LORAN STATION BATAN
1953 - 1971 (1977 PCG)
Station Information
| Site Survey: | 9 AUG – 24 SEP 1952: Including MIYAKO, CATANDUANES, ANGUAR |
| Construction Date: | 1953 SEP 24 Construction completed 1955: Construction of permanent S/P building completed 1961: Station rebuilt 1969: Station rehabitation (CGC KUKUI) |
| Constructed by: | Fisher Construction Company |
| Established: Commissioned: |
1953 1953 SEP 24 |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
31 MAR 1971 17 APR 1971 reverted to the Philippine Government |
| Operated by: |
JUL 1953 – 31 MAR 1971 - U.S. Coast Guard 1 APR 1971 - 31 DEC1977 - Philippine Coast Guard |
| Project code name: |
LORAN A: ELMO (Emergency LORAN Mobile) 7 LORAN C: PACE IV (1962 SEASIA Chain) 1963 Cancelled |
| Unit Identifier: |
14-40149 |
| Mail address: | FPO – NAVY 961 – Box 10 1969 - Box 10, FPO, San Francisco, CA 96652 |
| AKA: |
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| HAM Call Sign: |
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| Personnel Allowance: | 1953: 1 Officer; 14 Enlisted 1957: 1 Officer; 14 Enlisted; 2 Civilians |
| Station Mascot: | |
| Station events: | 1953 FEB 19: ELMO 7 Pre-commissioned at CG Yard 1953 APR 23: ELMO 7 Commissioned at Alameda, CA 1953 JUN - SEP: 12 man tent and 2 butler building 1953: Typhoon destroyed the buildings 1953 JAN 18- 1954 JUL 27: Koran War Service Medal awarded by the U.S. Navy 1956: Station is charged with reporting local weather three times daily to U.S. Navy Fleet Control, USNS, Sangley Point, PR 1956 SEP 21/22: Typhoon GILDA struck with damage to station 1957 JUN: Typhoon struck station - off-air 24 hours 1961 MAR - JUN: Station rebuilt by CGC KUKUI 1961 MAY 26: Typhoon passed over the station resulting in some damage 1962 JAN 08: Discovered 5 gasoline drums missing from the fuel dump 1963 FEB 20: Assisted in the transportation of a local to the hospital 1963 NOV 22: Commandant E. J. Roland visited the station. He presented the Coast Guard Medal to the Commanding Officer. 1965: Station crew sponsored a school scholarship to a needy local girl. The scholarship consist of funding for books, tuition and a small allowance provided if she maintained good grades. 1969 JUL 27: Typhoon ELAINE struck - station off-air 3 hours due to flooding in the engine room. 1970 NOV 03: Philippine Coast Guard reported aboard for training of the Loran equipment for the transferred of the station to the P.R. 1971 MAR 17: Two crew members were washed out to sea |
| Commanding Officers: | 1953 - 1954: 1954 - 1955: 1955 - 1956: 1956 - 1957: LTJG Harold J. Straut (? – JUN) 1957 - 1958: LTJG Robert B. Bacon (JUN - JUN) 1958 - 1959: LTJG Thomas Tyler (JUN - JUN) 1959 - 1960: LTJG William Roland (JUN - 07 JUN) 1960 - 1961: LT James Weiskittel (07 JUN - 06 JUN) 1961 - 1962: LTJG Marshall E. Gilbert (06 JUN - 05 JUN) 1962 - 1963: LTJG Thomas J. Cunningham (05 JUN - 04 JUN) 1963 - 1964: LTJG Harry E. Obedin (04 JUN - 02 JUN) 1964 - 1964: LTJG Robert C. Eddy (02 JUN - DEC) 1964 - 1965: LTJG Robert Q. Shanks (DEC - NOV) 1965 - 1966: LTJG James W. Fry (NOV - 15 NOV) 1966 - 1967: LTJG John C. Monn (15 NOV - 14 NOV) 1967 - 1968: LTJG Michael C. O'Connor (14 NOV - ?) 1968 - 1969: LTJG William H. Baker (? - 14 NOV) 1969 - 1970: LTJG David W. Kramer (14 NOV - 17 NOV) 1970 - 1971: LTJG George A. Baldwin (17 NOV - 31 MAR) |
Station Operations
LORAN-A
20 22 12.97 N 121 58 10.11 E (1960 Mercury Datum)
20 22 15.480 N 121 58 10.810 E (08 NOV 1970)
| Chain: | EAST PHILIPPINE |
| Station Letter designation: | “A” |
| Radio Call Sign: | NRX-5 |
| Declared Operational date: | 1 AUG 1953 |
| Operations terminated: | 312400Z MAR 1971 USCG 312400Z DEC 1977 PCG |
| Station Operation: | Double SLAVE/SECONDARY (DS) |
Station pair: |
BATAN (S) - MIYAKO JIMA (M) 1L4, 2H4 1000us Approx. 324 Nautical miles BATAN (S) - CATANDUANES (M) 1L5, 2H3 1000us Approx. 405 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 20 JUL 1953 |
| On-Air: | 1L4 – 1 AUG 1953 - MIYAKO JIMA 1L5 – 1 AUG 1953 – CATANDUANES 2H3 – 010000Z JUL 1964 – CATANDUANES 2H4 – 010000Z JUL 1964 – MIYAKO JIMA |
| Off-Air: | 1L4 – 010000Z JUL 1964 – MIYAKO JIMA 1L5 – 010000Z JUL 1964 – CATANDUANES 2H3 – 312400Z DEC 1977 – CATANDUANES 2H4 – 1976 – MIYAKO JIMA |
| Monitor Rate: | 2H5 - MIYAKO JIMA / GESASHI |
| Equipment: | 1955 - UE-1B 1956/57 AN/FPN-30 Timers; T-325 Transmitters MAR 1971 - AN/FPN-30 s/n: 95, 94, 92 & 88; AN/FPA-2 s/n:35; T-325 s/n: 4 & 5; IM-105/U; SRT-21 s/n:17; Antenna Coupler CU-815/U |
| Radiator: | 1963 FEB 15: Antenna replaced 1969: 125 ft Vertical tower |
Fred's Place Reunion Hall:
OLD || NEW
General Information Book:
1969
03 JUL 1956 Overseas Loran Station Survey - pdf
30 JUN 1971 Station reverted to Philippine Government - pdf
Pictures:
U.S. Coast Guard Official photos
Cy Potts 1956 photo collection
John LaBella c./1957
Jack Walden c./1962
Bill Sewell c./1969
Larry Bilski contributed
Thanks to all!