LORAN STATION TARUMPITAO
Station Information
| Site Survey: | 1945 |
| Construction Date: | 22 JUN - 19 JUL 1945: Mobile Detachment Unit "F" (Tents) MAR 1946: Station built with permanent living quarters 1950: Station rebuilt - 8 quonset huts 1956: Station rebuilt - Concrete Building Structures |
| Constructed by: | 22 JUN - 19 JUL 1945: Mobile Detachment "F" MAR 1946: Construction Detachment |
| Established: Commissioned: |
JUL 1945: |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
31 MAR 1971: Transferred to G.O.P. |
| Operated by: |
19 JUL 1945 - 31 MAR 1971:USCG 01 APR 1971 - 31 DEC 1977: Philippine Navy |
| Project code name: |
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| Unit Identifier: |
Mobile Unit: Permanent Unit: CG Unit 355 |
| Mail address: | 1948: Navy 961, Box 7, FPO San Francisco, Calif. 1956: Navy 961, Box 20, FPO San Francisco, Calif. |
| Station code name: |
ROMANO |
| HAM Call Sign: |
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| Personnel Allowance: | 1947: 1 Officer; 7 Enlisted MAY 1948: 1 Officer; 12 Enlisted JAN 1953: 1 Officer; 15 Enlisted JUN 1969: 1 Officer; 14 Enlisted; 2 Civilians |
| Station Mascot: | 1948: Throckmorton - monkey 1961: Bebo - was killed by FN because he developed a skin issue 1961: Feeby - monkey 1964: Sally and Throckmorton 1969: Nelda, CW and 3 other monkeys plus 4 dogs |
| Station events: | 22 JUN 1945: American landed - Mobile Detachment "F" JUL 1945 to MAR 1946: Station was a mobile unit, personnel living in tents 1946: OINC and 8 enlisted lost at sea. Five were rescued from the LCVP which washed up on a reef 20 miles from the station. Three attempted to swim ashore, two survived and the natives' assisted them back to the station, walking for two days through dense jungle. 1946: A Navy PBM attempted a landing with 17 aboard. The plane hit the reef due to the lack of experience of the pilot, all safety rescued. 1947: A PBY lost part of its tail and engine. A second plane from Sangley arrived with parts. The air-crews layover at the station for the night. During the night a convict escaped from the Iwahig Penal Colony and robbed the aircrew all watches, wallets, pens and jewelry and the Commanding Officer's pistol. The convict was caught, brought to the station and disclosed where the personnel effects were located. He was returned to the penal colony, which he begged not to be. The penalty for escape is beheading which was the faith of the convict. 1948: A group of Borneo pirates descended upon the station which was practically defenseless. The crew assembled an old 50 caliber machine left from the war and mounted it on the water tower. The np departed the area. 1950: A PBY crashed, the CGC IRONWOOD was ordered to retrieve the plane and returned to planer to Sangley. 1950: Station crew built a grass airfield near the station. 06 DEC 1951: Plane with an inspection party including an admiral crashed while attempting to land at the airfield. The wing struck a trailer resulting in a native boy being killed. A station crew member, ET2, was seriously injured and medical evacuated to Sangley. 13 DEC 1951: Seventeen National Chinese fishermen arrived at the station after their vessel was ship wrecked approximately 100 miles from the station. The sailors were transported to Sangley by the U.S. Navy. 1954: Tarumpitao airstrip completed. 1957: Coast Guard personnel constructed a local school with excessive construction materials and an old quonset hut. 1962/3: Station was to become part of the LORAN-C SE Asia Chain under the PACE program as A/C station. The program was cancelled. 1967: Station crew rescued a DC3 plane crew and 15 passengers after ditching a half mile off shore. Engine failure was the cause. 1967: Approximately two months the station crew responded to a small banca boat which capsized. The station boat was launched however three small children did drown after attempts by the station crew to resuscitate them via mouth to mouth. 1969: A typhoon passed over the island with 80mph winds. Twenty five native families were displaced. The station provided the necessary means to assist in supporting those in need until they could rebuild their homes. 01 APR 1971: The station and operations transferred to the G.O.P. |
| Commanding Officers: |
1945 - 1946: CRM Clermont A. Sears (? - 5 MAR) 1946 - 1947: CRE George W. Berford (5 MAR - 25 OCT) 1947 - 1948: CRE Herny R. Lodge (25 OCT - SEP) 1948 - 1949: LTJG Albert H. Clough (SEP - SEP) 1949 - 1950: LTJG Otis H. Abbey (SEP - ?) 1950 - 1951 1951 - 1952: LTJG William R. Weadon (JUN - JUN) 1952 - 1953 1953 - 1954: 1954 - 1955: 1955 - 1956: LTJG Frank L. Soule 1956 - 1957: LTJG Marvin Weinstein 1957 - 1958: LTJG Francis H. Molin 1958 - 1959: LTJG Irwin W. Lindemuth 1959 - 1960: LTJG John L. Callahan (? - 27 JUL) 1960 - 1961: LTJG Richard J. Collins (27 JUL - ?) 1961 - 1962: LTJG Richard Fremont-Smith 1962 - 1963: LTJG John N. Faigle (? - 08 AUG) 1963 - 1964: LTJG Donald R. Casey (08 AUG - 11 AUG) 1964 - 1965: LTJG Joseph S. Anderson (11 AUG - 10 AUG) 1965 - 1966: LTJG Jon P. Ryan (10 AUG - ?) 1966 - 1967: 1967 - 1968: 1968 - 1969: LTJG Thomas K. Baxter (? - NOV) 1969 - 1971: LTJG Quintin K. Quinn (NOV - MAR) |
Station Operations
LORAN-A
09 02 51.59 N - 117 37 48.67 E (1960 Mercury Datum)
| Chain: | SOUTH CHINA SEA |
| Station Letter designation: | "R" |
| Radio Call Sign: |
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| Declared Operational date: | 19 JUL 1945 |
| Operations terminated: | 312400Z MAR 1971 USCG 312400Z DEC 1977 PCG |
| Station Operation: | Single MASTER (SM) |
Station pair: |
TARUMPITAO (M) - TALAMPULAN (S) 1L7 1000us Approximately 255.8 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 04 JUL 1945 |
| On-Air: | 19 JUL 1945 |
| Off-Air: | 31 MAR 1971 - Station transferred to Philippine government. 31 DEC 1977 - Service terminated |
| Monitor Rate: | Cross rate monitoring |
| Equipment: | <1948 - TDP transmitter sn:78 & 79; UJ Timers sn: 46 & 48; Switch Unit moodel UK sn: 8 1948 - Electronic suite replaced. TDP-1 transmitters sn: 16 & 23; UE-1 Timers sn: 13 & 40; UM Switch gear sn: 61 1971 - T-325 Transmitter; AN/FPN-30 Timers; AN/FPA-2; AN/FPA-3A |
| Radiator: | <1948 - no main radiator - Emergency T type for mian transmission; Antenna Coupling Unit CAQT-47438 sn: 28;Antenna Tuning Unit CAQT-47369 sn:41 1948 - T with Antenna Tuning Coupler TDP-1 sn:248 1969 - 129ft vertical radiator AT-1088 |
Fred's Place Reunion Hall:
OLD || NEW
General information Book:
1969
Awards:
U.S. Coast Guard Restricted Duty Ribbon
Reminiscing:
1949 - 1950 Alan Anderson reflections - pdf (this was modified by the host)
1956 - 1957 Don Anderson reflections - pdf
Documents:
19 MAY 1948 - USCGC KUKUI Inspection report - pdf
18 JUN 1956 - Overseas Loran Survey - pdf
Pictures:
Courtesy of Don Anderson c./1956
New construction c./1956
photo from the top of one of the antenna poles
Don on watch
Don - McDermott - Langraf - Arronson - Dillon
Curely's brother and his wife at their house
Thanks Don!