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Chronology of Aids to Navigation
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use of cotton towels in place of the linen ones previously used. (USLHS AR 1918, p. 13).
1918	For the first time, an Act of Congress provided retirement benefits for persons in the field service of the U. S. Lighthouse Service, including light keepers and lightship personnel. (Putnam, p. 239).
1919	(22 March) The Acting Secretary of the Treasury advised that light keepers and the officers and crews of vessels were not entitled to the benefits of the Public Health Service free of charge after retirement. (USLHS AR 1919, p. 18).
1919	(30 June) By this date, the Coast Guard, as part of its coastal communications improvement program authorized by Congress in 1917, had installed telephones at 139 light stations. USLHS AR 1919, p. 16).
1919	During Fiscal Year 1919, the Lighthouse Service installed radio equipment on 32 lightships and 16 lighthouse tenders, bringing the number of such vessels so equipped to 40 and 23, respectively. (USLHS AR 1919, p. 16).
1920	(22 May) An Act of Congress, which provided a system of general retirement for the civil employees of the U. S. Government effective 21 August 1920, benefited those employees of the Lighthouse Service who were not covered by the retirement law of 20 June 1918, which provided retirement for certain classes of employees in the Lighthouse Service. (USLHS AR
1920,	p. 12).
1920 (20 October) The Superintendent of the 5th Lighthouse District inspected the aids to navigation "in New River Inlet and Bogue Sound, N. C., by hydroplane in two hours, which would have required at least four days by other means of travel, owing to the inaccessibility of the aids inspected." (USLHS AR 1921, p. 13).
1920 During Fiscal Year 1920, a "light, tall type, METAI cone buoy, designed to replace wooden buoys which were subject to damage by ice, etc., had been developed for use in shoal water channels, and has proven efficient." (USLHS AR 1920, p. 14).
1920	A revision of the uniform regulations authorized light keepers and depot keepers to wear sleeve insignia to indicate length of service in the Lighthouse Service. (USLHS AR 1920, p.
13).
1921	(1 May) The first radio fog signals in the United States were placed in commission at Ambrose Channel Lightship, New Jersey; Fire Island Lightship, New York; and Sea Girt Light Station, New Jersey. (Weiss, p. 38).
1921	(1 July) A system of longevity increase of pay, after six months’ service for the unappointed members of the crews of Lighthouse Service vessels, was introduced for the first time as a means of maintaining "a more efficient personnel on these vessels." (USLHS AR
1921,	p. 11).
1922	(November) The Lighthouse Service participated In the marine show at the Grand Central Palace in New York City, with an exhibit featuring some of the interesting apparatus used in the Service. (USLHS AR 1923, p. 12).
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/h_USLHSchron.html
5/17/2005