The ambulance vessel TRAVELER rescued World War II fighter pilots. She sits at the end of Beacon Marine enjoying the view of the T-Party ships.
Photo © Kathy Chapman 2012
WW2 Fighter pilot rescue boat at Beacon Marine Photo Kathy Chapman
My View of Life on the Dock
Good Morning Gloucester 
I believe She was originally built as a WW I sub chaser. I worked on Her one summer, 40 odd years ago. The owners were the owners of the Studio. I was hired to scrub down the entire belowdecks, as there had been a heater malfunction and the entire interior was covered in soot. I eventually drove one of his cars to Mt Desert Isl. in Maine, where he took the boat for a summer trip.There may also have been a Florida excursion where I also transported a car. The name Allen seems to come to mind. He was a tennis bum, she was a rich tennis bum (alledgedly). I believe they are both now deceased.
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Nice picture, but I would like more information. How did they know where the planes would come down? And what’s the boat used for now?
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Thanks for the catch. Just goes to show you shouldn’t believe everything you are told! The carpenters rebuilding the Beacon Marine dock gave me the info. I will research further and report back. The (group of) owners live nearby.
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OK, I have more research on the rescue boat TRAVELER.
She was built in 1942 by Cambridge Ship Builder, Inc. based in MD, for the US Army. She is 79.9 ft. long, was a rescue boat serving in WWII picking up downed fighter pilots and had full infirmary facilities aboard. Hull number is 253737 and according to Gloucester Harbormaster James Caulkett she was one of only nine built. After the war she was owned for many years by the Bryant family and resided in Smith Cove, Gloucester.
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The TRAVELER, looks like a City Island, NY party boat from the 60’s, The Claire And the heater issues, that vessel had a coal stove for heat, but, everything really looks like the TRAVELER. The Claire was a wooden ship, and the rumor was, a retired minesweeper?? The wood part makes sense, non-magnetic,
but i think the Claire was acutally a repurposed WWII rescue boat like the TRAVELER.
if you can’t believe boozed up fishermen on a party boat who can you believe?
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