Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
Special Edition: July 2014 


 

 

 Donate 

All electronic donations will be processed by PayPal.

  

 

   Subscribe to me on YouTube 

 

 

  

Nantucket/LV-112 

Proudly made in USA

 

 
Attention
Lighthouse Lovers!

 

Brant Point LIghthouse

If you love lighthouses and want to learn about these guiding lights and navigational aids from all over the world, then The Lighthouse Directory is the website for you. It provides an astounding amount of information, linking to more than 17,200 of the world's lighthouses. Russ Rowlett, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, compiled the directory with the assistance of hundreds of lighthouse fans around the world who have enriched this site with their own information and suggestions. For a long time Rowlett tried to maintain a list of lighthouses from his many friends and contacts, but it had grown too long (and too out of date) to display on the comprehensive site. Rowlett offers special thanks to Michel Forand for his suggestions and editing, touching essentially every page of the directory, and Jeremy D'Entremont, Ted Sarah and Klaus Huelse, each contributing in vital ways.


The Maine
Lighthouse Museum




Another unique educational resource for U.S. Lighthouse history, Lifesaving and Lightship Service is The Maine Lighthouse Museum (MLM), located in Rockland, Maine, the heart of the Midcoast. Last October, the U.S. Lightship Museum presented a Powerpoint presentation at the MLM about U.S. Lightships and Nantucket/LV-112.

The mission of the Maine Lighthouse Museum is to educate the public regarding the longstanding traditions, heroism and progress of America's Lighthouse and Lifesaving services and the United States Coast Guard through the conservation and interpretation of the nation's most significant collection of lighthouse and lifesaving artifacts. From sparkling lenses to heartwarming stories of the keepers and their families, the Maine Lighthouse Museum is truly America's lighthouse museum. For more information, log on to the Maine Lighthouse Museum or call: 207.594.3301.  

  

 

We Salute Our Donors

  

Amex Industrial Services, Inc.
 
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - Atlantic Chapter

Bluefin Robotics


 Boston Harbor 

Shipyard & Marina
 
The Boston Foundation
ThreeBees Fund

California Public Safety Radio Association 


  Cameron International Corporation

 

Claflin & Son

Nautical Antiques

 

Crandall Dry Dock Engineers

  

Capt. Robertson P. Dinsmore Fund


Donahue, Tucker &

Ciandella, PLLC 

 

East Boston Foundation

 

BAE Systems   

 

Eastern Bank Charitable
Foundation
 

Fitzgerald Shipyard

 

Foss Maritime

 

J. Hewitt Marine

Electrical Services

 

H.F. Lenfest Fund

 

McAllister Towing &
Transportation Co.

    

Joe and Pepette Mongrain
Fund 


National Trust for    

Historic Preservation
 

New England 

Lighthouse Lovers 

New London Maritime Society and Custom House Maritime Museum 

 

Sherwin-Williams

Industrial Marine Coatings Division
 
T & M Services


 Town of Oyster Bay, 

Long Island, NY


 U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association 


 West Marine 


 USLM Members  


Verizon Foundation

 

Zuni Maritime Foundation

USS Zuni / USCG Tamaroa  


 Individual Donors

 

 

USLM is a Member
of the Following Organizations

 

CAMM Logo 

   

HNSA Logo     

 

The flag of the United States Lighthouse Service


Teach children about lightships with the book, Lightship
 


Editorial From School
Library Journal
 

Kindergarten-Grade 2: Lightships were anchored where lighthouses could not be built. They protected our ocean harbors as well as points along the Great Lakes. The last one (Nantucket/LV-613) was decommissioned in 1983, so this fascinating picture book is a piece of nautical history. Brian Floca's watercolor drawings depict daily life aboard one of these vessels, cooking, sleeping, working, all the while rolling with the rhythm of the waves. There were many hazards involved. Big ships came too close, anchors lost their mooring, and weather caused many problems. But when the fog rolled in, the lightship sprang into action. Lights flashed and horns sounded, allowing ship traffic to make it "through fog and night, past rocks and shoals, past reefs and wrecks, past danger." The drawings are very detailed. Some pages are collages of small scenes. Many are full spreads. The sailors' facial expressions are amusing to watch, and the resident cat appears on almost every page. The front and back endpapers show a cutaway view of one of the vessels. This fascinating, little-known slice of history should prove interesting to every child who loves big boats.- Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor Disttrict Library, MI (Review originally published by: Reed Business Information, Inc.) 

The book Lightship, by Brian Floca, can be purchased on Amazon.com - For more information about lightships, click on Brian Floca's Blog.

In memory of former
USCG LV-112 crewmember,
Robert J. Gubitosi, Sr.

With great sadness, we report the passing of
Robert J. Gubitosi, Sr., our friend, volunteer, committed supporter and former U.S. Coast Guard Nantucket/LV-112 crewmember (1957-61), who died July 10. Robert was known to his friends and family as Bob and "Gubbie." Bob served his entire four years of USCG duty on LV-112. During his servicethe ship transitioned from an original steam-powered vessel to being refitted in 1960 as a diesel-powered lightship. We will miss him dearly. Please join us in celebrating fond memories of Bob on Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 (WAL-534). His last visit to LV-112 was July 4, 2012, with his family.    

 

LV-112 (c. 1957), temporarily anchored in Woods Hole, MA, prior to USCG refit 
Nantucket/LV-112 after 1960 refit, anchored on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station
"Gubbie" on LV-112, Nantucket lightship
station, 1959
Bob Gubitosi, age 17, at the USCG boot camp

OBITUARY

Robert Joseph Gubitosi, Sr., 74, of Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, unexpectedly entered into eternal peace on July 10, 2014, in Richmond, Virginia, while traveling home from vacation with his family. He was the first son of the late Albert and Irene Gubitosi (Quinlan). He was born on November 29, 1939, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He proudly served in the United States Coast Guard from January 1957 to January 1961 on Nantucket Lightship/LV-112. He was a member of U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association and the National Rifle Association.


He received his associate's degree from Burlington County College, his bachelor's from Glassboro State University and a master's in Criminal Justice from the University of Alabama. He retired as a captain from Rahway State Prison in New Jersey in July, 1991. After retiring from Rahway, he worked for the Pennsylvania Forest Fire Service. He graduated from the Scranton Pennsylvania Police Academy, and then worked as a park ranger at Lackawanna State Park, retiring after 10 years of service. Bob loved to travel, read and spend time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He enjoyed a good debate, and an avid outdoorsman, he also loved tennis, hunting, boating and hiking.   

Bob, with his wife, Kathy, and son Bob, Jr., in LV-112's galley, July 4, 2012 

 

He leaves his loving memories to be cherished by his wife of 53 years, Kathleen Ann Gubitosi (Krenta), his precious "Dear Heart," and also their children: son Robert Joseph Gubitosi, Jr. and wife Pat of Stroudsburg, PA., son Christopher Albert Gubitosi and wife Susan of Harmony Township, NJ, daughter Kathleen Potter and husband Kenneth of Nazareth, PA, daughter Desiree LiCausi and husband Bruce of Raritan, NJ, and daughter Buffy Disko and husband Bob of Bridgewater, NJ; also his beloved grandchildren, whom he cherished with all his heart: Sean, Alyssa, Brett, Matthew, Bryan, Michelle, Andrew, Nicole, Emilee, Bruce Jr., Luke, and Carlie. He is also survived by his brother Dennis Gubitosi of Nutley, NJ, his sister Penny Furst of Wilmington, DE, and his sister, Maureen Gubitosi of Toms River, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 17 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, East Stroudsburg, PA. Bob was laid to rest with military honors in Buena Vista Cemetery, Brodheadsville, PA. Because Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 was very dear to Bob's heart, the Gubitosi family kindly and generously requested that memorial contributions be made to the restoration and preservation fund of the U.S. Lightship museum, Nantucket/LV-112. Obituary source: William H. Kresge Funeral Home.

 

Bob Gubitosi (center right, dark blue shirt) on LV-112, July 4, 2012, telling one of his famous LV-112 stories about life on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station 
Original water color painting of the SS United States passing LV-112, inspired by the photo Bob Gubitosi took in 1959 from the top of LV-112's light beacon mast
This original painting depicts Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
anchored on Nantucket Station in 1959, with the SS United States heading for Europe. The SS United States is the largest passenger ocean liner ever built in the United States and still holds the westbound transatlantic speed record. LV-112 is the largest U.S. lightship ever built. The primary goal of creating this painting is for LV-112 fundraising efforts. Bob Gubitosi inspired and donated funds to commission the painting by artist Gerald Levey. As cook on LV-112 for four years, he served longer than any LV-112 crewmember. Below, is an account of his experience taking photographs of the SS United States from LV-112with a Kodak Brownie camera.

 

Gubbie in LV-112 lifeboat on Nantucket lightship station, 1959
"I have enclosed three photos I found, two of the United States and one looking down from the mast onto the deck and smokestack of LV-112 WAL-534. All three pictures were taken by myself in 1959, while on Nantucket Station, from the top of the mast. It was a calm day and I had no problem climbing the mast. Getting down however, was something else. It took them over an hour and a half to talk me down. The SS United States passed so close that I was waving to the folks on deck. After it passed, the screws caused a wake from the great ship that rocked the little lightship to the point that I thought the mast was going to touch the water. I wrapped my legs and arms around the mast, and it seemed that the ship was going to rock forever. A brief thought went through my head to jump into the water. Thank God, I didn't. I was 19 years old at the time and I never climbed the mast again." -- Bob Gubitosi, 1959
Left to right: Bob Gubitosi, Bernie Webber and William Gillette during one of their off-duty moments, having fun on Nantucket lightship station, 1959
Bob's first day on board
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, 1957

 

Gubbie (top) and Bill Gillette on LV-112 foredeck, 1959 
"I went aboard Light Vessel #112 on a foggy day in 1957. I was 17 years old and saw this big red ship with "Nantucket" painted on it anchored in the calm sea belching out the most ear-piercing foghorn I have ever heard. I think it was then that I realized that my life was about to change. I was the ship's new cook and had to feed 15 men aboard this ship, and I just came from commissarymen school at Groton, Connecticut, where they taught me to feed about a thousand. This was a terrifying experience at that time. I was on the 112 until 1961. I could not get a transfer and had four different skippers during my tour.
There were many storms and hurricanes. One scary night was in, I believe, 1958, when we broke our anchor chain and did not know it. We wound up off the coast of New Jersey the next day with our radio beacon still going. I remember going on the bridge that night and watching the ship through the porthole going up walls of water that looked like five- to ten-story buildings high, then taking a nose dive straight down. The most pleasurable times were when the mail came, the few calm summer days without the foghorn, the fishing, watching the aurora borealis and the sea life." -- Bob Gubitosi, LV-112  Commissaryman (ships cook, 1957-61) 

 

"Pollo Gubitosi," a vintage Nantucket Shoals recipe
prepared and served by Gubbie 
During a conversation with Bob, he recounted the various recipes and dishes he served his fellow crewmen while the cook on LV-112, anchored on Nantucket Shoals Station. One of his favorites was Chicken Cutlets with Macaroni. which he called "Pollo Gubitosi." He said it was relatively simple to make, and everyone really liked it. Jokingly, Bob also said, "When the weather got rough and the ship started to pitch and roll, it was one meal the crew seemed to be able to keep down."
Illustration (LV-112 galley) by Alden Wicks from his article about "Life Aboard a Lightship," published in Popular Boating magazine, March, 1965
Bob's recipe lives on: Pollo Gubitosi
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Saute chicken cutlets in a baking pan with olive oil (just enough to cover bottom of pan); remove from pan and immerse each cutlet in seasoned Italian bread crumbs; place cutlets back into the baking pan, slice a quarter of a lemon and squeeze juice over cutlets; sprinkle Italian seasoning and crushed Basil leaves over cutlets; place in oven and bake for 22-23 minutes. Serve with macaroni (spaghetti, linguini, ziti, etc.); add basil pesto or a marinara sauce to macaroni, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. On the side, serve with steamed broccoli or a mixed salad. 

The United States Lightship Museum 

The U.S. Lightship Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and preservation of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a National Historic Landmark and a National Treasure. LV-112 is a museum and floating learning center, open to the general public - a place for people of all ages to learn about our nation's seafaring history and the technologies that advanced the nautical and marine sciences.

 

www.nantucketlightshiplv-112.org