Light House Keepers

[BMC John Phillips III]

Let me make history here by being the first to post a topic in the CG History thread!

OK, here is a question, since the days of Light House Keepers have passed (at least in terms of CG personnel), would you consider ANT personnel as Light House Keepers? With the number of Lighthouses in my AOR, what I would like to do is assign members of my crew as Light House Keepers. Possibly earning them their own special place in CG History. There would be a criteria to be met and this would be an earned title, although I haven't worked out exactly how.

What do you think?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

I think that unless they're living at the light, it takes away from the history of the term.

[BMC John Phillips III]

Then what about an "Honory Light House Keeper?"

[BMCM Wray Gillette (Ret)]

John, I was on 14 Foot Bank L/S in Deleware Bay... Was there for about 9 months, until I got a mutual to Port Canaveral, Fl. We were on the light for 2 weeks, then a week off.. occasionally, did a month out and took 2 weeks off...

Amazingly, life could be kind of interesting on a lighthouse.. :D:D

Wray.. :cool:

[MKCM Brett Ayer]

what I would like to do is assign members of my crew as Light House Keepers. Possibly earning them their own special place in CG History. There would be a criteria to be met and this would be an earned title, although I haven't worked out exactly how.

What do you think?

Do I smell another pin in the making? (Ducking).

Brett

[BMC John Phillips III]

Touché!

I was gonna leave it at that, but minimum characters alarm went off on me. Good one Master Chief, now that you mention it, it does sort of sound like that huh?

[BMCM Wray Gillette (Ret)]

Why not give them a Lighthouse tie tack, like they used to do at AtoN school... ;)

Wray... :cool:

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

I don't like anything with honorary in the title. Like honorary Chief or honorary diploma. It still means "less than" to me.

[PACS Steve Carleton]

Do I smell another pin in the making? (Ducking).

Brett


I'll design it!

[MKCM Brett Ayer]

I don't like anything with honorary in the title. Like honorary Chief or honorary diploma. It still means "less than" to me.


I've driven a 44, can I be an honorary Surfman? :) To be serious, I loved my time at the ANT. Had more fun than any other job I have had.

I spent many nights in a sleeping bag at one of our lights, and often wondered what it would have been like to raise my kids and live my life on a rocky island in the middle of nowhere. I think we need to keep the title of “Light House Keeper” for the men and woman that did.

But I will help design the pin :)

Be Safe,

Brett

[BMC John Phillips III]

I am good with the jokes, but I do think designing a pin would be a bit much (especially if it shows a lighthouse). A rating is one thing but a Light House is a whole other thing. Now if you have an ATON badge in mind that sounds like a great idea but how would you signify the guano?

I will probably just put together an album of all the Lighthouses in our AOR that way the crew can still see the importance and history of the job we do.

[MKCM Brett Ayer]

John,

This is just an idea. But why not create "Log books" build a nice box for it and place one at each light house. You could start each with a history of the light, previous Keepers, etc... Then the new names could be added.

This unofficial log will not only preserve the history of your crew members that helped maintain it, but hopefully give new crew members a sense of respect for the light and those that came before. You could establish guidelines as to when a members name could be added.

This would keep the history with the light, not with the member, but isn’t that where it belongs anyway?

Brett

[GMCM Bill Wells (Ret)]

Light house keepers were an interesting bunch. Not so much in the 20th century because of the hiring practices and regulations. Those of the 19th were less regulated and most gained their stations by some political influence.

It was a safe job especially for those with families. Once appointed they could remain there for life if they wished. I recall reading some letters about the problem of keeping keepers at Erie, Pa. They couldn't find anyone who would stay sober. There was one light in Louisana that kept loosing keepers by some mysterious death and had difficulty finding anyone to take the "haunted" light. This was until they found out the keepers died a slow death from lead poisoning. They drank water from a cistern that held water run off from their metal roof.

Many of the earlier keepers were veterans and were given preference for the jobs.

One unheralded Confederate female light keeper in Flordia kept Union Army forces from taking over her light.

Some great stories but most of the time is was a pretty dull job. Good reading about one is the book by former Coast Guardsman, Stephen Jones, about the Harbor of Refuge Light. See: http://www.delawarebaylights.org/thoughts_harborofrefuge_christmas.htm

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Let me make history here by being the first to post a topic in the CG History thread!

OK, here is a question, since the days of Light House Keepers have passed (at least in terms of CG personnel), would you consider ANT personnel as Light House Keepers? With the number of Lighthouses in my AOR, what I would like to do is assign members of my crew as Light House Keepers. Possibly earning them their own special place in CG History. There would be a criteria to be met and this would be an earned title, although I haven't worked out exactly how.

What do you think?

I can't tell if your being serious or not...so, I'll assume that you are.

You answered your own question...The days of Lighthouse Keepers have passed. No, I wouldn't consider ANT personnel as Light House Keepers.

[BMC John Phillips III]

well, I thought it was a legitimate question. Since I have 6 lighthouses in my aor, and we are the only ones that service and maintain the lights, in my mind, we are modern day light house keepers. But everyone is entitled to their opinions.

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=702

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=701

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=697

http://www.floridalighthouses.org/sand_key.htm

http://www.floridalighthouses.org/american_shoal.htm

and last but not least, Rebecca Shoal light which has been destroyed for quite sometime now. http://www.floridalighthouses.org/rebecca_shoal.htm

[ETC Joe Jester ret]

John,

As far as something at your main office, get a plaque and engrave everyone's name who has serviced all the lighthouses in your AOR. You can present them with a quoin and a page seven congradulating them on that accomplishment.

The history of each light and their previous keepers could be in a booklet or whatever else you use for PR work. At the end of the historical section, you can list the contemporary keepers of today, or more correctly, since the lights became unmanned.

You are the contemporary keepers of the light. Make no mistake about it.

[BMC John Phillips III]

Thanks for all the serious recommendations and constructive input. I particularly like MKCM Ayers and ETC Jester's ideas. I will consider using parts of both in doing something to increase my peoples interest in the history of lighthouse keepers as well as increasing thier sense of pride and importance of the Aids to Navigation mission - which was my end goal to begin with. Apologies if it came off as otherwise.

[GMCM Bill Wells (Ret)]

It may be a good idea to get the PA folks involved. They could follow the steps of the late PACM Dave Cipra. Dave, while in D8, wrote a good 62-page monograph on the lighthouses and light ships of D8 (circa 1976).

These type publications could be kept at the various stations and handed out (for free of course) to whomever wishes one. The back page could have Coast Guard recruiting information.

With the advances in technology, I'd like to see Dave's work reissued as a slicker publication.

[MKCS Jon Blanchard]

There are still a few of us former light house keepers on active duty. No more pins please.

[BMCM Wray Gillette (Ret)]

I wonder, do they still give (or sell) the ligh house tie tacks when completing AtoN school..

Wray...

[MKCS Jon Blanchard]

I do have a lot of history information on the two light houses I was fortunate enough to serve as keeper. I will work on formating it to post to share with you.

[CWO Dana Lewis (QMC) (Ret)]

Maybe someone will chime in that has a fresher recollection, but the term you might be looking for is "Light Attendant". A long time ago the predecessor to the ANTs was the LAS ( Light Attendant Station ) . I believe those folks would service the minor lights and aids in an area.

[MSTCS Dennis Noble (Ret.)]

Perhaps you might do the following:

Have someone do a workup of the history of each light. Master Chief Cipra's booklet--and book that was published after his death--is a good place to start. Have one to hand out to the public and crew. Then keep a master copy and have people assigned to the light log any unusual, funny, or interesting story that happened during their time working on the light. Have them sign it with their name and rate and dates of their service. At transfer time, give them a copy of the history of all the lights and all the comments up through their service. Such an arrangement can also help others who try to write history. For example, when working on a book about the USLHS I was lucky enough to get a BM1 to tell me an outstanding ghost story at one light and another story about a different light. History, after all, is telling stories.

While most people do not care for history, you might be surprised at how many people later in life want to know about their former station(s). If you keep the type of suggestion that I and others outlined someone later on can say, "See, this is what I did."

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

Dennis,
Great to see you here. Also, truly enjoyed your visit and look forward to the next one. Maybe MC McAdams will tell us some more stories, then some more, and some more......and one more. :D I do love his stories.

Oh, and I have been penciled for STA Gloucester. Two lighthouse's there. I hear one is haunted? If you are ever back in MA, please come by and say hello.

Chris

[MSTCS Dennis Noble (Ret.)]

Chris,

Glad I got to see you before you shoved off. Your crew treated me very nice and a pleasure to visit you station again.

Gloucester has a lot of history. When I did a book on the USLHS I found that most lighthouses have a ghost and it is fun trying to find out about them. There is a great story about the ghost at Tatoosh Island. I also heard one from a NPS maintenance man at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore of a ghost he saw while restoring the keeper's quarters.

While doing research on another subject I came across a small book you can probably pick up when you get there: David C. McAveeney, _Kipling in Gloucester: The Writing of Captains Courageous_ (1996). Did not know that the great English writer had spent time in the U.S.

One of the great pleasures I had in doing _Lifeboat Sailors_ was listening to BMCM Tom McAdams. He is a delight to listen to and I am glad he also took time to stop by while I was visiting your station. Tom is 75 years-old and he is in better shape than some 21 year-olds. Amazing man!

If I do not get down for your COC, tell Jeff I said "hello."

[GMCM Bill Wells (Ret)]

Perhaps you might do the following:

Have someone do a workup of the history of each light. Master Chief Cipra's booklet--and book that was published after his death--is a good place to start.

Dennis, I believe it was reprinted after his death. The copy I have has him as a PAC. He retired as PACM and was working as a civilian at CGHQ. He was a hoot. The office in CGHQ with a rubber chicken hanging from the ceiling.

[MSTCS Dennis Noble (Ret.)]

Bill,

Believe Bob Browning and Bob Schina gathered his material from his widow and had another book published under his name. Believe it was a much expanded version of his original work--not sure because I have not seen it.

I know he did a lot of work on the subject and have heard from people saying they always saw him working on the topic on his own time.

[BMC John Phillips III]

An amazing thing happened today that I thought I would share.

A few days after I started this thread and received a few suggestions from my fellow Chiefs, I put together a small book with historical information on the Lighthouses in our AOR. The day I put it together I told everyone about it and briefly mentioned a few things that I learned from reading it. I left the book in the crews office and I said nothing of it other than I would be adding to it and it would be a growing book of pictures and such. I also mentioned whomever's idea it was to leave a log book at each light, we just haven't visited any yet.

Anyway, today after liberty was granted there were 3 crewmembers sticking around in the office and as I passed through, one of my non-rates was reading out loud to the two other members that were still there, showing and sharing interest in some historical information that wasn't being forced down their throats.

[MSTCS Dennis Noble (Ret.)]

John,

I think putting any book in a crew's day room and just saying you found it interesting is a very smart approach to having people read. In other words, it does not force them to pick up the book. Those that are interested will read and, in the best of all possible worlds, those that normally do not read might be interested in reading it. Learning without making it seem like a school.

Good move! (Of course, I am not a teacher, so what do I know?)

[MKCM Brett Ayer]

John, I'm glad to hear it. Interest and knowledge help build ownership. Building ownership can be a dificult task in today's Coast Guard. You have laid a good foundation.

Be Safe,

Brett

[BMC John Phillips III]

Thank you Dennis,

I would say that in ways we are all teachers, but delivery is everything.

Edited to add, thanks MKCM.

[ETC Joe Jester ret]

John,

Knowing the history is a good way to build esprie de corps. Letting them read and be part of it can only germinate good things.

[BMC John Phillips III]

You're right Joe and I intend on letting them add to the book, not just me. As I mentioned, photos, articles, whatever they may find can go in it. Not for the sake of it becoming a historical artifact, just as something that is neat to share with the future members of the unit and as you put it, to build "esprit de corps."