The Douglas R4D-8 (later redesignated C-117D ) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3S (Super DC-3) airliner. It was used by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps during the Korean War and Vietnam War .
82-612: During World War II, the armed forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded. The US Navy designation was R4D. More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California , and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s. Large numbers of DC-3s and surplus C-47s were in commercial use in
164-480: A high rate of death , particularly among children, attributed to many factors like diseases that spread quickly in the close quarters of the mission's walls, as well as torture, malnourishment, and overworking. In 1843, Juan Temple bought Rancho Los Cerritos , having arrived in California in 1827 from New England . He built what is now known as the " Los Cerritos Ranch House ", a still-standing adobe which
246-501: A "Universal color language". Red distress rockets and/or flares are now internationally recognized symbols that indicate a ship in distress. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) has standards for visual signals, including both handheld and aerial flares. Handheld flares must burn for at least one minute at an average luminosity of 15,000 candelas , while aerial flares must burn for at least 40 seconds with
328-458: A 30,000-candela average luminosity. While rockets and flares are still an option for signaling distress, they have since been surpassed by improved technology. Distress signals can now be sent using automated radio signals from a search and rescue transponder . Other internationally recognized methods include the radio message SOS , which was used during the 1912 sinking of the Titanic , and
410-578: A D or F grade on beach water quality during rainy periods in the Beach Report Card published by Heal the Bay . However, during dry periods the water may have an A or B rating in the same reports. The Los Angeles River discharges directly into the Long Beach side of San Pedro Bay, meaning a large portion of all the urban runoff from the entire Los Angeles metropolitan area pours directly into
492-607: A biped or laid flat) to signal traffic hazards or that a road is blocked, often as a more visible replacement for traffic cones. Law enforcement in the United States usually use magnesium -based flares that last from 15–30 minutes. Fusees used for rail are known as railroad flares , they are commonly used to perform hand signals or used as torches in rail transport applications. Railroad flares can burn for at least 10 minutes, are not fastened to train cars, and are handheld by railroad personnel for protection at night. It
574-540: A detachment of troops far in the distance. Another mention of the signal bomb appears in a text dating from 1293 requesting their collection from those still stored in Zhejiang . A signal gun appears in Korea by 1600. The Wu I Thu Phu Thung Chih or Illustrated Military Encyclopedia , written in 1791, depicts a signal gun in an illustration. In the civilian world, flares are commonly used as signals, and may be ignited on
656-526: A fire, and January 1991 when the factory was demolished partially due to air quality remediation efforts . Ford had earlier opened a factory in Los Angeles at 12th Street and Olive, with a later factory built at East Seventh Street and Santa Fe Avenue after 1914. Come 1938, the creation of Housing Authorities for both the City and County of Los Angeles were complete — and North Long Beach was to be home to
738-466: A household was $ 80,493, with family households having a median income of $ 96,970 and non-family households $ 56,245. The per capita income was $ 41,896. Out of the 443,634 people with a determined poverty status, 13.8% were below the poverty line . Further, 17.9% of minors and 16.2% of seniors were below the poverty line. In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of German descent made up 6.0% of
820-598: A large area. Projectile pyrotechnics may be dropped from aircraft, fired from rocket or artillery , or deployed by flare guns or handheld percussive tubes. The earliest recorded use of gunpowder for signaling purposes was the 'signal bomb' used by the Chinese Song Dynasty (960–1279) as the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) besieged Yangzhou in 1276. These soft-shelled bombs, timed to explode in midair, were used to send messages to
902-448: A male householder with no partner present, and 32.5% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was 2.57 and the median family size was 3.34. The age distribution was 20.0% under 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males. The median income for
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#1732776218804984-471: A people from which their lives began. In 1784, the Spanish Empire 's King Carlos III granted Rancho Los Nietos to Spanish soldier Manuel Nieto . The Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos were divided from this territory. The boundary between the two ranchos ran through the center of Signal Hill on a southwest to northeast diagonal. A portion of western Long Beach was originally part of
1066-484: A popular annual event in Long Beach until the 1960s. Another Bixby cousin, John W. Bixby, was influential in the city. After first working for his cousins at Los Cerritos, J.W. Bixby leased land at Rancho Los Alamitos . He put together a group: banker I.W. Hellman , Llewellyn and Jotham Bixby, and him, to purchase the rancho. In addition to bringing innovative farming methods to the Alamitos (which under Abel Stearns in
1148-658: A population of 462,257. The population density was 9,191.3 inhabitants per square mile (3,548.8/km ). The racial makeup of Long Beach was 213,066 (46.1%) White , 62,603 (13.5%) Black or African American , 3,458 (0.7%) Native American , 59,496 (12.9%) Asian (4.5% Filipino , 3.9% Cambodian , 0.9% Vietnamese , 0.6% Chinese , 0.6% Japanese , 0.4% Indian , 0.4% Korean , 0.2% Thai , 0.1% Laotian , 0.1% Hmong ), 5,253 (1.1%) Pacific Islander (0.8% Samoan , 0.1% Guamanian , 0.1% Tongan ), 93,930 (20.3%) from other races , and 24,451 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 188,412 persons (40.8%). 32.9% of
1230-489: Is a Mexican American / Chicano community in Long Beach. Cambodian people and Hmong Americans also settled in Long Beach. There is a Buddhist community in Long Beach. As of the 2022 American Community Survey estimates, there were 451,319 people and 170,965 households. The population density was 8,906.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,438.9/km ). There were 181,251 housing units at an average density of 3,576.9 per square mile (1,381.0/km ). The racial makeup of
1312-613: Is a National Historic Landmark . Temple created a thriving cattle ranch and prospered, becoming the wealthiest man in Los Angeles County. Both Temple and his ranch house played important local roles in the Mexican–American War . On an island in the San Pedro Bay , Mormon pioneers made an abortive attempt to establish a colony (as part of Brigham Young 's plan to establish a continuous chain of settlements from
1394-574: Is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California , United States. It is the 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter city , Long Beach is the 7th-most populous city in California , the 2nd-most populous city in Los Angeles County, and the largest city in California that is not a county seat . Incorporated in 1897, Long Beach lies in Southern California , in
1476-756: Is known for its waterfront attractions, including the permanently docked RMS Queen Mary and the Aquarium of the Pacific . Long Beach also hosts the Grand Prix of Long Beach , an IndyCar race and the Long Beach Pride Festival and Parade . California State University, Long Beach , one of the largest universities in California by enrollment, is within the city. Indigenous people have lived in coastal Southern California for over 10,000 years, and several successive cultures have inhabited
1558-629: Is known to inhibit the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland . While there are currently no US federal drinking water standards for perchlorate, some states have established public health goals or action levels, and some are in the process of establishing state maximum contaminant levels. For example, the US Environmental Protection Agency has studied the impacts of perchlorate on the environment as well as drinking water. California has also issued guidance regarding perchlorate use. US courts have taken action regarding
1640-536: Is used in military aircraft as a defensive countermeasure against heat-seeking missiles. These flares are usually discharged individually or in salvos by the pilot or automatically by tail-warning devices, and are accompanied by vigorous evasive maneuvering. Since they are intended to deceive infrared missiles, these flares burn at temperatures of thousands of degrees, incandescing in the visible spectrum as well. Flares connected to tripwires are used to guard an area against infiltration. The flare begins burning when
1722-481: Is water. Long Beach completely surrounds the city of Signal Hill . Long Beach has a climate that can either be described as a hot semi-arid climate or a hot-summer Mediterranean climate . In general, the city features hot summers and mild to warm winters with occasional rainfall. Days in Long Beach are mostly sunny, as in Southern California in general. Temperatures recorded at the weather station at
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#17327762188041804-525: The Long Beach Airport , 4.0 miles (6.4 km) inland from the ocean, range more greatly than those along the immediate coast. During the summer months, low clouds and fog occur frequently, developing overnight and blanketing the area on many mornings. This fog usually clears by the afternoon, and a westerly sea breeze often develops, keeping temperatures mild. Heat and high humidity can sometimes coincide in summer, which may cause discomfort due to
1886-543: The Rancho San Pedro . Its boundaries were in dispute for years, due to flooding changing the Los Angeles River boundary between Rancho San Pedro and Rancho Los Nietos. By 1805, what had been the major Tongva village of Puvunga was thoroughly depleted of villagers, most of whom were brought to Mission San Gabriel for conversion and as a labor force. Many villagers died at the mission, which had
1968-524: The Royal Navy suggested that rockets for distress should have a distinctive color. The request was made to help ease confusion between ships in distress and rockets used by pilot ships . By 1875, the Board of Trade (UK) had issued regulations for Captains in regards to night signals. Rockets containing at least 16oz of composition were only to be used as a sign for a ship in distress. Passenger ships at
2050-594: The Westside , San Fernando Valley , or San Gabriel Valley . While overall regional pollution in the Los Angeles metropolitan area has declined in the last decade, pollution levels remain dangerously high in much of Long Beach due to the port pollution, with diesel exhaust from ships, trains, and trucks as the largest sources. Additionally, Long Beach is directly downwind of several of the South Bay oil refineries . Any refinery process or chemical upset that results in
2132-453: The combustion of a pyrotechnic composition . The ingredients are varied, but often based on strontium nitrate , potassium nitrate , or potassium perchlorate , mixed with a fuel such as charcoal , sulfur , sawdust , aluminium , magnesium , or a suitable polymeric resin . Flares may be colored by the inclusion of pyrotechnic colorants . Calcium flares are used underwater to illuminate submerged objects. *Note- Fusees manufactured in
2214-574: The 1950s. (see also: History of Retail in Southern California ) Oil was discovered in 1921 on Signal Hill, which split off as a separately incorporated city shortly afterward. The discovery of the Long Beach Oil Field , brought in by the gusher at the Alamitos oil well#1 , made Long Beach a major oil producer; in the 1920s the field was the most productive in the world. In 1932, the even larger Wilmington Oil Field , fourth-largest in
2296-545: The Coston flare based on early work by her deceased husband Benjamin Franklin Coston. In 1922, a "landing flare" was an aerial candle attached to a parachute and used for landing an airplane in the dark. The flare burned for less than four minutes and the candlepower was about 40,000 lumens . During World War II , the U.S. Navy tested underwater flares for use in detecting submarines. A special variety of flares
2378-713: The County Authority's first order of business: the Carmelitos Housing Project, Southern California's first affordable housing complex. Long Beach, as a port city, had a relationship with the U.S. Navy even before the war. The city was part of the Battle of Los Angeles during World War II when observers for the United States Army Air Forces reported shells being fired from the sea. Anti-aircraft batteries fired into
2460-574: The Greater Long Beach area. Flare A flare , also sometimes called a fusée , fusee , or bengala , bengalo in several European countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion . Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications. Flares may be ground pyrotechnics, projectile pyrotechnics, or parachute-suspended to provide maximum illumination time over
2542-440: The Los Angeles metropolitan area coastal communities to the northwest and southeast of Long Beach, which largely have west facing coastlines. The 1200 ft Palos Verdes hills block west to east airflow and a significant amount of the coastal moisture that marks other coastal cities, such as Manhattan Beach , Santa Monica , and Newport Beach . As in most locations in Southern California, most rainfall in Long Beach occurs during
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2624-796: The Pacific to Salt Lake ). Following the U.S. Conquest of California , Temple had his Rancho Los Cerritos deeded to him by the Public Land Commission . In 1866, Temple sold Rancho Los Cerritos for $ 20,000 to the Northern California sheep-raising firm of Flint, Bixby & Company , which consisted of brothers Thomas and Benjamin Flint and their cousin Llewellyn Bixby . Two years previous Flint, Bixby & Co had also purchased along with Northern California associate James Irvine , three ranchos which would later become
2706-516: The Rancho Los Cerritos to William E. Willmore , who subdivided it in hopes of creating a farm community, Willmore City . He failed and was bought out by a Los Angeles syndicate that called itself the "Long Beach Land and Water Company". They changed the name of the community to Long Beach at that time. The City of Long Beach was officially incorporated in 1897. The town grew as a seaside resort with light agricultural uses. The Pike
2788-642: The United States and the British Empire , President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued United States Executive Order 9066 which allowed military commanders to designate areas "from which any or all persons may be excluded". Under this order, all Japanese and Americans of Japanese ancestry were categorically removed from Western coastal regions and sent to internment camps , without regard for due process . 24,000 Jews live in Long Beach. Jews are concentrated in Rossmor, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Lakewood in
2870-566: The United States in the 1940s. In response to proposed changes to the Civil Air Regulations airworthiness requirements that would limit the continuing use of these aircraft, Douglas offered a late-1940s DC-3 conversion to improve takeoff and single-engine performance. The fuselage of the DC-3S or "Super DC-3", was strengthened and lengthened by 3 ft 3 in (0.99 m) in front of the wings. The wing center section remained
2952-409: The United States no longer use potassium perchlorate as an oxidizer and do not contain aluminium or magnesium . Many in-service colored signal flares and spectrally balanced decoy flares contain perchlorate oxidizers . Perchlorate, a type of salt in its solid form, dissolves and moves rapidly in groundwater and surface water. Even in low concentrations in drinking water supplies, perchlorate
3034-420: The United States, and which is mostly in Long Beach, was developed, contributing to the city's fame in the 1930s as an oil town. The M6.4 1933 Long Beach earthquake caused significant damage to the city and surrounding areas, killing a total of 120 people. Most of the damage occurred in unreinforced masonry buildings , especially schools. Pacific Bible Seminary (now known as Hope International University )
3116-592: The Vietnam War. Four R4D-8Ls participated in Operation Deep Freeze and three were lost. Several ex-military C-117s are still in operation with civil airlines in Alaska and South America. Data from General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Long Beach, California Long Beach
3198-456: The age of 18 living in them, 61,850 (37.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 26,781 (16.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 10,598 (6.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 12,106 (7.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 3,277 (2.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . Of the households, 46,536 (28.5%) were made up of individuals, and 11,775 (7.2%) had someone living alone who
3280-471: The atmospheric release of refinery by-products (commonly sulfur dioxide ) will usually impact air quality in Long Beach due to the west-south-westerly prevailing wind. Similarly, the water quality in the Long Beach portion of San Pedro Bay , which is enclosed by the Federal Breakwater , commonly ranks among the poorest on the entire West Coast during rainy periods. Long Beach beaches average
3362-474: The city that bears Irvine's name. To manage Rancho Los Cerritos, the company selected Llewellyn's brother Jotham Bixby, the "Father of Long Beach". Three years later, Bixby bought into the property and would later form the Bixby Land Company. In the 1870s, as many as 30,000 sheep were kept at the ranch and sheared twice yearly to provide wool for trade. In 1880, Bixby sold 4,000 acres (16 km ) of
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3444-579: The city was 34.6% White, 20.1% some other race, 12.5% Asian, 11.8% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American or Alaskan Native, and 1.0% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, with 18.2% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 44.0% of the population. Of the 170,965 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.9% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 9.7% were couples cohabitating, 22.3% had
3526-493: The city's population was of Mexican heritage. Non-Hispanic Whites were 29.4% of the population in 2010, down from 86.2% in 1970. The ethnic Cambodian population of approximately 20,000 is the largest outside of Asia. The Census reported 453,980 people (98.2% of the population) lived in households, 5,321 (1.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,956 (0.6%) were institutionalized. There were 163,531 households, out of which 58,073 (35.5%) had children under
3608-571: The city's population, arrived during the Department of the Interior 's Bureau of Indian Affairs urban relocation programs in the 1950s. Long Beach once had a sizable Japanese American population, which largely worked in the fish canneries on Terminal Island and on small truck farms in the area. In 1942, not long after the Attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent Japanese declaration of war on
3690-479: The city. The population density was 9,149.8 inhabitants per square mile (3,532.8 inhabitants/km ). There were 171,632 dwelling units at an average density of 3,402.6 per square mile (1,313.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 45.2% White , 14.9% Black or African American (U.S. Census), 0.8% Native American , 12.1% Asian , 1.2% Pacific Islander , 20.6% from other races , and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 35.8% of
3772-551: The closure of the manufacturing facility in 2015. Long Beach also saw an instance of the Chicano(a) movement in 1968. Long Beach is about 21 miles (34 km) south of downtown Los Angeles . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 80.35 square miles (208.1 km ), of which 50.70 square miles (131.3 km ) is land and 29.64 square miles (76.8 km ) (36.8%)
3854-758: The designation YC-129, later redesignated YC-47F. The USAF declined to buy the YC-129 and opted instead for a version of the Convair CV-240 which was given the designation C-131 Samaritan . The USAF transferred the YC-129 to the United States Navy for evaluation during 1951 and it was given the Navy designation R4D-8X. Unlike the USAF the USN ordered Douglas to convert 100 existing R4D-5s, R4D-6s, and R4D-7s to
3936-616: The door on December 23, 1941. The plant produced C-47 Skytrain transports, B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, and A-20 Havoc attack bombers simultaneously. Douglas merged with the McDonnell Aircraft Company in 1967 where the Douglas DC-8 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 were built. In 1997 McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing , which made C-17 Globemaster transport planes in Long Beach until
4018-526: The emergency procedure word " Mayday ", which dates to the 1920s. Another type of flare is the fusee , which burns with a bright red light. These come in two main types which are used for roadways and rail transportation . The first type are fusees used for roadways which are known as highway flares or road flares . These are commonly used to indicate obstacles or advise caution on roadways at night and are found in roadside emergency kits. Law enforcement also may use these flares (either propped on
4100-563: The fuel capacity range was only increased to 2,500 mi (4,000 km). In USN and USMC service the R4D-8 was mostly used as a transport and was also used by the USN parachute demonstration team the "Chuting Stars". R4D-8s were used as staff transports as well as para dropping supplies and flares during the Korean War. C-117Ds were used as staff transports and some were converted to ELINT aircraft as well as dropping flares during
4182-510: The ground, fired as an aerial signal from a pistol -like flare gun , or launched from a self-contained tube. Flares are commonly found in marine survival kits . Distress rockets (aka "rocket-propelled parachute flares" ) have been mentioned in the modern era for civilian maritime emergencies since at least 1856. The U.S. Nautical Magazine of that year mentions the use of "rocket stations" for ship related emergencies. White rockets were solely used until 1873, when commander John Yorke of
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#17327762188044264-450: The harbor water. This runoff contains most of the debris, garbage, chemical pollutants, and biological pathogens washed into storm drains in every upstream city each time it rains. Because the breakwater prevents tidal flushing and wave action , these pollutants build up in the harbor. The water enclosed by the breakwater, along most of the city's beaches, can be subject to red tides due to this stagnation as well. Because of these factors,
4346-498: The heat index. According to data analysis provided by the NWS , The annual average temperature of Long Beach is 64.9 °F (18.3 °C), of which August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 74.3 °F (23.5 °C), while December is the coldest month with an average temperature of 56.7 °F (13.7 °C). In terms of temperature, Long Beach and other California cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco have
4428-608: The hottest month of the year usually in August and the coolest month in December. Long Beach has 23 days of afternoon temperatures above 90 °F (32.2 °C) each year, and about two days a year are above 100 °F (37.8 °C). Long Beach's location directly east of the Palos Verdes Peninsula , paired with its south facing coastline, results in the city sometimes experiencing different weather patterns than
4510-561: The ignition of controlled burns . They ignite at 191 °C (376 °F) and burn as hot as 1,600 °C (2,910 °F). Flares are used by law enforcement agencies such as the United States National Guard , and police as a form of riot control . This practice dates back to at least the 1940s where they are mentioned as being "useful in night operations". Handheld flares are also counter used by protestors at demonstrations. In 1859, Martha Coston patented
4592-527: The late 1850s and early 1860s was once the largest cattle ranch in the US), J.W. Bixby began the development of the oceanfront property near the city's picturesque bluffs. Under the name Alamitos Land Company, J.W. Bixby named the streets and laid out the parks of his new city. This area would include Belmont Heights, Belmont Shore and Naples; it soon became a thriving community of its own. J.W. Bixby died in 1888 of apparent appendicitis . The Rancho Los Alamitos property
4674-519: The new designation C-117B. A number of VC-47 VIP transports were also modified to C-117B standard and given the designation C-117C. The USN and USMC also had their versions of the C-47 designated R4D-1, R4D-3, R4D-5, R4D-6, and R4D-7. Having failed to sell the DC-3S to the airlines Douglas offered a 21 seat VIP transport version with a similar configuration as the C-117B to the USAF and was evaluated under
4756-502: The night sky, although no planes were ever sighted. Long Beach's population grew substantially during and after the war, with workers being needed for wartime manufacturing and G.I. bill recipients seeking out homes in California. Suburbs were built by the Bixby land companies and others. Douglas Aircraft Company 's largest facility was its Long Beach plant, totaling 1,422,350 square feet (132,141 m ). The first plane rolled out
4838-433: The original DC-3/C-47 configuration changed, the modified design was virtually a new aircraft. The first DC-3S made its maiden flight on 23 June 1949. The changes fully met the new FAR 4B airworthiness requirements and up to 38 passengers could be carried, with increased speed to compete with newer airliners. Douglas offered to convert existing aircraft to DC-3S configuration for $ 150,000 per aircraft. However, little interest
4920-448: The population of the town, followed by English at 5.2%, Irish at 5.0%, Italian at 3.1%, American at 1.8%, Polish at 1.3%, French at 1.1%, Scottish at 1.1%, Sub-Saharan African at 0.8%, Swedish at 0.7%, Greek at 0.6%, Scotch-Irish at 0.6%, Caribbean (excluding Hispanics) at 0.6%, Russian at 0.5%, Dutch at 0.5%, Danish at 0.5%, and Norwegian at 0.5%. The 2010 United States Census reported that Long Beach had
5002-421: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 258,726 people (56.0%) lived in rental housing units. During 2009–2013, Long Beach had a median household income of $ 52,711, with 20.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line. As of 2014, the population of Long Beach was 473,577. As of the census of 2000, there were 461,522 people, 163,088 households, and 99,646 families residing in
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#17327762188045084-593: The population. The city has changed since the 1950s, when its population was predominantly European-American and the city was nicknamed "Iowa by the Sea" or "Iowa under Palm Trees" as it had a slower pace than neighboring Los Angeles. In 1950, whites represented 97.4% of Long Beach's population. Since the second half of the 20th century, the city has been a major port of entry for Asian and Latin American immigrants headed to Los Angeles. The Harbor section of downtown Long Beach
5166-400: The ports, and short-haul tractor-trailer trucks ferrying cargo from the ports to inland warehousing, rail yards, and shipping centers. Long-term average levels of toxic air pollutants (and the corresponding carcinogenic risk they create) can be two to three times higher in and around Long Beach, and in downwind areas to the east, than in other parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, such as
5248-642: The present-day area of Long Beach. By the 16th-century arrival of Spanish explorers, the dominant group was the Tongva , who had established at least three major settlements within the present-day city. Tevaaxa'anga was an inland settlement near the Los Angeles River , while Ahwaanga and Povuu'nga were coastal villages. Povuu'nga was particularly important to the Tongva, not only as a regional trading center and hub for fishermen, but for its deep ceremonial significance, being understood as their place of emergence as
5330-683: The remaining 3,500 acres (14 km ) of Rancho Los Cerritos was subdivided into the neighborhoods of Bixby Knolls , California Heights , Los Cerritos , North Long Beach and part of the city of Signal Hill . Pine Avenue near 4th became the center of a large shopping district. Besides upscale Buffums (1912; expanded 1926), in 1929 alone Barker Brothers , the Hugh A. Marti Co. , and Wise Company and Famous department stores built large new stores, Walker's (1933), and nearby at American and 5th, Sears (1928) and Montgomery Ward (1929). It would remain popular until suburban malls sprung up starting in
5412-876: The same but the outer wing panels had a 4 ° trailing edge sweep and squared-off wingtips that reduced the wingspan by 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m). There was also a new square tail fin with a large dorsal fillet that was 1 ft (30 cm) taller than the DC-3's to compensate for the increased torque from more powerful engines. Either 1,475 hp (1,100 kW) Wright R-1820-80 Cyclones or 1,450 hp (1,081 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps with short, jet ejection-type exhaust stacks could be fitted. Other features included fully retractable landing gear, larger engine nacelles, small airliner style door, squared-off tail surfaces, partially retractable tailwheel, flush rivets, and low-drag antenna. With greater than 75% of
5494-458: The same configuration as the R4D-8X and given the designation R4D-8, which was later redesignated C-117D in 1962. The empty and loaded weight of the R4D-8 increased but so did top speed 270 mph (230 kn; 430 km/h) and cruise speed 250 mph (220 kn; 400 km/h). Fuel capacity also doubled to 1,330 US gal (1,110 imp gal; 5,000 L) and despite doubling
5576-477: The southern part of Los Angeles County. Long Beach is approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown Los Angeles , and is part of the Gateway Cities region. The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest container port in the United States and is among the world's largest shipping ports. The city is over an oilfield with minor wells both directly beneath the city as well as offshore. The city
5658-416: The time were required to carry 12 of these rockets. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 further stated that these rockets were to be fired one at a time in short intervals of approximately one minute apart. Distress rockets continued to be used in different colors, as was the case with RMS Titanic . At the time shipping companies had "a particular kind of distress rocket (that differed by color)". Each ship
5740-613: The tripwire is triggered, providing both alarm and illumination. Under the UN hazard number system , pyrotechnic flares are designated class 1.4 explosives. Several U.S. states, including California and Massachusetts, have begun regulating levels of potassium perchlorate, which can be unsafe at certain levels in drinking water. Contaminated drinking water can lead to such symptoms as gastric irritation, nausea, vomiting, fever, skin rashes, and even fatal aplastic anemia (a reduction in all types of blood cells). Flares produce their light through
5822-479: The water in Long Beach is sometimes unsafe for swimming, up to weeks each year. The area has historically included several ecological communities, with coastal scrub dominating. The top five countries of origin for Long Beach's immigrants are Mexico , the Philippines , Cambodia , El Salvador and Vietnam . The most common foreign languages spoken in Long Beach are Spanish , Khmer and Tagalog . There
5904-539: The winter months. Storms can bring heavy rainfall. The annual precipitation in Long Beach is 12.02 inches (305.3 mm), of which the precipitation from December to March of the following year accounts for 81% of the whole year. June to September is usually rainless, especially August. See or edit raw graph data . Long Beach is composed of many different neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are named after thoroughfares, while others are named for nearby parks, schools, or city features. Long Beach suffers from some of
5986-557: The worst air pollution in the entire United States . Most of the city is in proximity to the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the prevailing westerly-to-west-south-westerly winds bring a large portion of the twin ports' air pollution directly into Long Beach before dispersing it northward then eastward. Heavy pollution sources at the ports include the ships themselves, which burn high-sulfur, high-soot-producing bunker fuel to maintain internal electrical power while docked, as well as heavy diesel pollution from drayage trucks at
6068-409: Was 33.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. There were 176,032 dwelling units at an average density of 3,422.2 per square mile (1,321.3/km ), of which 67,949 (41.6%) were owner-occupied, and 95,582 (58.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 195,254 people (42.2% of
6150-444: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78. There were 99,229 families (60.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.52. The age distribution of the city was as follows: 115,143 people (24.9%) were under the age of 18, 54,163 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 140,910 people (30.5%) aged 25 to 44, 109,206 people (23.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 42,835 people (9.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
6232-479: Was also given a guide of colors to use depending on what signal was to be sent. Modern red distress signals are mentioned by the United States Bureau of Mines as early as 1959, where they state "12 handheld rocket-propelled parachute red flare distress signals" are to be used by ocean going ships. The color red was eventually incorporated for use in the United States on 17 December 1979 as part of
6314-460: Was argued during an Appeals case that railroad flares are much more visible than lanterns . In general: trains that encounter a lit railroad flare are required to stop until it burns out. Fusees made specifically for railroad use can be distinguished from highway fusees by a sharp steel spike at one end, used to embed the fusee upright in a wooden railroad tie . In forestry and firefighting, fusees are sometimes used in wildfire suppression and in
6396-586: Was expressed by commercial operators in the DC-3S. Several factors led to the DC-3S being rejected by the airlines: During the later part of World War II, the United States Army Air Forces ordered a 21 seat VIP transport version of the C-47B and Douglas delivered 17 during 1944/45. These had 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R1830 engines , smaller airliner style doors, and were given the designation C-117A. Several were later modified by replacing their two-stage superchargers with single-stage superchargers and given
6478-461: Was forced to move classes out of First Christian Church of Long Beach and into a small local home due to damage. The Ford Motor Company built a factory called Long Beach Assembly at the then address in 1929 as "700 Henry Ford Avenue, Long Beach" where the factory began building the Ford Model A . Production of Ford vehicles continued after the war until 1960, when the plant was closed due to
6560-459: Was once home to people of Dutch , Greek , Italian , Maltese , Portuguese and Spanish ancestry, most of them employed in manufacturing and fish canneries until the 1960s. According to a report by USA Today in 2000, Long Beach is the most ethnically diverse large city in the United States. It has a relatively high proportion of Pacific Islanders (over 1% as of the 2000 Census), from Samoa and Tonga . Most American Indians , about 0.8% of
6642-494: Was split up, with Hellman getting the southern third, Jotham and Llewellyn, the northern third, and J.W. Bixby's widow and heirs keeping the central third. The Alamitos townsite was kept as a separate entity, but at first, it was primarily run by Llewellyn and Jotham Bixby, although I.W, Hellman (who had the largest single share) had a significant veto power, an influence made even stronger as the J.W. Bixby heirs began to side with Hellman more and more. When Jotham Bixby died in 1916,
6724-599: Was the most famous beachside amusement zone on the West Coast from 1902 until 1969; it offered bathers food, games and rides, such at the Sky Wheel dual Ferris wheel and Cyclone Racer roller coaster . Gradually the oil industry, Navy shipyard and facilities and port became the mainstays of the city. In the 1950s it was referred to as "Iowa by the sea", due to a large influx of people from that and other Midwestern states. Huge picnics for migrants from each state were
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