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The "High-Mast" was used by the USS
Shenandoah and USS Los Angeles during their
years at NAS Lakehurst. It was from this mast
that the former made her spectacular January 16,1924 "breakaway flight"
in a gale, and the latter provided one of the most interesting "photo
ops" of the rigid airship era by standing on her nose on August 25,
1927. Subsequent development of the "stub" mast sealed the fate
of the 160-foot steel tower, Los Angeles made the last mooring to it in
1929, and it was cut down in 1934-35. The house at the base of the mast
was moved a few hundred yards and converted into a residence, but helium,
water, steam and electrical connections remained at the site, located about
3/4 of a mile directly out from the west doors of Hangar
No. One.
The site itself consists of concrete pads which supported the mooring tower,
about a dozen steel "dead men" in concrete boxes with crumbling
wooden covers, and a concrete pit containing the utility connections and
a 4-inch helium line cut-off somewhat below ground level. The various valves
and caps are still there, together with the electrical and telephone service
boxes, etc. In the 1920's, there was apparently an underground fuel
storage tank at the site, no signs of which exist today.
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Shenandoah's nose remained secured to the high
mast after the ship broke away in a gale on January 16, 1924.
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On August 25, 1927 a cold sea
breeze lifted Los Angeles into a nose stand atop the high mast. |
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The high mast site is located approximately 3/4
of a mile from Hangar No. One.
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Several concrete pits containing
utility connections surround the center of the site. This one contains
the 4-inch helium supply line. |
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| Tie-downs near the center of
the site are located in recessed concrete boxes. |
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Tie-downs at the perimeter
of the site (several hundred feet from the center) consist of eye-hooks
secured to concrete blocks. |
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