November 2016 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 5. Lighthouse Keeper on Sentinel Island, Alaska


FAIRHAVEN, MA – For anyone traveling along the coast, either by water or automo- bile, they have seen a lighthouse or two. During the 1980s and ‘90s these were ex- tremely popular with the tourists, especially those that interesting history. Many thought they would love to live in one and some got to realize this dream when the Coast Guard sold a number of lighthouse keeper’s homes. This life is not for everyone, but for some they love the quiet solitude with the sounds of the sea all around them. As I grew up, I knew my uncle, Brad-


ford W. Luther, Jr., had served in the U. S. Coast Guard and over the years had heard stories about his time as a lighthouse keeper on Sentinel Island off the Alaskan coast. So over Columbus Day weekend I sat down and documented his time out there. When he joined up right after World


War II, he already had a lot of experience around the waters of New Bedford Harbor. He did very well on his entrance exams and he was told that if he wanted to do a four year hitch they would make him a seaman fi rst class when he got out of boot camp. He thought that this was a pretty good deal and off he went. Just as the new recruits were being sworn in the offi cer informed them that he would be swearing them into the U. S. Navy. Someone in the back yelled, “What the hell do you mean Navy?” The offi cer explained saying, “You have to join the Navy because the war is not over until a year after the signature so you are going to be at least six months under the Navy, but you are going to carry a shield noting that you’re a Coast Guardsman.” After going through boot camp at


Mayport, Florida, Bradford was sent by train to Seattle, WA. Here he was put on a cargo ship, the only one in the Coast Guard, which supplied Alaska and Hawaii with its needs twice a year. He said, “There I was, out on a big barge that was loaded with creosoted pilings, and boy did I have pain. Then you stood in line and we were taking these hundreds of thousands of packages and passing them one to the other to load up that freighter. We got underway and I was up on


bow watch and we were just going around and around in circles, and I said what’s the matter? Then I saw the destroyer starting with their blinker lights and I could read the signal. I told the crew that we might as well sit down because we’ve got another hour to wait before the destroyer gets out of there. The offi cers said, ‘What?’ and I said, ‘Yes sir, apparently we’ve got to go in starboard side fi rst as soon as the destroyer gets out of there.’ So the next morning I woke up and went to muster and I heard “Luther get out of there and get into your dress blues the Captain wants to see you.” What did I do? So up I go and he says ‘You could really read that signal?’ ‘Yes sir.’ I have been teaching the Sea Scouts in my hometown all about it.” The Captain then asked if he wanted to stay on the freighter and said that if he did, he would make him a fi rst-class signalman. Bradford replied “No not really I was hoping to get a lighthouse and he said ‘What do you know about a lighthouse?’ I’ve played on a lighthouse in the harbor ever since I could row.”


When they arrived in Alaska and at


another muster he heard ‘Luther get in your dress blues and get up there and see the Captain.’ So I went up there and he said ‘Do you still want that lighthouse?’ Yes, sir. He said ‘Okay, you get into your uniform and go down to the base, in Ketchikan, Alaska. On the way down a car passed me and slammed on his brakes and backed up and I heard, ‘Sailor come to attention. So I look inside and it is a Coast Guard car and I said ‘Yes, sir.’ Then he said, ‘Why didn’t you salute? Didn’t you see the fl ag out there? Don’t you recognize it?’ I said, ‘No sir, I don’t. We were taught to salute if it had stars or anchors on it. He said, ‘You just passed by the Com- modore.’ That was the last Commodore in the history of the Coast Guard and he was assigned to Alaska. Once at the Coast Guard station at Ket-


chikan he was asked again if he really want- ed to serve at a lighthouse. He explained how he had learned how to maintain a lighthouse from Mr. Small who served in the lighthouse on Palmer’s Island in New Bedford harbor


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Sentinel Island Lighthouse (Photo: Lighthousefriends.com)


and really liked it. When his orders were written he was on his way to Sentinel Island. He went back to the freighter, packed his things into his seabag, and head to the Navy 44-foot picket boat, which took him and another person out to Sentinel Island. When they arrived at the island those that were get- ting off jumped right into the boat, throw out their things and head back out to the picket boat. When Bradford read his papers they said he as in charge of that lighthouse and also informed him that there was a civilian lighthouse keeper there, a full commander in the Navy, and he was to listen to him, but he was the Coast Guard representative. The Commander, was Truman Cook and he had been wounded in the war when he went to save a Japanese pilot during the attacks for the Aleutian Islands. Bradford explained, “A Japanese plane was shot down and the pilot got out on the wing and the plane sank. He was fl oundering around and they put over a boat and went to get him. When he got


close he reached over the side to help him and the guy come up with a gun and shot Truman right in the guts. That was the end of his Navy career so he went back to the lighthouse business.” Truman was married, but had a child


with developmental issues. They lived in the big house on the island. Bradford added, “He taught us a lot, he taught me a lot.” My uncle and the other keeper were in


the seaman shack, which was about 10 x 20 with bunk beds and a kitchen. All the goods were kept in the main house. They never went into the main house, unless invited. One time Bradford was up in the main house getting out some long spaghetti, he added, “She says ‘Have you had any of this spaghetti?’ and I said ‘yes and it tastes very good.’ She says ‘You blow through it don’t you?’ and I said ‘no’, and she says ‘but do, because there are bugs in it.’ Sure enough


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