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LORAN STATION IWO JIMA

Station Information

Operated by:

USCG
Station Unit Identifier:

1945: CG Unit 348
1972: 14-40155

Mail address: 1954: APO 815 San Francisco, CA
1966: APO San Francisco 96415
1975: FPO Seattle 98781
1986: FPO Seattle, WA 98761-0006
 
Decommissioned:
Disestablished:
29 SEP 1993
AKA: Black Pearl of the Pacific
HAM Call sign:

1955 - 56: CE3Z0
1964 - 64: KG61C

Personnel Allowance: 1976: 2 Officers; 39 Enlisted
1981: 2 Officers; 24 Enlisted
1985: 2 Officers; 24 Enlisted
1986: 2 Officers; 24 Enlisted
Station Mascot: 1962 - Flagstaff, Nippon
1971 - Boy-san
1973 - Che, Slim, Gwen
1974 - Shortie
1978 - Shortie, Shinbone

Station events: 09 - 19 MAR 1948: CGC KUKUI unloaded supplies and materials to establish the loran station on Iwo Jima.

150200Z MAR 1949: KANGOKU IWA operations transferred to the main island KITANO POINT

25 SEP 1955: TYPHOON LOUISE struck - 98 percent island destroyed

1958: COMFECSEC assumed administrative duties from COMMARSEC

JUN 1962: Loran C station was selected at KITANO POINT, IWO JIMA instead of HACHIJO JIMA because local population opposition on Hachijo Jima.

MAR 1963: CGC KUKUI delivered construction material and supplies to establish the Loran A/C station.

MAR 1964: Chain reconfiguration because tower failures at IWO and YAP

1964/65: Commanding Officer (LTJG James Woodle) created savings time for USCG portion of island to frustrate local USAF command.

1965 - 1966: USAF stationed gravity nuclear bombs on the island

JAN 1969: HM1 killed in an accident

OCT 1975: Station off-air four days - all four generators failed

JUL 1978: Two seaman lost at sea - Norm Rockitter & Randy Saul

20 FEB - 31 MAR 1981: station off air - tower maintenance - chain reconfiguration - MARCUS as Master.

19 FEB 1985: Coast Guard LORAN Station Iwo Jima served as the on-island host for the first ever reunion of U. S. and Japan veterans of the battle of Iwo Jima (celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Iwo Jima). It was celebrated as the Reunion of Honor on 19 FEB 1985 and was documented in a television documentary produced by Arnold Shapio and narrated by Ed McMahon. Over 2000 U. S. and Japanese veterans returned to Iwo Jima to commemorate this event. - Jon Allen (CO 1984-85)

24 DEC 1990: Typhoon struck island as a CAT 4.

29 SEP 1993: Station transferred to Government of Japan.

2006: The "Letters from Iwo Jima" resulted in the name change to Iwo To
Commanding Officers: 1949 - 1950 LTJG Earl W. Rinehart
1950 - 1951 LTJG Randolph Ross
1951 - 1952
1952 - 1953
1953 - 1954
1955 - 1956 LTJG Harold W. Parker (? - APR)
1956 - 1956 LTJG Charles G. Stadlander (APR - OCT)
1956 - 1957 LTJG Harris A. Pledger (OCT - APR)
1957 - 1958 LTJG Henry Lohmann (APR - APR)
1958 - 1959 LT Charles Leddy (APR - ?)
1959 - 1960 LTJG Thomas S. Latham
1960 - 1961 LTJG Arnold B. Beran
1961 - 1962 LTJG Neil F. Kendall
1962 - 1963 LTJG Robert F. Melsheimer
1963 - 1964 LTJG Charles J. Kelly
1964 - 1964 LTJG Cecil W. Gray (MAR - SEP)
1964 - 1965 LTJG James K. Woodle (SEP - AUG)
1965 - 1966 LTJG Daniel M. White (AUG - ?)
1966 - 1967 LTJG William A. Monson
1967 - 1968 LTJG Gary Russell
1968 - 1969 LT Donald J. Green
1969 - 1970 LTJG Thomas R. Roche
1970 - 1971 LTJG John C. Voden (? - APR)
1971 - 1971 LTJG George Baldwin (APR - NOV)
1971 - 1972 LTJG Thomas Sheehan (NOV - OCT)
1972 - 1973 LTJG Stanley E. Lehman (OCT - OCT)
1973 - 1974 LTJG Verne Bennett (OCT - OCT)
1974 - 1975 LT William E. Pitt (OCT - OCT)
1975 - 1976 LT Dennis W. Mahar (OCT - OCT)
1976 - 1977 LT Alexandre LaGault (OCT - JUL)
1977 - 1977 LT Richard W. Brandes (JUL - OCT)
1977 - 1978 LT Edward E. Page (OCT - NOV)
1978 - 1979 LT Ronald R. Weston (NOV - NOV)
1979 - 1980 LT Rex A. Buddenberg (NOV - NOV)
1980 - 1981 LT Gabriel O. Kinney (NOV - ?)
1981 - 1982 LT Roman T. Lewandowski
1982 - 1983 LT Thomas D. Meyer
1983 - 1984 LT David K. Hebert (? - JUL)
1984 - 1985 LT Jon D. Allen (JUL - SEP)
1985 - 1986 LT Daniel D. Cronin (SEP - ?)
1986 - 1987
1987 - 1988 LT James G. Simpson
1988 - 1989 LT Scott P. LaRochelle
1989 - 1990 LT Douglas F. Premoe(? - APR)
1990 - 1991 LT Jeffrey S. Ruvolo (APR - APR)
1991 - 1992 LT Jan Proehl (APR - APR)
1992 - 1993 LT Markus D. Dausses (APR - 29 SEP)

Station Operations

LORAN-A

24 48 34.29 N - 141 19 25.85 E (1960 Mercury Datum)
24 48 18.800 N - 141 19 37.100 E (02 NOV 1970)

Site survey: 05 MAR 1948: Site survey party under direction of CDR H. D. Wear and CGC KUKUI officers conducted the site on the northern end of the island.
Construction Date: 07 JUN 1948 - MAY 1949: QUONSET huts - USCGC KUKUI construction party with CDR Daniel J. Lucinski in charge relieved by CDR Hugh D. Wear who was relieved by LTJG Howard Linse - USCGC TRILLIUM assisted.

1956: Construction of new station - after TYPHOON LOUISE (25 SEP 1955) - Concrete block construction.
Constructed by: MAR 1948 - MAR 1949: USCGC KUKUI
1956: Japanese Construction Company
Established:
Commissioned:

09 MAR 1949: Quonset huts
15 NOV 1956: Concrete block
Chain: JAPAN SEA
Station Letter designation: 4H6. 4H7, 2H6 "K"
2H7 "Y"
 
Radio Call Sign:
 
Declared Operational date: 15 MAR 1949
 
Operations terminated: 312400Z DEC 1977
 
Station Operation: Double MASTER (DM)
 
Station pair:
Loran rate:
Baseline:

Station pair:
Loran rate:
Baseline:

Station pair:
Loran rate:
Baseline:

Station pair:
Loran rate:
Baseline:


IWO JIMA (M) - OSHIMA (S)
4H6, 2H6, 2H7
Approx. 598 Nautical miles

IWO JIMA (M) - ICHI BANARE (S)
4H7, 2H7, 2H6
Approx. 785 Nautical miles

IWO JIMA (M) - GESASHI (S)
2H6
Approx. 721.5 Nautical miles

IWO JIMA (M) - HACHIJO JIMA
2H7
Approx. 502 Nautical miles
On-air testing date:  
 
On-Air: 4H6, 15 MAR 1949 (ICHI BANARE)
4H7, 15 MAR 1949 (OSHIMA)
2H6, MAY 1953 (OSHIMA)
2H7, MAY 1953 (ICHI BANARE)
2H6, 010200Z JAN 1964 (GESASHI)
2H7, 010200Z JAN 1964 (OSHIMA)
2H7, APR 1966 (HACHIJO JIMA)
 
Off-Air: 4H6, MAY 1953 Shifted to International Loran band
4H7, MAY 1953 Shifted to International Loran band
2H6, 010200Z JAN 1964 Change of rate
2H7, 010200Z JAN 1964 Change of rate
2H7, APR 1966 OSHIMA operations shifted to HACHIJO JIMA)
2H6, 312400Z DEC 1977 U.S. service termination
2H7, 312400Z DEC 1977 U.S. service termination
 
Monitor Rate: Cross rate monitoring
 
Equipment: <1956 - UE-1 Timers and T-137 Transmitters installed
1963 - Site survey recommend to replace "T" antenna with a vertical radiator
1963 - AN/FPN-30 Timers, T-325C Transmitters, AM-701 Amplifier, AN/FPA-2 & 3A equipment installed
 
Radiator: 1949 - 1964 "T"
1964 - 1977 Vertical Radiator AS-1088/TRN
 

LORAN-C

24 48 13 N - 141 19 36 E (Site Survey)
24 48 04.100 N - 141 19 28.999 E (WGS-72)
24 48 03.734 N - 141 19 30.857 E (WGS-84)

Site survey: AUG 1962 - site survey
Construction Date: 1963 - 1964
Constructed by:

 
Station Project code name: WING II
Established:
Commissioned:
1963
Chain: NORTHWEST PACIFIC
Radio Call sign:
NET: NRT-3
 
Operational date:
Declared Operation:
21 JAN 1964


Operations terminated:

29 SEP 1993*

*Station turned over to GOJ which continued Loran service
 
Station Operation:

Single MASTER (SM)
Loran rate:
Function:
Baseline:


SS-0, SS-3, 9970 (M)
"M"
M-W: Approx. 693 Nautical miles
M-X: Approx. 1082 Nautical miles
M-Y: Approx. 722 Nautical miles
M-Z: Approx. 930 Nautical miles (Yap)
M-Z: Approx. 706 Nautical miles (Barrigada)
On-air testing date: 25 JUL 1963
21 JAN 1964 - Replacement tower completed
 
On-Air: SS-0 (M), 21 JAN 1964
SS-3 (M), 01 JAN 1965
9970 (M), 25 FEB 1975
9970 (M), 310700Z MAR 1981
 
Off-Air:

SS-0 (M), 16 MAR 1964 - Tower failure - six workers killed
SS-3 (M), 25 FEB 1975 - Changed Identification of GRI
9970 (M), 202300Z FEB 1981 - Tower maintenance
9970 (M), 29 SEP 1993 - USCG service termination
Equipment: 1963 - AN/FPN 45/46 3Mw
1968 - Clarinet Pilgrim installed
JUL 1976 - LRE - AN/FPN-54 Timers; AN/FPN-60 Transmitter controller
Radiator: 1963 - 16 MAR 1964 - 1350ft TLM, Dresser-Ideco, Model 19194
1964 - 1350ft TLM, Dresser-Ideco, Model 20132
 

Fred's Place Reunion Hall: OLD NEW

Awards:

General Information Books:

1976 General Information Book - pdf courtesy of Jim Dunnington

1986 General Information Book - pdf

Documents:

160030Z MAR 1949 - Transfer of station operations from KANGOKU to IWO - pdf

09 MAR 1955 - War Game Excerise - pdf

1956 Overseas Loran Survey - pdf

1981 Commandant Bulletin article - pdf

1985 40th Anniversary - pdf

1985 Island Geographic - pdf

1992 Island History - pdf

1992 Island tour - pdf

24 JUN 1993 - OPORDER 04-93 - pdf

29 SEP 1993 - The Turnover Ceremony pamphlet - pdf

 

Pictures:

Coast Guard Official photos

Fred's Place Photos

Bob Tiffany 1955/56 photo collection

George Meyers 1964/65 photo collection

Art Nichols 1973 photo collection

Rick Pugh 1974/75 photo collection

Bill's 1975 photo collection

Ed Stewart 1975/76 photo collection

Jim Dunnington 1978 and 2005 photo collection

John Allan 1984 photos plus 1945 Annotated Maps - contributed by Larry Bilski

Various crew members photos

Station Patch

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