LETTERS Nantucket Lightship The recenc article in Sea History on rhe Nantucket Lightship I LV-112 brought back memories for me. In 1958 I was the executive officer and navigato r in rhe US Navy radar destroyer escorr USS Hissem (DER 400). One dark stormy night we were returning hom e from forty mostly rough and cold days ac sea o n our primary mi ssion as part of rhe Barrier (the seaward extension of NORAD's Early Warning System agai nst miss iles or planes from the Soviec Union). The Nancucker lighcship wo uld be our "landfall" because we had been o n dead reckoning for lo nger chan I rhoughc wise. Navigation chen was all celestial and bad visi bili ty shot rhac down, also Loran-A, as was ofcen rhe case, was unavailabl e. We were approaching che coast in che dark, ve ry close to a shoal and no longer sure of o ur position. Co ncinuing o n, glued to the fac hom ecer, much later we verified our position and recurned to o ur base in Newport, Rhode Island. Two days later, we were told char on che night we were making rhac landfal l, che Nanruckec lighcship had broken ics anchor chain and drifted off scacion , unknown to anyo ne. RICHARDT. WHITLOCK, C DR, USN RET. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
le is so imperative rhar our Nacional Historic Landmarks and Places be preserved, so everyone can enjoy and learn from chem-especially today's yo ung peo ple. As a museum, the Nancucker lighcship co uld offer so m any learning opportunities for everyone. Mo reover, che citizens of our nation need to recogni ze che importance of saving and preserving hi stori c landmarks rhar represenc che m any unique facets our nation's hericage. Lightships played such an important role, helping to guide and pro tect our seafaring commerce. M ICHAEL CAMERATTA Palm Beach Shores, Florida
Man-Made Explosions The article on rhe El Estero fire (Sea H istory 126) was an excellenc story o n an explosion that did nor happen. One can only wo nder what che results wo uld have been had EL Estero gone up. One small quibble: the author stared that the 19 17 Halifax explosion was the "largest man-made explosion in history before .. .Hiroshima." This claim belongs to first A-bomb rest at White Sands, New Mexico, on 16 July 1945 , nor Hiroshima, which came three weeks lacer. CHARLEY SEAVEY
Sama Fe, New Mexico
Minot's Ledge Light, 1-4-3 Th e ride of the Marshall Johnson painting reproduced on page 28 of Sea History
Minot's Light off Cohasset, U4 126 m ay be "Minor Lighthouse, Boston H arbor," bur Minor's Light is located off the encrance to Cohasset harbor, m y former "home port." Irs 1-4-3 flash is said to m ean "I Love You." Ty Martin Tryon, North Carolin a
Colin White Tribute Colin Wh ite was an inspiration to all who care about naval history and its place in world affairs, and he encouraged countless others to rake a serious inceresr in these viral themes in history. The ro le of the Royal
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Lightship Nantucket Sunk by RMS Olympic by C harles Mazoujian recently received an issue of Sea H istory magazine (126) and was immediately drawn to the article on the N antucket lightship as a result of che striking cover illustrati on. This particular lighcship has quire a fasc inating history. After reading the arricle, I logged on to che LV-112 web sire (www. nancucketlighrshiplv- l 12. org), and read about the United Stares Lightship Museum's plans for the vessel.
SEA HISTORY 127, SUMMER 2009
Our seafa rin g heritage comes alive in the pages of Sea History, from the a ncient mariners of G reece to Portuguese navigators opening up the ocean wo rld to the heroic efforts of sailors in modern-day conflicts. Each issue brin gs new insights a nd discoveries. If you love the sea, rivers,
lakes, and bays-if you apprecia te the legacy of those who sail in deep wa ter a nd their wor kaday craft, th en you belong with us. J oin To day ! Mail in the fo rm below, phone 1 800 221-NMH S (6647), or visit us at: www.seahistory.o rg (e-ma il: nmhs@seahistor y.org)
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