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Destroyer Sea Trial
The U.S. Navy’s newest destroyer, the Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002), sails past Maine’s Portland Breakwater Lighthouse on its sea trial run on August 31, 2021. It is the Navy’s third and final Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer. It was named after the 36th president who served from 1963 to 1969. It is the first ship to bear the late president’s name. (Courtesy Portland Press Herald)
Keeping the Lights Shining
Shown here is a crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team, Southwest Harbor, Maine, after completing their work at Heron Neck Lighthouse. The unit, which cares for 26 historic lighthouses from Port Clyde to the Canadian border, was there to do scheduled preventative maintenance on the light, sound signal, and other associated equipment. The 1854 Heron Neck Lighthouse is located on the southern tip of Greens Island, near Vinalhaven, Maine. Shown here, after completing their work at Heron Neck Lighthouse, are: (l-r) SN Abriana Schweighardt, MK2 Sean Wheeler, BM2 Josh Thomas, EM1 Mike Giacalone and Auxiliarist Bob Trapani, Jr. (Photo by Arthur Lang)
Up Close at the Sparkplug
Crew members from U.S. Coast Guard Station Eastport, Maine pull alongside the Lubec Channel Lighthouse in Eastport, Maine on August 9, 2021. The Lubec Channel Lighthouse, also known as “The Sparkplug,” is located in the channel between South Lubec Beach and Campobello Island, Canada. The lighthouse, which is in need of some tender loving care, is privately owned, but the Coast Guard maintains the light in the lantern. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan L. Noel)
Keeping the History Alive
Shown here, holding a replica of the original flag (pennant) of the United States Lighthouse Service at Maine’s Little River Lighthouse, are (l-r) EM1 Mike Giacalone, AUX Bob Trapani, Jr. and EMC Max Ringstad of the U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team out of Southwest Harbor, Maine.
Unknown Mystery Keeper
We are trying to identify this man who was obviously a Coast Guard lighthouse keeper during the 1939 Transitional Era, which went as late as at least 1945. He is wearing the civilian uniform of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, but his hat has the letters USCG and the lighthouse emblem. If anyone can help us identify this person, please email us at Editor@LighthouseDigest.com or sen by mail to P.O. Box 250, East Machias, ME 04630.
Rare Lighthouse Service Ladder
When the folks at Ohio’s Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse cleaned out the trash in the old cistern at the lighthouse they found this old wooden ladder. Upon closer inspection they noticed the letters U S L H S inscribed just under the top step, which stands for United States Light House Service. Although the letters are worn, they are visible enough to indicate what they stand for. The U. S. Lighthouse Service, along with its predecessor, the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment, stamped or inscribed their name or initials on just about everything to let everyone know that the items belonged to the Lighthouse Service and the federal government. This even included things such as doormats and toilet paper holders. We doubt that very many of these wooden ladders could have survived; making this a rare and valuable antique artifact of lighthouse history. We wonder how many lighthouse keepers’ feet have touched the steps of this ladder?
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2021 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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