T he Beam Journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc. www.njlhs.org IN THIS ISSUE Sinking Of The Diamond Shoal Lightship Cape St. George Lighthouse Dedication Faro Colonia Del Sacramento Photo Contest Winners Lighthouses On License Plates Number 76 T he Beam June 2009 As you notice there has been a change to LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT “The Beam’s” cover. It will still feature the Mary Beth Doherty lighthouse closest to quarterly meeting site. Wow…how time flies…half of 2009 has passed already. So far I am looking for vertical photos of New this year NJLHS has had two successful trips--a one-day trip to Jersey’s lighthouses to use for future cov- Delaware and a six-day trip thru the Seaway Trail. I hope all the From The ers. If you have a good photo, send it in to participants had a great time. Share your stories and your photos! Editor’s Desk the address listed below for consideration. Maybe you have an idea for a future trip? Let one of the Board In this issue we have a reprint from an older “Beam”, “The Sink- members hear it! ing of the Diamond Shoal Lightship #71”, from December 1991 by Kim M. Ruth; Jim Cope reports on New Zealand’s glow in the Going forward there are two boat trips on the Friday of Challenge dark postage stamps: The Word Search Puzzle looks at the Coast weekend (see the sign-up forms in this Beam), the Challenge itself, Guard’s mission and its history: Faro Colonia Del Sacramento in numerous Outreaches throughout the state, tours at Sandy Hook, Uruguay; and a different look at lighthouses on license plates. The presentations by the Speaker’s Bureau, Helping Hands activities… next 10 back issues of “The Beam” are on the website. With the the list goes on. Check the web site for dates, times and locations. summer season upon us and lighthouse adventures in the works, Please get involved either as a volunteer for one of these activities please send us some stories and photos. They don’t need to be or as a participant…there is a lot that you can do with the Society long, just a paragraph or two and a photo. Remember this is your that doesn’t cost a lot—of time or money! “Beam”, not mine. Just a reminder that there are several Committee Chair vacancies The Beam, the official journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse So- that need to be filled…if you’re interested, please ask a Board ciety, Inc., is published quarterly, March, June, September and member for details. December. Membership dues are $20.00 single and $25.00 fam- Hope to see you in Cape May—if not, have a wonderful summer ily, and are for the calendar year. Back issues are available free and see you in September! for members joining mid-year. All materials are copyrighted and cannot be borrowed or reproduced without permission of the New COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE Jersey Lighthouse Society. The NJLHS - New Jersey Lighthouse Anthony J. Albence Society, Inc., is a non-profit educational corporation (501c3). The New Jersey Lighthouse Society’s OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS 2009 Community Outreach (CO) season is underway!! President Mary Beth Doherty (973) 966-5573 1st VP Brett Franks (856) 256-0881 Our CO team is traversing the state to 2nd VP Cindy Mitzen (908) 281-6879 represent the Society at a variety of com- Treasurer Faith Giamboi (732) 350-9595 munity events and activities which attract Bob & Linda Gleason, Sheila Rec. Secy Bob Gleason (732) 238-7066 a wide cross-section of local residents. Hines, Anthony Albence, Mary Catherine Kennedy, Corr. Secy Jayne Swope (856) 468-2561 This year’s season began with a fun out- Director Tom Laverty (732) 872-2966 Marty Hudspeth at the Spirit Director Doreen Berson (732) 202-7420 ing at the Spirit of the Jersey’s event at of Jersey Event Director Jim Cope (609) 587-6266 Washington Crossing State Park. I encourage everyone to attend Director Anthony Albence (302) 983-3200 this event—which features an amazing array of engaging and in- Director Marty Hudspeth (609) 877-1393 triguing exhibits that chronicle the story of New Jersey history… and how New Jersey was instrumental in the development of COMMITTEES our nation. Our season runs right through to mid-October, and Archivist Elinor Veit (609) 652-1876 a schedule of events is featured on our fantastic NJLHS website. Beam Editor Mike Boucher (845) 787-4807 (Kudos to our talented webmaster, Howie Wright!) Challenge Co-Chair Doreen Berson (732) 202-7420 Challenge Co-Chair Laura Portee (908) 222-0107 Among the fun CO events on the docket, and a unique New Jersey Community Outreach Chair Anthony Albence (302) 983-3200 attraction, is the Warren County Farmers’ Fair/Balloon Festival. Education Outreach Bill Volpe (732) 846-2196 Our presence at this event is a key expansion of the Society’s reach Historian Christine Jochem (973) 538-3473 into the northwestern NJ community. This large, week-long event Hospitality Co-Chairs Linda & Bob Gleason (732) 238-7066 presents some logistical challenges in terms of coordination, but is Hospitality Co-Chairs Carol & George Naill (215) 657-4559 Membership Chair Mary Beth Doherty (973) 966-5573 well worth the investment of time and effort. On that note: YOUR Preservation Chair Brett Franks (856) 256-0881 HELP IS NEEDED!! We would love to have you be part of the Programs Cindy Mitzen (908) 281-6879 Farmers Fair team. All are welcome to participate—even those Publicity Anthony Albence (302) 983-3200 who have never participated in a CO before! If you are interested Sandy Hook Coordinator Ken Schumacher (201) 342-0108 in volunteering, please contact Alan Mertz (sandyhookvoltg@ rcn. Ways & Means Marty Hudspeth (609) 877-1393 com), who is coordinating the scheduling of CO volunteers for this Webmaster Howie Wright (908) 725-9782 event. NJLHS Web Site: http://www.njlhs.org NJLHS Email address: [email protected] Finally, our NJLHS giveaway items to visitors to our exhibits/ The BEAM Email address: [email protected] displays at outreach events have proved to be quite popular! The NJLHS Announcements: (856) 546-0514 mini-crayons packs feature the Society logo, and the mini-flash- Society Address: Beam Address: lights that carry the tagline “Keep the lights shining” along with NJLHS, Inc. Mike Boucher the Society web address are in demand! P. O. Box 332 15 Starrow Dr. Keep the lights shining! Navesink, NJ 07752-0332 Newburgh, NY 12550 Page 2 1989 - 20th Anniversary NJLHS - 2009 We look back at some of the older stories that have appeared in The Beam during the past 20 years. This story appeared in Issue 6, December 1991. A HEINOUS ACT OF COWARDICE: THE SINKING OF THE DIAMOND SHOAL LIGHTSHIP #71 Kim M. Ruth While the Lighthouse, Service has, through 9:15 a.m., the captain of the tanker, George the years, lost a number of lightships for Nordstrom, spotted a torpedo speeding to- various reasons, ranging from errors in ward the port beam. Taking evasive action, judgment to being rammed by the ves- the vessel was swung hard to port, and the sels they were placed to protect, Diamond torpedo narrowly missed. Shoal # 71 was the only one ever destroyed by a U-boat. Frantically trying to escape, the vessel be- gan to zig-zagging at full speed. The U- The United States was late getting into boat surfaced and gave chase. The tanker’s World War I, joining the Allies on April 6, 6-inch guns and two 4-inch guns, 19 50cm 4-inch gun was manned and it opened fire 1917. An act authorizing mobilization of mines and twelve machine guns. The sub- on the pursuing U-boot. At eight miles the Coast Guard as part of the Naval Es- marine was 380 feet long, one of a class apart, the U-boot began firing its larger, tablishment had been passed January 28, of very large cruiser submarines with a 24 6-inch gun. The U-boat had the advantage 1915, how¬ever the transfer of the Light- foot beam, and drew 25 feet. Equipped with both in speed and in armament. It could house Service from the Department of twin screws and five sets of engines she had hit the Jennings with its 6-inch gun, while Commerce to the Navy Department was a maximum surface speed of 26 knots, and staying out of range of the tanker’s 4-inch left at the discretion of the President. could do 12 knots submerged. Her certified one. It was said the U-boot fired 40 shells, maximum depth was 495 feet. She carried about a tenth of its total gun ammunition, On April 11, 1917, five days after war was a crew of 6 officers and 102 men. Her com- missing most of them, but shell eventually declared but two days before it was made mander was Kapitanleutnant Kophamel, struck the tanker’s engine room and maga- public, an Executive Order placed the Coast who previously commanded the U-35 and zine. Guard and the Lighthouse Service under U-151. A veteran of 10 patrols, mostly in the command of the Navy Department. As the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Dead in the water, her gun ammunition de- a result of this order forty-six lighthouse he ended the war as Germany’s 6th rank- stroyed, the Jennings was a sitting duck. tenders, four lightships, and twenty-one ing submarine commander, with a total ton- One of her crew, Second Steward James lightstations were ab¬sorbed into the Navy nage sunk of 190,000.