LORAN STATION SAIPAN ISLAND
15 07 50.17 N 145 41 40.20 E (Sep/Oct 1944)
15 07 46.76 N 145 41 38.11 E
Pictures
Fact Sheet
Site Survey: |
SEP/OCT
1944 |
Construction Date |
5 NOV 1944
– 16 NOV 1944
FEB 1945 - Quonset huts erected - station relocated from tents
1 MAR 1945 Station commissioned turnover to 14th
District
1952 - Signal Power Building constructed - permanent cinder block
1953 - Station rehabilited
1956 - rebuilt permanent cinder block |
Constructed by: |
CONSTRUCTION DET “C” |
Established: |
NOV 1944 - Equipment in trailers |
Disestablished: |
JAN 1978 - LORAN A Terminated
01 JUL 1981 - LORAN C System Area Monitor
|
Operated by: |
USCG |
Chain: |
THE
MARIANAS |
Station Letter
designation: |
2L3 – “A”
4H3 – “S” |
Station code name: |
|
Station Unit Number: |
337 |
Radio Call Sign: |
NRV2 |
Station aka: |
SAIPAN |
On-air testing date: |
16 NOV
1944 - Station ready to go on-air
27 NOV 1944 |
In service:
Declared Operational date: |
16 DEC
1944
01 MAR 1945 |
Operations Ceased: |
LORAN A: 312400Z
DEC 1977
LORAN C: System Area Monitor 301000Z JUN 1981
|
Station Operation: |
Single
MASTER (SM) |
Station pair: |
4H3, 2H3 - GUAM
(COCOS)
2L3 - GUAM (OROTE PT) |
Loran Rate: |
4H3, 2H3, 2L3 |
On-Air: |
4H3 – 16
DEC 1944
2H3 - 1 JUN 1952
2L3 - 1 MAY 1953 |
Off-Air |
4H3 – 1953
Change of Rate
2H3 - 1 MAY 1953 Change of Rate
2L3 – 312400Z DEC 1977 Loran A phased out |
Monitor Rate: |
FEB 1964 - LORAN C NWPAC Monitor MW - MZ |
Equipment: |
1948 UE-1
Timers installed
1952 UE-1/TDP |
Personnel Allowance: |
JAN 1953 – LTJG, ETC, ET2, 4 ET3, RM2, CS1, HM1, EN1, EN3,
BM1, SN
NOV 1971 - 2 Officers - 15 enlisted - 4 civilians
|
Miscellaneous: |
2/3 island
off-limits training techniques Tawian Chinese in
infiltration – CIA
1947 - non-restricted station
1953 - declared isolated
1966 - declared open to certain dependents
1967 – Station name changed to SAIPAN ISLAND
11 APR 1968 -
Typhoon Jean (Asiang) struck Saipan as a CAT 3 station off air - radiator destroyed
1971 - Station responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Tanapag Harbor Range aids and Managahs Island Light. Also for Saipan weather reports.
FEB 1975 - declared non-restricted to all crew members
Hotel now sits on site |
Commanding Officers /
Officers in Charge |
CO: ENS Robert
O Leming 1945 - 1946
CO: LTJG Robert J LoForte 1946 - 1947
CO: LTJG W L Monks 1949
CO: LT White 1952
CO: LT John P Mihlbauer 1953
CO: LTJG L Flanagan 1956 - OCT 1957
CO: LTJG Guy W Mizzel OCT 1957 - OCT 1958
CO: LTJG Daniel C Oslon OCT 1958 - 1959
CO: LTJG Dolan 1961
CO: LTJG Arthur Mergner JUL 1966 - AUG 1967
CO: LTJG Melvin Sellers AUG 1967- 22 JUL 1969
CO: LTJG Thomas H Thomson 22 JUL 1969 - JUL 1971
CO: LTJG Curtis Crumpley JUL 1971 - JUL 1973
Last CO: LTJG Timothy S Sullivan 1977 - 1978
CO: LTJG Ralph M Hartwell
System Area Monitor:
OINC: ETC B C Waldron 1978 - 01 JUL 1978
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Fred's Place Reunion Hall: Old New
LORANGE, David M., Boatswain’s Mate Second Class, USCG (Extraordinary Heroism)
Date of Action: 19 March 1979
Date of Award: 21 June 1979
Petty Officer LORANGE is cited for extraordinary heroism on the afternoon of 19 March 1979 when he rescued a young boy from drowning in the turbulent surf at Agingan Point, Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands. The boy and a friend were fishing off the point when he was swept out to sea by the high surf. His young companion tossed a log out to the boy and ran for help. When advised of the accident, Petty Officer LORANGE and three shipmates from U.S. Coast Guard Loran Monitor Station Saipan immediately proceeded to the scene. Upon arrival, the boy was observed approximately 70-yards offshore, holding on to the log in an area locally known as “Shark Alley.” With complete disregard for his own safety, Petty Officer LORANGE dove off the 10 to 12-foot cliff and swam through the 15-foot breaking surf and 10-foot swells to the helpless boy. Reaching the bleeding victim, Petty Officer LORANGE quickly calmed him down and towed him to the base of the cliff. The other Coast Guardsmen then tossed him a life ring with a line attached. While being pulled to safety, Petty Officer LORANGE maintained his hold on the boy while using his feet to fend off the side of the cliff. With the boy safely ashore, Petty Officer LORANGE, a trained EMT, assisted in treating the boy for shock and lacerations while enroute to the hospital. Petty Officer LORANGE demonstrated remarkable initiative, exceptional fortitude, and daring in spite of imminent personal danger in this rescue. His unselfish actions, courage and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Coast Guard.
Change of Command: Letter of Relief:
22 JUL 1969 - LT Sellers/LTjg Thomson - pdf
Documents:
07 APR 1948 - USCGC KUKUI inspection report - incomplete - pdf
11 APR 1952 - Marianas Loran Chain Reconfiguration - pdf
NOV 1971 General Information Book - pdf
Pictures - Click
on picture for larger image

Picture from
google earth.

Loran Station circa 1955

1955 Crew
The below photos were contributed by Melvin Sellers (CO - 1967-1969)

LTJG M.L. SELLERS/LT ART MERGNER
Change of Command Aug 1967

Saipan, 1967, Barracks Building, left; Mess
Hall, right; this is the way it looked when I became CO

C123 from Guam Dec 1967

Loran Station circa 1968

Kobler Field in foreground, Loran
Station in upper center of photo,
large green area is location 125 ft transmitting tower, family
housing near highway

Homemade sign

Signal Power Building

Saipan Loran Station, made after Typhoon Jean
which hit on 4/11/1968,
125 ft tower has been replaced, but roof on Signal/Power Building
has not been replaced

Saipan, Barracks and Mess Hall, after 11 April
1968, note Typhoon Jean damage to trees,
building painted "desert sand" which was a more pleasing color

Tower blown off pedestal during Typhoon Jean.

Tower damage - 12 Apr 1968

1969 - after rehab.

Commanding Officer's Quarters

Communications Center, Loran Station Saipan,
1968

Generator room showing Generator #3 and the
Distribution Panel.

Generator room showing generators 1 and 2,
circa 1968

Loran-A Transmitter, probably 20 years old in
1969, and ticking like it was brand new.

Timer room, circa 1968. Loran A timers
and Switching unit on the right, Loran-C recorders on the left.

Station Patch, circa 1968

Change of Command, Lt Sellers relieved by Ltjg
Thomson
22 Jul 1969 Letter of Relief - pdf
file
Thanks Melvin!
Photo contributed by Angus MacFeeley

c./1978
Thanks Gus!
Photos below were contributed by Jack Winslade c./1969

Signal/power building

'The Bomb!'
Junker Karmann-Ghia 14, unauthorized and unlicensed station vehicle.
Occasionally admitted to be owned by ET3 Bernie Rice.

SN John Hewitt prepares tape for radioteletype transmission. Comms console in background.

AN/SPN-29 LORAN-C monitoring receivers
Thanks Jack!
The below photos was contributed by Charlie Ingram c./1961

Standing L to R: CS2 "Dino" Bernabe, ET2 Randall ?, SNET Charles W. Ingram, ET2 Billy Salter
EN3 Flor, EN3 Timko, ET2 Melvin Schuldt
Sitting L to R: SN, EN1, Jesus Cruz (Civ Cook) BMC Glokowski, Civ

BMC Glokowski and Charlie on the basketball court after inspection 1961 or 1962
Thanks Charlie!
The photo below was contributed by Mike Blaschum

This was our groundskeeper whom we named Joe Booney. While mowing the field, Joe would occasionally run into some unexploded ordinance from the war. We would put it in an underground storage area until the Navy EOD team would come down and detonate it.
Joe lived in the hills during the war and supposedly 2 Japanese soldiers came to his hut and tried to kidnap his daughter. Joe fought them off and threw them both off the mountain. (his story, not mine) I did believe him though. He was one tough guy.
Thanks Mike!
The below photos were contributed by Paul Magdarz c./1978
1978 crew members

Thanks Paul!
The photos below were contributed by Loel Reinhart
His father Loel J Reinhart (ET) served at the station in 1946
c./1946

Loel J Reinhart with suicide hill in the background

Fred Holn with station dogs
Thanks Loel!
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