RELIEF
SHIP (WAL 505)
The
Relief Ship was built by the New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey,
in 1904. She was 129 feet long by
28.6 feet wide. She had a
displacement of 566 tons and was powered by 600 horsepower diesel engine which
was built by General Motors. The
Lightship also carried a 60,000 candle power oscillating light, one of the most
powerful lights of its kind in the world.
On
June 24, 1960, the red hulled, white lettered Relief Lightship was on station
filling in for the Wal-613 which was in Staten Island for her yearly overhaul.
The Wal-505's beacons were flashing and her foghorn was sounding at regular
intervals when she was struck on her starboard side amidships by the class
C‑2 freighter, Green Bay. The
Captain of the Green Bay, Tom Mazzella, had apparently misinterpreted the
location of the Lightship on his radar. The Green Bay, which had been navigating
through a thick fog at the time, was not seriously damaged, but the Lightship
went down within ten minutes. All
of her crew of nine were rescued without being injured.
 In
October of 1976, a group of divers, led by Al Catalfumo, made six trips to the
site and recovered one of her 60 foot long, 6000 pound light masts. According to
Al, the mast can now be viewed in front of a dive shop in Laurence Harbor, N.J.
The
Lightship now rests upright in 110 feet of water, just east of the Ambrose
Tower. She remains relatively intact with the exception of her light masts that
were wire dragged down, so as not to cause a hazard to navigation. This three
dimensional wreck is excellent for the experienced wreck diver. Visibility is
usually good but is also normally dark.
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Relief Ship WAL-505. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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Porthole from the Relief Ship WAL-505. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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Sketch of the Relief Ship WAL-505. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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Bell recovered from the Relief Ship WAL-505. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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Door lock and keys from the Relief Ship WAL-505. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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