LORAN STATION SAN SALVADOR
Station Information
| Site Survey: | JAN 1955 |
| Construction Date: | 1955 - 1959 Mobile Unit FEB 1958 - 12 APR 1959 Permanent CBS |
| Constructed by: | 1958-59: U.S.N. Mobile Construction Battalion No. 7 |
| Established: Commissioned: |
1955 1955 |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
01 JAN 1981 14 JAN 1981 |
| Operated by: |
USCG |
| Project code name: |
WALDO I Planned: AUTO I |
| Unit Identifier: |
NAVY 106 07-40125 |
| Mail address: | 1965: NPO 557, Patrick AFB, FL 32925 1965: FPO, New York, NY 09557 |
| AKA: |
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| HAM Call Sign: |
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| Personnel Allowance: | 1955 - 1959: 1 Officer; 8 Enlisted 1959 - 1980: 1 Officer, 12 Enlisted |
| Station Mascot: | |
| Station events: | 1958 FEB 08: A U.S. Navy P5M aircraft enroute from San Juan to Norfolk lost one engine and changed course to the island of San Salvador, British West Indies, to attempt a night ditching. AIRSTA Miami sent up a Coast Guard UF amphibian plane, later reinforced by a second amphibian. After contacting the disabled US Navy plane, the pilot of the first amphibian talked the Navy pilot out of attempting to ditch without benefit of illumination and alerted the commanding officer of the Coast Guard LORAN station on San Salvador for assistance after ditching. In true Coast Guard tradition, the LORAN station’s CO borrowed a truck and an 18- foot boat to assist. The commanding officer managed to be on the scene 1 1/2 miles offshore, when the Navy P5M landed with two minutes of fuel remaining. While one of the amphibians provided additional illumination, the Navy plane was guided through a dangerous reef to a mooring, using her operative port engine. There were no casualties. Under Secretary of the Treasury A. Gilmore Flues presided at ceremony that LTJG Arnold M. Danielson received the Letter of Commendation signed by the Commandant along with the CG UF pilot LT Robert E. Livingstone. |
| Commanding Officers: |
1955 - 1956: LTJG Leon D. Santman 1956 - 1957: LTJG John H. McNeil 1957 - 1958: LTJG Arnold M. Danielson (AUG - AUG) 1958 - 1959: LTJG Leo Jordan (AUG - ?) 1959 - 1960: LTJG William B. Mohin 1960 - 1961: LTJG Russell C. Bishop (JUL - ?) 1961 - 1962: LTJG Thomas S. Mononne (JUL - ?) 1962 - 1963: 1963 - 1964: 1964 - 1965: 1965 - 1966: 1966 - 1967: 1967 - 1968: LTJG Keith R. Ellington 1968 - 1969: LTJG James M. Cahalan 1969 - 1970: LTJG Michael W. Pierson 1970 - 1971: LTJG John H. Bye 1971 - 1972: LTJG Frank E. Wiley (? - APR) 1972 - 1973: LTJG James B. Douglass (APR - APR) 1973 - 1974: LTJG Gregory T. Chryst (APR - APR) 1974 - 1975: LTJG Christopher C. Oberst (APR - APR) 1975 - 1976: LTJG Freddy L. Montoya (APR - APR) 1976 - 1977: LTJG T. S. Malone 1977 - 1978: LTJG Ty G. Waterman 1978 - 1979: LTJG Steven E. Johnston 1979 - 1980: LTJG Kent P. Mack (? - 14 JAN 1981) |
Station Operations
LORAN-A
| Chain: | WEST INDIES |
| Station Letter designation: | 1968: 2L2; 3L3: "S" 1968: 3L5: "B" |
| Radio Call Sign: | NMA-4 |
| Declared Operational date: | 01 MAR 1955 WALDO 03 JUL 1959 WEST INDIES CHAIN |
| Operations terminated: | 312400Z DEC 1980 |
| Station Operation: | 1955 - 1968: Single MASTER (SM) 1968 - 1980: Double MASTER (DM) |
| Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: |
SAN SALVADOR (M) - GRAND TURK (M) 3L3 N/A Approx. 241 Nautical miles SAN SALVADOR (M) - SOUTH CAICOS (S) 2L3, 3L2 N/A Approx. 224 Nautical miles SAN SALVADOR (M) - JUPITER (S) 3L5 N/A Approx. 353 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | FEB 1955 |
| On-Air: | 3L3 (M) 01 MAR 1955; GRAND TURK 2L3 (M) 03 JUL 1959; SOUTH CAICOS 3L3 (M) 1968; SOUTH CAICOS 3L5 (M) 1968; JUPITER INLET |
| Off-Air: | 3L3 (M) 03 JUL 1959: Chain reconfiguration 2L3 (M) 1968: Rate change 3L3 (M) 312400Z DEC 1980 service terminated 3L5 (M) 312400Z DEC 1980 service terminated |
| Monitor Rate: | cross rate monitoring |
| Equipment: | 1959 - 1980: AN/FPN-30 Timer; T-325C Transmitter; AM-1700 Amplifier |
| Radiator: | 1955 - 1959: T 1959 - 1980: 120ft vertical steel tower |
Awards:
U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
14 JAN 1981
General Information Book: |
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1965 |
1968 |
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Documents:
27 MAY 1960 Signture of an Agreement with the United Kingdom - pdf
11 DEC 1969 NAVFAC Closure Bahamian Support - pdf
Pictures:
1958-59 Jim Bachtell photo collection
1961-63 Doug Rogers photo collection
1965 Myron Hale and 1972 Jim Douglass photo collection
1973 Art Capule photo collection
2013 Bill's visit to the island and tour of the station