY, 1972..Capsized and sank at its moorings, 2003. Raised and scrapped, 23 Apr 2004. |
| WSC-134 | 328 |
Crawford R/V Crawford M/V Sun Bird |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
02/17/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Based at Sault Ste. Marie, Two Harbors, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and San Juan. Decommissioned Aug 1947. Donated to Woods Hole Institute, 1955. Renovated at Munro Shipyard and served 1956-1969.Sold to University of Puerto Rico, 1970. Sold and placed in freight service as Sun Bird.. Stopped and seized by CGC Manitou near Great Abaco with 40,000 pounds of marijuana aboard, 1986. |
| WSC-157 WIX-157 |
329 |
Cuyahoga |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
03/03/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Later Officer Candidate School training ship at Yorktown VA. Collided with collier Santa Cruz II in Chesapeake Bay and sank, 20 Oct 1978, with loss of 11. refloated and sunk off Cape Charles as artificial reef. |
| WSC-135 | 330 |
Diligence |
08/28/26 |
J | 01/27/27 |
02/18/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Assigned to new York, Stapleton (1929), Cleveland (1936), Two Harbors (1937), Boston (1940), San Pedro (1961). Decommissioned Sep 1961 and placed in storage at Terminal Island. Sold Jan 1963 to Illman Jones, Inc, Vallejo CA, for $7,270. |
| WSC-136 | 331 |
Dix Valkyrie |
08/28/26 |
M | 01/27/27 |
03/04/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Stationed at Boston, New London (1935), Panama City (1936), Erie (1940), Willemstad (WWII), and Provincetown (1945). Decommissioned Jan 1948 and sold Jun 1948. Later Valkyrie. |
| WSC-137 | 332 |
Ewing Pacific Hunter |
12/01/26 |
L | 03/15/27 |
03/23/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Later Pacific Hunter for Decorative Surfacing Centers, Inc. Currently moored at Ballard CA and listed for sale for $124,000. |
| WSC-138 | 333 |
Faunce Humble AC-2 Myra White Vitow II |
12/01/26 |
L | 03/15/27 |
03/29/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Stationed at Boston throughout its career. Served on the Greenland Patrol. Decommissioned Jan 1948 and sold to Humble Oil Refining, Jun 1948. Later Humble AC-2 (1948), then Myra White (1961), then Vitow II (1964). |
| WSC-139 | 334 |
Frederick Lee |
12/01/26 |
L | 03/15/27 |
04/02/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Stationed at Boston through WWII and served on Greenland Patrol. Transferred to Chicago (1945), New Bedford (1951), and Freeport (1963). Participated in search for Flight 2051. Decommissioned Dec 1964 and sold May 1966. |
| WSC-140 | 335 |
General Greene Belmont |
12/02/26 |
L | 02/14/27 |
03/15/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Grounded in storm at East Sandwich during rescue mission, 7 Mar 1960. Decommissioned Nov 1968. Transferred to Newburyport to be museum ship, but project failed. Reacquired by Coast Guard 1976 and turned over to GSA to be sold. Operating as Belmont, seized by Coast Guard for drug smuggling, 1979. |
| WSC-141 | 319 |
Harriet Lane Humble |
07/24/26 |
L | 11/30/26 |
12/31/26 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned Apr 1946 and sold to Humble Oil & Refining (Houston) on 16 Jun 1948. |
| WSC-142 | 336 |
Jackson |
12/02/26 |
L | 02/14/27 |
03/09/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Sunk in hurricane 14 Sept 1944 off Cape Hatteras, loss of 22 crew. |
| WSC-143 | 349 |
Kimball |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/25/27 |
05/04/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned Dec 1968 and sold Feb 1970. |
| WSC-144 | 337 |
Legare |
12/02/26 |
L | 02/14/27 |
03/14/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned Mar 1968 and sold Nov 1968. |
| WSC-145 | 338 |
Marion Top Cat |
12/04/26 |
O | 03/15/27 |
04/04/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned Feb 1962. Sold to Robert F. Solomon of Norfolk, Mar 1963, and renamed Top Cat. |
| WSC-146 | 339 |
McLane Manatra II |
12/04/26 |
O | 03/22/27 |
04/06/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Decommissioned Dec 1968. Sold 14 Nov 1969 to Marine Navigation.& Training Association of Chicago and registered as Manatra II.. Since May 1993, museum ship in Muskegon, MI |
| WSC-133 | 340 |
Montgomery Colfax |
12/04/26 |
O | 03/22/27 |
04/04/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
First duty station San Pedro, then San Francisco (1932). Renamed Colfax 1 Apr 1933. Later stationed at Charleston (1930s), Chicago (~1940), Philadelphia (WWII), and Cape May (1946). In storage, 1948-1951. Recommissioned and served until 1954. Sold Jan 1956. |
| WSC-147 | 341 |
Morris |
12/04/26 |
O | 04/04/27 |
04/09/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
In storage at Kennydale, 1947. Stationed at San Pedro, 1949-1969. Decommissioned Aug 1970 and donated to Sea Scouts, at which time was largest vessel in their fleet. Currently based in Stockton, CA. |
| WSC-148 | 342 |
Nemaha Sea Monarch II |
12/04/26 |
O | 04/04/27 |
04/13/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Sold 14 Jun 1948 to W.C. Gibson of Vancouver II. Operated in freight service as Sea Monarch II until at least 1957. |
| WSC-149 | 343 |
Pulaski |
12/04/26 |
O | 04/04/27 |
04/13/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Assigned to WESTSEAFRON during WWII and stationed at Alameda. Sold 14 Jul 1948 to Arthur C. Penberthy of Los Angeles (possibly for scrapping). |
| WSC-150 | 344 |
Reliance |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/18/27 |
04/22/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Was stationed in Honolulu on Dec 7 1941. Decommissioned 8 Aug 1947 and sold 16 Jun 1948. Possibly used as fishing vessel out of Alaska |
| WSC-151 | 345 |
Rush Humble AC-1 Vilow I |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/18/27 |
04/26/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Sold to Humble Oil Refining, Houston TX, in Jul 1948 and operated as tug Humble AC-1. Sold to Virgin Islands Towing Corp and became Vilow I, 1964. |
| WSC-152 | 346 |
Tiger |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/18/27 |
04/29/27 |
 Active class Patrol Boat |
Was patrolling off Barber's Point, Honolulu, on Dec 7, 1941. Sold 14 Jun 1948. |
| WSC-153 | 347 |
Travis |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/18/27 |
04/26/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Stationed at Stapleton, Morehead City, and Rockland prior to WWII. Based at Argentia, Newfoundland during the war. Final station was Port Everglades. Sold Nov 1962. |
| WSC-154 | 348 |
Vigilant |
02/01/27 |
J | 04/25/27 |
04/29/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned 9 Nov 1954, sold 3 Jan 1956. |
| WSC-155 | 350 |
Woodbury Humble AC-3 Challenge |
02/16/27 |
L | 05/02/27 |
05/05/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned 11 Dec 1946, sold 6 Jul 1948 to Humble Oil Refining of Houston TX and renamed Humble AC-3. Used for towing. Sold to Caribbean Towing about 1963 and renamed Challenge. Still registered as a tug in 1979. |
| WSC-156 | 351 |
Yeaton |
02/16/27 |
L | 05/02/27 |
05/07/27 |
Active class Patrol Boat | Decommissioned 18 Jul 1969. Sold 16 Jul 1970. |
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