LORAN STATION MARCUS
Station Information
| Site Survey: | JAN 1962 |
| Construction Date | Spring 1963 - Construction commenced |
| Constructed by: | Chris Berg of Seattle, WA On site supervisor: Jack Allen |
| Established: Commissioned: |
JUL 1963 011245 OCT 1963 |
| Disestablished: | 30 SEP 1993 - Disestablishment Ceremony - Station transferred to the government of Japan |
| Operated by: | 1963 - 30 SEP 1993 - USCG |
| Project Code name: | WING II |
| Unit identifier: | 14-40178 |
| Mail Address: | FPO SEATTLE 98782 |
| Station aka: | White Pearl of the Pacific |
| Personnel Allowance: | 1969 - 2 officers; 33 enlisted 1979 - 2 officers; 27 enlisted 1985 - 2 officers; 22 enlisted |
| Mascot: | 1967 - Skipper 1976 - Schnitzel; Lady; Willie; Chopper 1984 - Leonard 1987 - Willie Bear; Snitter - died |
| Miscellaneous: | 13 AUG 1962 - Site Survey declassified NOV 1962 - Loran site not officially transferred from the U.S. Air Force even though recognition of the transfer has been received. The Air Navigation Facility (Radio Beacon) was an ICAO requirement. The weather facility was a requirement of both ICAO and SAC. 1963 - Transferred completed. An agreement was that the U.S. Weather Bureau would staffed the weather station. 01 NOV 1963 to AUG 1968 - the weather station was operated by U. S. Weather Bureau. The US Coast Guard operated and maintained the Loran Station and radio beacon. MAY 1964 - Chain reconfiguration - IWO & YAP tower failure. 13-14 OCT 1966 - Typhoon KATHY struck the island. Station off-air. 26 JUN 1968 - The island administration control was return to the Government of Japan. Control of the Weather Station and Radio Beacon were transferred to Japan. 17 JAN 1969 - The Japanese commenced to build a new Weather Station. Upon completion the Japanese Self Defense Force and Meteorological Agency operated the Weather Station. 1975 - HM committed suicide. 25 OCT 1977 - Typhoon IVY struck the island. 29 JUL 1984 - Typhoon DINAH struck the island. 21 MAR 1986 - Station off air for tower replacement 08 APR 1986 - 1350' tower demolished 18 JUN 1986 - 700' tower construction completed - station on air 30 SEP 1993 - The crew of U.S. Coast Guard LORAN Station Marcus Island decommissioned their station and transferred the station to the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency (JMSA). This was the last station in the NORTHWEST PACIFIC chain to be decommissioned and transferred to the JMSA under the 1992 agreement between United States and Japan. |
| Commanding Officers: | 1963 - 1964 LTJG Louis C. Snell 1964 - 1965 LT William P. Leahy 1965 - 1966 LT Charles H. King (? - MAR) 1966 - 1966 LT Larry D. Brooks (MAR - DEC) 1966 - 1967 LT Terrance R. Pietenpol (DEC - ?) 1967 - 1968 LTJG Charles W. Murray 1968 - 1969 LTJG Edward C. Cummings (? - NOV) 1969 - 1970 LTJG Richard W. Parsons (NOV - NOV)* 1970 - 1971 LT Robert S. Fish (NOV - ?) 1971 - 1972 LTJG Daniel D. Ryan 1972 - 1973 LTJG Phillip A. Piet 1973 - 1974 LT Kevin L. Ray 1974 - 1975 LT Lawrence M. Jasmann 1975 - 1976 1976 - 1977 LT Richard W. Brandes (? - MAY) 1977 - 1977 LT Alexandre LeGault** **rotated from Iwo Jima - 4 months MAY - OCT 1977 - 1978 LT Arthur French (OCT - ?) 1978 - 1979 LT James M. Dennis 1979 - 1980 LT Bruce E. Tate 1980 - 1981 LT Craig D. Peterson 1981 - 1982 LT John E. Crowley 1982 - 1983 LT Hugh F. Sage 1983 - 1984 LT Michael Kopito 1984 - 1985 LT Dwight K. McGee 1985 - 1986 LT Edward L. Love (? - OCT) 1986 - 1987 LT Paul J. Tikkanen (OCT - 16 OCT) 1987 - 1988 LTJG Brian G. Beason (16 OCT - ?) 1988 - 1989 LTJG P. Paquette (? - MAR) 1989 - 1990 LT James N. Koshar (MAR - APR) 1990 - 1991 LTJG John D. Wood (APR - APR) 1991 - 1992 LTJG Jerald L. Woloszynski (APR - MAY) 1992 - 1993 LT Michael B. Christian (MAY - 30 SEP) * Promoted to next highest grade during tour |
Station Operations
LORAN-C
24 17.1 N - 153 58.7 E (01 OCT 1964)
24 17 07.700 N - 153 58 51.500 E (WGS-72)
24 17 08.026 N - 153 58 53.786 E (WGS-84)
| Chain: | NORTHWEST PACIFIC |
| Station Letter designation: | SS-3, 9970 - "W" 7930 - "M" |
| Radio Call Sign: | NRV-6 - NET |
| Operational date: Declared Operational: |
21 JAN 1964 |
| Operations Ceased: |
30 SEP 1993 |
| Station Operation: | 1964 - Single SLAVE/SECONDARY (SS) 1964 - Single MASTER (SM) 1965 - 1981 - Single SLAVE/SECONDARY (SS) 1981 - Single MASTER (SM) 1981 - 1993 Single SECONDARY (SS) |
| Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: |
SS-3; 9970 W Approx. 693 Nautical miles SS-0 M M-X Approx. 1215 Nautical miles M-Y Approx. 1409 Nautical miles 7930 M M-X Approx. 1409 Nautical miles M-Y Approx. 1215 Nautical miles M-Z Approx. 1278 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 25 JUL 1963 - SS-3 Normal Star Configuration 17 MAR 1964 - SS-3 MARCUS Master - Chain reconfiguration (IWO Off Air) 21 DEC 1964 - SS-3 "W" - Normal STAR Configuration (IWO On Air) |
| Rate/Date On-Air/Function: | SS-3 (W) 21 JAN 1964 SS-0 (M) 25 MAY 1964 SS-3 (W) 01 JAN 1965 9970 (W) 25 FEB 1975 7930 (M) 210300Z FEB 1981 9970 (W) 310700Z MAR 1981 9970 (W) 18 JUN 1986 - Completion of Tower replacement - Officially On-Air |
| Off-Air/Chain Rate/Function: | SS-3 (W) - 1964 - Chain reconfiguration IWO/YAP tower failures SS-0 (M) - 21 DEC 1964 - Chain reconfiguration to normal STAR SS-3 (W) - 25 FEB 1975 - Changed Identification of GRI 9970 (W) - 202300Z FEB 1981 - Chain reconfiguration - IWO off air 7930 (M) - 310300Z MAR 1981 - Chain reconfiguration - IWO on air 9970 (W) - 21 MAR 1986 - Off air - tower replacement 9970 (W) - 30 SEP 1993 - U.S. Loran-C service terminated |
| Equipment: | 1963 - AN/FPN-45/46 sn: 1 & 2; 3Mw 1968 - Clarinet Pilgrim installed 1975 - AN/FPN-54 Timers sn: 88 & 89; AN/FPN-60 sn: 21 installed 30 SEP 1993 - Equipment transferred to the GOJ Transmitter AKA: GRETCHEN & CYNTHIA |
| Antenna Type: | 1963 - 08 APR 1986 - 1350 ft TLM Stainless Inc. Model 1460 - 3Mw 18 JUN 1986 - 700ft - 1Mw |
Fred's Place Reunion Hall: OLD NEW
QSL:
03 MAR 1988 LTJG Benson (CO) response to Jim Pogue QSL - pdf
Awards:
Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
14 JUL 1977 - 26 OCT 1977
25 OCT 1984 - 24 OCT 1985
25 OCT 1985 - 24 OCT 1986
01 NOV 1986 - 15 OCT 1987
JUL 1989 - APR 1990
APR 1992 - FEB 1993
OCT 1992 - JUL 1993
Coast Guard Restricted Ribbon
General Information Books
JUL 1969 - pdf
MAY 1979 - pdf
SEP 1985/86 - pdf
Documents:
01 OCT 1963 - Station Inspection Book entries by Commandant & FESEC - pdf
SEP 1971 - Operation KAPUT KAMIKAZE - pdf
240221Z SEP 75 - State Department S/V FLATBUSH MAN sunk - pdf
241558Z SEP 75 - State Department S/V FLATBUSH MAN sunk - pdf
12 SEP 1986 - Commandant Bulletin - Un-tenna article (Replacement of tower) - pdf
1987 - Welcome to Loran Station Marcus Island (article by HM1 Scott Evans) - pdf
24 JUN 1993 - D14 OPORDER 05-93 to Disestablishment and Transfer Loran Station Marcus Island - pdf
AUG-SEP 1993 - MOU Transfer of Station; in preparation - pdf
30 SEP 1993 - Decommission and Turnover Ceremony - pdf
30 SEP 1993 - Letter of Appreciation to LT Brian B. Christian - pdf
Pictures:
Robert Jackson 1965/66 photo collection
Larry Brooks 1966/67 photo collection
Art (Nick) Nichols JUL 1973 photo collection
Ron Ladd 1977/78 photo collection
Marcus photo collection by crew members
Don Johnson 1965/66 - Bob Mudge 1970/71 -
Scott Evans 1980 - Gus MacFeeley
Station patch retrieved from Fred's Place c./1992
(courtesy of Don Perillo)
Thanks Don!