November 2024

USLM 2024 season reflections



Family donates Nantucket/LV-112 flag that survived two 1950 hurricanes

This U.S. Coast Guard Ensign flag was flown on Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 during two 1950 hurricanes (August – Oct.) while anchored on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station. The Ensign was donated to the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) by the daughter (Katy) of former USCG LV-112 crew member Joel Max Andress (1931-2013), who served on Nantucket/LV-112 from 1950-51 as a radio operator. The hand-written note attached to the Ensign was penned by Joel. The note says the Ensign was “Flown on Nantucket Lightship in 1950. This flag survived two hurricanes in August – October, 1950”

Dr. Joel Max Andress (1931-2013) was born in Beth­le­hem, Penn­syl­va­nia. As a young boy, his fam­ily lived on the fam­ily farm in Beebe, Que­bec. Af­ter mov­ing to Welles­ley, MA, he con­tin­ued his school­ing, grad­u­at­ing from Welles­ley High School in 1949. Af­ter his re­tire­ment, he and his wife moved to Ver­mont, a state he loved and re­mem­bered fondly from child­hood.

As hurricane season has now ended (June 1–Nov. 1), it was timely to receive the gift of a USCG Ensign that survived two hurricanes on board Nantucket/LV-112. Joel’s son, Peter, who recently visited LV-112 from Washington State with his wife, Penny, brought the flag from Katy, who also visited LV-112 from Washington State approximately 10 years ago. 

While in the USCG, Joel also served on Wake Island in the Pacific, where a USCG Loran station was located. After his military service, he attended the University of the Pacific for his B.A. and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in geography from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Andress joined the Central Washington University faculty in 1966 and taught classes in cartography, climatology, Asian studies and geography.

USCG lightship crew member Joel Max Andress serving onboard Nantucket/LV-112’s radio room (1950-51).

Peter Andress and his wife, Penny, visit LV-112’s radio room, where Peter’s dad served as a radio operator. Throughout the years, lightship radio equipment was routinely updated as more technological advances were introduced, including communication and navigational equipment.

Our research revealed that the two hurricanes referred to in Joel’s note may be among the following three hurricanes during 1950 that took place from August – October. Hurricane Able — the first named tropical cyclone in the Atlantic hurricane database — was also the first of six major hurricanes during the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Dog was the strongest hurricane during the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. The third hurricane may have been George, which was the farthest from Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station. U.S. Coast Guard lightships were required to remain on station with their crews, regardless of weather conditions throughout the year. Nantucket Lightship was considered the most hazardous lightship duty in the USCG, as a result of its remote and treacherous location. The historic lightship marked the entrance and departure of the North Atlantic sea lanes for transatlantic shipping to and from the U.S. and Europe — anchored 100 miles off the U.S. mainland in 200 ft. of water. This area was also referred to as the "Times Square of the Atlantic” for shipping. Nantucket/LV-112 has survived a large number of hurricanes, tropical and winter storms while anchored on station, enduring horrific high winds and sea conditions.

Looking forward on Nantucket/LV-112's weather deck, the ship approaches the crest of a large wave during hurricane-force winds while anchored on station. Click on the red arrow in the photo to view the rough conditions that many lightships battled while anchored at sea. Being anchored the farthest out to sea and the most isolated lightship in the world, Nantucket/LV-112 was subjected to the worst weather and sea conditions imaginable. Note that the ships in the video are underway and not anchored. Because lightships had to remain anchored in these types of conditions, they faced even greater risks of damage to the ship and danger to its crew, especially Nantucket Lightship. Imagine being on board during these conditions while you are trying to rest comfortably in your bed at night.

The large solid bronze wheel in LV-112's pilot house was ripped off the helm station when storm waves from Hurricane Edna, Sept. 11, 1954, crashed through the almost 1-inch-thick glass pilot house portholes. Edna produced 110-mph winds and 70-foot seas. Richard E. Arnold (left, 1929-2019), who was at the helm when the wave crashed through the pilot house, throwing him against the bulkhead. He sustained injuries but fortunately survived. He is shown with Engineering Officer Eugene W. Darcy (center) and Skipper John C. Corea (right) Click here to read 1954 newspaper account of incident.

"Nantucket Lightship S.O.S. - listing bad"..."We will go down with the ship rather than desert this station"

- LV-112 Chief Boatswain, John Corea, Sept. 11, 1954

Artifact from Vineyard Sound Lightship — a victim of a 1944 hurricane — donated to U.S. Lightship Museum

Right photo: Recovered and restored Vineyard Sound Lightship LV-73 porthole swing-plate light with framed image of the lightship, has been donated to the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM). Left photo: Brad Luther, a former Fairhaven, MA, firefighter and professional SCUBA diver, holds a recovered Vineyard Sound Lightship porthole swing plate. Brad, with other divers, explored the underwater lightship wreckage in 1963 to identify and examine the wreck site. With USCG permission, a number of artifacts were recovered, including the large restored fog bell today located at the USCG Lightship Sailors memorial in New Bedford, MA (see photo at bottom of this article).

Within two weeks of the above-mentioned donations of hurricane-related artifacts to the USLM, a porthole swing-plate recovered from the wreck of Vineyard Sound Lightship also was donated. It had been acquired by Ed Voortman, who traveled from Ontario, Canada, with his wife, Christa, to visit Nantucket/LV-112 and donate the historic artifact to the USLM. Ed and Christa had never been to Nantucket/LV-112 before.

Ed Voortman and his wife, Christa, during their visit to LV-112.

Vineyard Sound Lightship/LV-73, sank three miles west of Cuttyhunk Island during the Great Atlantic Hurricane, Sept. 14, 1944, with all 12 crew members lost.

Vineyard Sound Lightship sank as the result of the “Great Atlantic Hurricane” of 1944 — termed by the U.S. Weather Bureau as one of the largest and most powerful storms to savage the U.S. East Coast and New England, drawing comparisons to the Hurricane of 1938, one of the worst storms in New England's history. The 1944 hurricane claimed five ships and the lives of 344 of their crew members at sea. Three USCG vessels and two Navy ships sank, one of them being Vineyard Sound Lightship/LV-73 and its crew of 12 that perished on Sept. 14, 1944. Vineyard Sound Lightship was stationed off the tip of Cuttyhunk Island in Vineyard Sound (Massachusetts), anchored in approximately 80 feet of water. The underwater wreckage has been an attraction for SCUBA divers. 

From 1936-75, Nantucket/LV-112 fought and survived 13 hurricanes in addition to tropical storms, horrific nor’easters and other winter storms anchored at sea during her service as a commissioned lightship.

The U.S. Lightship Sailor’s memorial in New Bedford, MA, reads: “In tribute to the heroes of the U.S. Lightship Service who gave their lives in service to fellow mariners." The fog bell was recovered from the wreckage of Vineyard Sound Lightship/LV-73.

IAMPE presents Nantucket/LV-112 art print to USCG Sector

A framed signed art print and plaque were presented to Captain Matthew Baker (left), Sector Northern New England's new Sector Commander, and his staff as a memento of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112’s time as a museum ship in Portland, Maine, and as a tribute to the volunteers and Coast Guard personnel who helped maintain the vessel and ran educational programs while the lightship was in Maine. Presenting the fine-art print was Capt. Jeffrey Monroe (third from left), Director of Education programs at the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives (IAMPE). Capt. Monroe also was one of the captains of the lightship when she was in Portland. Also participating was Robert Mannino, Jr. (right), President of the U.S. Lightship Museum, which owns and manages the vessel in East Boston, and Fr. Gary Drinkwater (second from left), an Anglican priest and Port and Maritime Chaplain.

The International Association of Maritime and Port Executives (IAMPE) and the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) presented a framed and signed fine art print of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England on August 19 at the USCG Base in South Portland, Maine. LV-112 served on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station from 1936–75, except during WWII when she was converted to an Examination Vessel (1942-45 as USS NANTUCKET LS 112) and reassigned to Portland to monitor and inspect vessels entering and leaving Portland Harbor for enemy intruders.

USS NANTUCKET (LS-112) as an armed WWII Examination Vessel, 1942-45.

As a major shipbuilding port for Liberty ships during the war, South Portland was a target for Nazi U-Boats. In fact, just two weeks before Germany’s surrender in 1945, the last German U-Boat, U-853, to enter American waters torpedoed the USS Eagle-56, sinking it with many lives lost. The USS NANTUCKET (LS-112) helped save the remaining crew members. The U-853 escaped and sank another U.S. merchant ship off Block Island, RI. It finally was tracked down and sunk by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. 

Five Liberty ships are simultaneously launched at South Portland shipyard in 1942. Credit: South Portland Historical Society

LV-112 (also referred to as LS-112) served as a RELIEF Lightship from 1958-60 in the USCG First District before a major dry-dock refit — removing her original 600hp reciprocal compound steam engine and replacing it with an 8cyl.–900hp Cooper–Bessemer diesel engine, along with six additional auxiliary diesel engines and other upgrades. After the refit was completed, LV-112 was assigned back to Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station until being decommissioned in 1975 at Chelsea, MA. As a result of the Nantucket’s historical significance, the USCG assigned a protective covenant that allows the historic lightship to only be utilized as a floating museum open to the general public, owned by a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and preserved as its original use as a lightship. Nantucket/LV-112 was also a lightship museum in Portland, ME, in addition to other locations along the New England coast and the Port of New York. It was owned by several organizations before the U.S. Lightship Museum assumed ownership, saving LV-112 from being scrapped in 2009 after near-abandonment for more than six years at Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY. The USLM then transported LV-112 back to her original homeport of Boston Harbor in 2010, where the lightship has been reopened as a floating museum and learning center. It is presently undergoing a multi-phase restoration. 

Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 prior to restoration, 2009

Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 berthed in Boston Harbor, 2024

The IAMPE is a South Portland based nonprofit industry association that provides professional development and certification for professionals at every level of their careers working in and around the port industry worldwide. For more information, click here.

Event highlights: 'Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea': SS Andrea Doria / MS Stockholm collision and

'The Greatest Peacetime Sea Rescue in History'

SS Andrea Doria survivors from its 1956 sinking and other attendees at the U.S. Lightship Museum’s event “Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea” took a harbor excursion in the only remaining restored SS Andrea Doria Lifeboat (No. 1). The lifeboat is one of only two known remaining lifeboats from the Italian Line ocean liner (No. 1 and No. 13) that survived from its sinking after being rammed and by the MS Stockholm in heavy fog off Nantucket Shoals, 18 miles from Nantucket Lightship Station. SeaTow generously donated towing services into Boston Harbor from Nantucket/LV-112’s berth at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina in East Boston. As a safety measure, USLM volunteer John Rogers was on standby, following the lifeboat in his 38-foot sailboat. This is the first time in 68 years that Nantucket/LV-112 and Lifeboat No. 1 have been in relative proximity to each other. Photo credit: John Rogers

USCGC Hornbeam W394 is shown rescung SS Andrea Doria passengers and crew from lifeboats. The Andrea Doria is in the background, listing during the final hours before sinking to her watery grave on July 26, 1956. The Hornbeam was an Iris-class buoy tender that also provided supply service to Nantucket/LV-112 while it was a commissioned lightship anchored on Nantucket Shoals Station.

At one time, the SS Andrea Doria was considered the “most beautiful Italian ship in the world.” Her collision with the Swedish vessel Stockholm, on July 25, 1956, near Nantucket Shoals off the coast of Massachusetts, is considered one of the most controversial maritime disasters in history, claiming 51 lives. Our event, held 68 years later on July 24-26, 2024, was titled "Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea." It reflected back on the horrific collision of the two ships and celebrated the epic rescue of passengers and crew, known as the “The Greatest Peacetime Sea Rescue in History.” Portions of the event took place at the Battery Wharf Hotel near Boston’s Italian neighborhood — the North End, next to the USCG–Base Boston, the homeport of Nantucket Lightship when it was a commissioned USCG lightship. Event activities also were scheduled at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, where Nantucket/LV-112 is presently berthed. To view a copy of the event program booklet, click here.

The opening reception for "Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea” was held at the Battery Wharf Hotel. It featured an SS Andrea Doria shipwreck artifact exhibit, the opportunity to meet and hear presentations by survivors, and the PBS docufilm “The Sinking of the Andrea Doria.” Photo credit: East Boston Times Free Press

Many thanks to all event participants and donors

The three-day 68th anniversary event (July 24-26) was presented to the general public by the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) in collaboration with Mark Koch, owner of the two SS Andrea Doria lifeboats. Presenters also included John Moyer, President of Moyer Expeditions, LLC, who is an American underwater explorer and legendary Andrea Doria diver; also Pierette Dominica Simpson, a 1956 Andrea Doria survivor, author, filmmaker and speaker. Eight other Andrea Doria survivors shared their epic stories of survival. The U.S. Coast Guard First District-Base Boston and Air Station Cape Cod were principal partners, as they were a crucial part of the rescue and lifesaving operation during the 1956 shipwreck incident. Other supporters and contributors were the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, Battery Wharf Hotel, SeaTow and Red Top Boats. The USLM is sincerely grateful to all our event contributors who were so helpful in making this unique event an enlightening learning experience and overwhelming success.

Historic artifacts from the Andrea Doria shipwreck recovered by John Moyer and fellow divers were on display at the reception. Also on display were artifacts from Nantucket Lightship, which was on station during the Andrea Doria collision, rescue and sinking.

Thank you to USLM volunteers including Tim McCarthy (right), who helped set up the artifact exhibit; also Ron Janard, Cindy Baxter, John Rogers, Rob Nicologiannis and former LV-112 crew member Paul Sabo, who were a huge help with logistics and tours. Photo credits: Ron Janard

John Moyer discusses his fascinating experience diving and exploring the Andrea Doria shipwreck — also known as “the Mt. Everest of shipwreck diving.” John has dived the Doria shipwreck 120 times.

Andrea Doria survivor Pierette Dominica Simpson introduced the audience to the other survivors for a Q&A session about their horrific experience during their epic sea rescue on the evening of July 25, 1956, from the sinking Andrea Doria. Members of the audience were also able to ask questions of the survivors experience.

The Consul of Italy in Boston, Arnaldo Minuti, made a guest appearance at the Andrea Doria 68th anniversary event and was introduced by Pierette Dominica Simpson. He took part in the reunion to represent Italy’s support and to recall why survivor and documentarian Pierette Domenica Simpson was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy by the Italian government — for keeping the Andrea Doria memory alive and bringing forth the buried truth. Credit: Consulate of Italy in Boston

Pierette is the first survivor in history to publish an all-inclusive book about one’s own shipwreck experience, including the humanistic and scientific aspects of the incident. She is also the only shipwreck survivor to write a technical report in collaboration with a naval architect about the loss of a ship. The author speaks to varied audiences about the human and technical aspects of the Andrea Doria-Stockholm collision, and she states her gratitude for life lessons learned from her personal experience.

During the event, Pierette’s film “Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?” was screened. The film is an international award-winning docufilm written and produced by Pierette that also aired on PBS television. The docufilm is based on Pierette’s book, Alive on the Andrea Doria: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History, and the Italian version, L’ultima notte dell’Andrea Doria. 

Mark Koch, owner of the SS Andrea Doria Lifeboat No.1, friend, Elissa Scarlett Daine (left) and his two daughters, Estella and Evie stand inside Lifeboat No.1, docked across from Nantucket LV-112. Mark and his two daughters gave a presentation at the anniversary reception on the restoration process of Lifeboat No.1. Elissa Scarlet, who is a Mezzo-Soprano, sang at the July 25th anniversary memorial service for those who perished during the Andrea Doria / Stockholm collision in 1956 and she sang at the event reception with a live musical accompaniment. 

On July 25, Fr. Gary Drinkwater, an Anglican priest from the Portland region, provided a sermon at the anniversary of the Andrea Doria / Stockholm collision, in a memorial service held for the 51 passengers and crew who perished as a result of the collision. The bell recovered from the Andrea Doria was rung for each individual mentioned. Fr. Gary, who comes from a family of mariners, served 14 years in the USCG. He is now rector of Transfiguration Anglican Church in Mechanic Falls, Maine, and a chaplain for the Portland Propeller Club and the Marine Society. 

Rosa Napoletano, daughter of Andrea Doria survivor Mauro Napolitano, is shown with underwater explorer John Moyer, one of the divers who salvaged the Andrea Doria bell in 1985. Several other Andrea Doria survivors at the event were accompanied by family members and friends. 

Passengers and Lifeboat No. 1 prepare to embark for an excursion into Boston Harbor with the assistance of SeaTow.

Forty-five students from the Adams School in East Boston came for a tour of Nantucket/LV-112 and were treated to boarding the Andrea Doria Lifeboat No. 1 while secured to the dock during the event. During their visit, the students received a rare and unique lesson in living maritime history.

On July 25, the USCG Air Station Cape Cod participated in the “Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea” event with a public demonstration, flying one of their MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters to Boston Harbor in the vicinity of Nantucket Lightship’s berth and performing an impressive SAR (Search and Rescue) demonstration, deploying a rescue diver and rescue basket. A rescue dummy named “Oscar” was used to simulate an unresponsive adult subject.

On July 26, the USCG–Base Boston participated with one of their Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) in a SAR demonstration. The keel was laid in April 2010 for the first ship in the FRC class, the Bernard C. Webber (WPC 1101). Bernard Webber (1928-2009) was a USCG Gold Lifesaving Medal recipient for his heroic actions and served on Nantucket/LV-112 from 1958-60. The FRCs, which are fitted with a stern launching ramp, deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) in conducting the rescue demonstration and saving “Oscar” from the harbor seawater. The public demonstration was conducted near Nantucket/LV-112.

A USCG recruiting booth was set up at the event. Click here to watch a compelling video and learn more about the benefits of enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The local USCG Auxilliary also participated with an informational booth. The USCG Auxilliary offers classes in recreational boating safety, navigation and seamanship, in addition to other boating-related activities. For more information, click here.

U.S. Lightship Museum collaborative community outreach events

The U.S. Lightship Museum continues to forge new collaborative partnerships and cultivate existing relationships with community and institutional organizations in an effort to help educate youths and the general public about historic preservation, important environmental, oceanographic, nautical and cultural topics that make learning fun and inspirational.

The USLM set up an exhibit booth at The American City Coalition (TACC) events in August and September, in addition to many other educational and recreational exhibits. Youngsters get a self-demonstration and physics lesson with the USLM's “Work Smarter Not Harder” block-and-tackle exhibit at the Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 exhibit booth. The TACC events were held at Boston’s Seaport District on Fan Pier. For more information about TACC, click here.

A youngster examines the scale model of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 (1936 version) and other artifacts at the USLM's traveling exhibit booth featured at field events. 

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The U.S. Lightship Museum is now a member of 'Museums for All'

The U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) has joined Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits. The program supports those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits, who can visit Nantucket/LV-112 for free, up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 850 museums across the country. Museums for All is part of the USLM’s broad commitment to seek, include and welcome all audiences. For more information about Museums for All, click here.

Nantucket/LV-112

Ambrose/LV-87

Overfalls/LV-118

Chesapeake.LV-116

Portsmouth/LV-101

Huron/LV-103

Swiftsure/LV-83

Columbia/WLV-604

Relief/WLV-605