Wake Island photos
Ed Stewart 1970 - 72 photo collection
1959 Jim Rooney (CO) photo collection
LTJG Jim Rooney (CO) and BMC Luther Furgueron (Station Chief)
CO quarters and Admin
Stories:
1. In 1959, the station's mascot was an older dog named "Lucky". When my father asked why the name, the answer was that he was the grandfather of most (if not all) of the dogs on Wake Island. :-))
2. Behind the CO's quarters was an old Japanese bunker. They dug out the bunker and located quite a few supplies including a 55-gal drum of white paint. They ended up painting all the station buildings, considerably sprucing up the station from the previous unpainted concrete. Later that year the District Commander came around and was convinced that someone smuggled by air (at considerable cost) the paint to the island.
Reconstruction of the station was at least several years prior to 1959. Can't remember exactly when. First iteration at Wake was destroyed by a typhoon which occurred about 1950. The concrete pad floor of the first quonset type construction we converted to an outdoor movie area. We had lots of "legitimate" deals going on that truly served the purpose of morale. For the year I was there the loran efficiency increased every month to a high 99+percentage. Wonderful tour. Fantastic crew. BMC Luke Furgeron was a truly competent high performer as XO. Probably the best command I every had. I should write a book. Made great friends in the CG and out. I wish I could go back to see Peale, Wake and Wilkes again.
Loran Station Wake Island and Eniwetok were Loran-A slaves to Kwajalein which functioned as the Master station. Wake received 7 NMPX movies every week on the Navy SAR aircraft that flew up from "Kwaj" every Saturday to exchange crew and aircraft. We received the U.S. Mail six days each week, and had permission (like many) to operate on the ham radio band with our ham licensed ham Chief ET. That was good for about six months of the year. With the Vietnam build up passenger carrying prop-driven aircraft were landing pretty much around the clock for a fuel and feed stop before continuing to Japan and other Asian points west. The first Pan-Am 707 jet landed about a month or so before I was relieved. Years later I discovered that the same 707 jet engines were also on the CGC DALLAS I commanded later on in the 70's.
Contributed by the son Jim Rooney, Jim
Thanks Jim!
Hooligan
(courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard c./20 DEC 1966)