Station Townsend Inlet, New Jersey

Station Townsend Inlet, New Jersey

USLSS Station #34, Fourth District
Coast Guard Station #130

Remarks:

A site was acquired in 1878. A new site was acquired in 1885. In 1906 the Borough of Townsend Inlet began to develop the section around the station. The location of the station was such that it extended into two of the proposed streets and did not fit into what was known as Block 56. It was agreed that title to the additional land in Block 56 be acquired by condemnation proceedings at the expense of the Borough, after which the U.S. could abandon the part which extended into the streets. By donation and condemnation proceedings the station property was located squarely in Block 56, thus allowing the Borough to lay out streets as planned.

Station Townsend Inlet (circa 1980):

The station has a personnel allowance of 0-0-19 and processes over 400 SAR cases per year. The present station boat allowance is 1- UTM 1- 17’ SKB and 1-14’ SKM (Whaler). The 44’ MLB previously assigned has been transferred to Station New Haven for op-area evaluation. The district plans to assign a 40’ UTB to Townsend Inlet for an interim period. Approximately 80% of the unit’ s cases occur in the Intra Coastal Waterway arid the remainder occur off shore, usually no more than 8 to 12 miles off. The station maintains a boat readiness posture of 1-B0 during the week, year round, and 2-B0 on weekends during the summer months.

The station O.I.C., BMC Basic estimates the workweek for SAR duty section personnel to be between 66 and 80 hours per week during the summer months. During the summer the duty sections can provide crews for both B—0 boats. This is accomplished with the use of boat crews from the reserve unit that meat at the station and by a change in the summer duty routine. The crew stands port and starboard during the summer months with 48 on and 48 off. The typical duty section contains 2 three-man boat crews and two SAR supervisors (OOD and his assistant). This scheme seems to work since the reserves provide additional personnel on the weekends. During the winter months, the station returns to a 1 and 3 duty routine with a maintenance and repair section operating as day workers. It is the opinion of the O.I.C. and the Group Commander, CDR Wedgewood that the station could never go below a l-BO readiness posture.

The station’s physical facilities are situated on two separate parcels of land. The main station building, mentioned above, berthing trailers, paint locker, small one bay garage and emergency generator building are located at one site in the town proper. The boathouse and moorings are located approximately 3 blocks away on the inland waterway side of the peninsula.

The main station building is a two story structure with office, operations center, galley and mess deck on the first floor and three 3-man berthing rooms and heads on the second floor. The cellar is used for storage area, DC shop, and laundry area. Approximately 90% of the crew lives aboard the unit in very crowded conditions. All of the berthing areas are well below current habitability standards. Two 10’ X 60’ trailers have been added to ease the overcrowding. Each trailer has 3 berthing roans that measure approximately 7½’ X 18’ and a residential type head facility. If possible, only one person is assigned each trailer roan.

The boathouse is heated, and the marine railways and moorings appear to be in adequate condition. The boathouse has 3 bays and can haul a 30’ UTM and 40’ UTB. Only two of the three marine railways are operational. The railway supports and decking suffered ice damage during the past winter and repairs were necessary. The 41’ UTB will not fit in the boathouse. The second floor of the boathouse contains an MK stop, ET work area and spare parts storage area for Group Cape May. This facility represents a valuable asset, but it is simply not adequate to serve as a Group Maintenance facility.

There has been discussion of converting Station Townsend Inlet into a summer SAR detachment and operate it seasonally f ran Station Cape May. If the course of action is ever adopted, all operations would be consolidated at the boathouse location.

Keepers:

Platt Brower was appointed in 1853. It is unknown when he left the service.

Henry Y. Willets was appointed on AUG 12, 1867 and died in service on JUL 27, 1886.

Henry L. Smith was appointed on AUG 12, 1886 and resigned from the service due to physical reasons on OCT 30, 1903.

Benjamin F. Hall was appointed on OCT 24, 1903 and left the service in 1915.

Patrick Shaw (acting) was appointed in 1915 and was still serving through 1915.

"TOWNSEND INLET"; no date/photo number; photographer unknown.

Courtesy of Van R. Field.

"TOWNSEND INLET"; no date/photo number; photographer unknown.

Courtesy of Van R. Field.

Sources:

Station History File, CG Historian’s Office

Dennis L. Noble & Michael S. Raynes.  “Register of the Stations and Keepers of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.”  Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.

Ralph Shanks, Wick York & Lisa Woo Shanks.  The U.S. Life-Saving Service: Heroes, Rescues and Architecture of the Early Coast Guard.  Petaluma, CA: Costaño Books, 1996.

U.S. Treasury Department: Coast Guard.  Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers and Cadets and Ships and Stations of the United States Coast Guard, July 1, 1941.  Washington, DC: USGPO, 1941.