LORAN STATION MIYAKO JIMA
Station Information
| Site Survey: |
09 AUG - 24 SEP 1952: For the ELMO projects 6 thru 9. |
| Construction Date: |
23 NOV 1953: Construction completed with S/P trailers 1956: permanent Concrete Block Structure Signal/Power building constructed 1959: Station rebuilt |
| Constructed by: | |
| Established: Commissioned: |
1953 |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
APR 1972 |
| Operated by: |
USCG |
| Project code name: |
ELMO 6 |
| Unit Identifier: |
ELMO 6 |
| Mail address: | 1956: APO 235, San Francisco, CA 1971: FPO, Seattle 98770 |
| AKA: |
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| HAM Call sign: |
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| Personnel Allowance: | 1953: 1 Officer, 17 Enlisted 01 MAR 1956: 1 Officer, 12 Enlisted |
| Station Mascot: | 1970: Fang |
| Station events: |
15 SEP 1959: Typhoon SARAH leveled the station with the exception of the Signal Power Building 1969: Crew member stabbed by local, a boyfriend of a woman working at the bar - evacuated - later return to station fully recovered 1971: Crew members D. Zapata and J. Bedell found a bottle with Mr. Harry Kies message dropped from his boat 2 years prior. The return note stated, "This envelope will self-destruct in 30 seconds". 1971 - 1972: Loran reliability on 2H4 (S) was a challenge for the crew of Miyako |
| Commanding Officers: |
1953 - 1954 LTJG Rudy Roberts 1954 - 1955 LTJG George P. Adamson 1955 - 1956 1956 - 1957 LTJG John W. Duenzl 1957 - 1958 LTJG Dwight T. Ramsey 1958 - 1959 1959 - 1960 1960 - 1961 LTJG Robert A. Johnson 1961 - 1962 1962 - 1963 1963 - 1964 LTJG Leon E. Beaudin (? - JUN) 1964 - 1965 LTJG Peter A. Joseph (JUN - JUN) 1965 - 1966 LTJG James F. Greene (JUN - JUN) 1966 - 1967 1967 - 1968 LTJG Frank T. Dunn 1968 - 1969 1969 - 1970 1970 - 1971 LTJG Edgar J. Steele (? - APR) 1971 - 1972 LTJG Harold T. Enger (APR - MAR) 1971 - 1971 LTJG Alan K. Tingquist (MAR - APR)* * LTJG Alan K. Tingquist relieved LTJG Harold T. Enger a month early so that LTJG Enger could visit mainland Japan. This was done with approval from senior officials. LTJG Tingquist was just relieved at Hokkaido as CO after a normal tour. They both were classmates and that bond continued. That is what is called taking care of each other! |
Station Operations
LORAN-A
24 43 44.17 N - 125 26 10.32 (1960 Datum)
| Chain: |
RYUKYU ISLANDS PHILIPPINES EAST COAST |
| Station Letter designation: | 2H4, 2H5 "I" |
| Radio Call Sign: | |
| Declared Operational date: |
01 AUG 1953 |
| Operations terminated: | APR 1972* *Note: Station operations, maintenance and responibility turned over to GOJ. |
| Station Operation: | MAY 1953 - 01 JAN 1964 Single MASTER (SM) 01 JAN 1964 - APR 1972 Double MASTER (DM) |
| Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: |
MIYAKO JIMA (M) - BATAN (S) 1L4, 2H4 N/A Approx. 326 Nautical miles MIYAKO JIMA (M) - GESASHI (S) 2H5 N/A Approx. 186 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 20 JUL 1953 |
| On-Air: |
1H4, 01 AUG 1953 2H4, 01 JAN 1964 2H5, 01 JAN 1964 |
| Off-Air: |
1H4, 01 JAN 1964 - Chain reconfiguration 2H4, APR 1972 - USCG turnover station to GOJ* 2H5, APR 1972 - USCG turnover station to GOJ** * GOJ continued to Loran-A service until 31 DEC 1977 - Batan shutdown ** GOJ continued to operate Loran-A service until 10 MAR 1997 |
| Monitor Rate: | Cross rate monitoring |
| Equipment: | 1956: AN/FPN-30 Timers; |
| Radiator: | 1953 - 1966 - 1966 - 1972 - 109ft vertical radaitor |
Fred's Place Reunion Hall: OLD NEW
Awards:
Koran Service Medal*
27 JUN 1950 - 27 JUL 1954
*Awarded by Department of Navy
Letter of Commendation
HM2 James R. Harris received the Letter of Commendation for his actions on August 20, 1960 when he administered first aid to a man who lost a arm in a dynamite explosion and for his actions in January 1961 when he treated another Miyakan man throughout the night for loss of blood and shock.
CG Restricted Duty Ribbon
Documents:
19 JUL 1956 Overseas Loran Station survey - pdf
07 DEC 1964 HQs question of 2H4CG-2899 - pdf
19 APR 1971 CG 2899 Resubmission - pdf
03 MAY 1971 Loran Reliability for 2H4; findings - pdf
222255Z AUG 71 2H4 unable to sync - pdf
27 AUG 1971 Acceptance of Message Traffic - pdf
Pictures:
Alton Merwitz 1955/56 photo collection
Larry Bilski 1967/68 photo collection
Harold Enger 1971 photo collection