United States lightship Frying Pan (LV-115)
Frying Pan on its last day at station (replaced by light tower)
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| Name: | Frying Pan |
| Builder: | Charleston Dry Dock and Machine Co. |
| Laid down: | January 30, 1929 |
| Launched: | August 30, 1929 |
| Acquired: | April 8, 1930 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 630 tons |
| Length: | 133 ft 3 in (40.61 m) |
| Beam: | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Installed power: | General Electric generators and motors. |
| Crew: | 15 |
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FRYING PAN SHOALS LIGHTSHIP NO. 115
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| Location | Pier 63, Chelsea, New York, New York |
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| Coordinates | 40°44′59.57″N 74°0′36.7″W / 40.7498806°N 74.010194°WCoordinates: 40°44′59.57″N 74°0′36.7″W / 40.7498806°N 74.010194°W |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | Charleston Dry Dock and Machine Co. |
| NRHP Reference # | 98001615 |
| Added to NRHP | January 28, 1999 |
Frying Pan (LV-115) is a lightvessel moored at Pier 66a in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It served at Frying Pan Shoals, off Cape Fear in North Carolina, for over 30 years.
In 1854, because of complaints from mariners that the height of the existing Bald Head Lighthouse was inadequate, and the light of its Third-order Fresnel lens wasn't bright enough to warn mariners of the shallow waters of the treacherous Frying Pan Shoals off the coast of Cape Fear in North Carolina, United States, the first lightship was stationed on the shoals, in lieu of a proposal to improve Bald Point Lighthouse. Lightships remained on station for 110 years.
On July 29, 1944, Lieutenant (jg) Clarence Samuels became the first Hispanic-American of African descent to command a lightship when he assumed command of the Frying Pan. The Bald Point lighthouse, and others, were turned off during the Civil War to avoid aiding the Northern ships.
The ship was replaced by a lighttower in 1964. The lighttower, a Texas tower, was manned until 1979, is a great diving spot and still stands.
This ship, LV-115, was the last of nine ships that served in succession, with some alternation, at the Frying Pan Shoals station during and since the American Civil War.
LV-115 was built in 1929-1930 by Charleston Drydock and Machine Co. for a contract price of $274,434. Keel was laid January 30, 1929 with launch on August 30 and delivery on April 8, 1930.
Frying Pan served at Frying Pan Shoals from 1930 to 1942, and again from 1945 to 1964. During World War II the ship was used as an examination vessel, as part of training.
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