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One of the most tragic stories in recent maritime history is arguably the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Here is the tragic story of the Fitzgerald and the crew that perished with it.
In the early evening of 10 November 1975, the S S Edmund Fitzgerald, a bulk freighter, sank and brought down 29 crew members with it. Gale winds as strong as 90 km/h, with waves as high as 10 metres lashed at the Edmund Fitzgerald at Lake Superior.
The freighter was laden with 26 thousand taconite pellets and was headed for Zug Island. Halfway through its journey, it encountered a storm. During the storm both radars were knocked out.
The captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald radioed for help. The most tragic part was that help was close by enough to rescue the 29 crewmen. However, due to the heavy winds and high waves, many were caught with the decision to either rescue the Fitzgerald and risk getting caught in the high waves themselves, or simply guide the ship using radio contact.
As it turned out, the nearest ship, only about 10 miles behind the bulk freighter, was not able to render any physical help, other than guiding the stricken ship through radio communications only. At the same time, Fitzgerald was only 9 miles away from its safety target ahead.
Fitzgerald never made it.
Between 7.20 pm to 7.30 pm on 10 November 1975, the S S Edmund Fitzgerald sank, bringing all 29 crewmen with it down to its watery grave.
Here is the transcript of the communication between Captain Ernest McSorley of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Captain Jesse Cooper of the S S Arthur M Anderson, the ship closest to the ill-fated Fitzgerald, just before the Fitzgerald sank.
http://www.ssefo.com/info/timeline.html
November 10
1:00 AM
Weather report from the Fitzgerald. The report from the Fitzgerald shows her to be 20 miles south of Isle Royale. Winds are at 52 knots, with waves ten feet in height.
7:00 AM
Weather report from the Fitzgerald.
Winds are at 35 knots, waves of ten feet. This is the last weather report that the Edmund Fitzgerald will ever make.
3:15 PM
Captain Jesse Cooper, (J.C.) of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson watches the Fitzgerald round Caribou Island and comments that the Fitzgerald is much closer to Six Fathom Shoal than he would want to be.
3:20 PM
Anderson reports winds coming from the Northwest at 43 knots.
3:30 PM
Radio transmission between the Fitzgerald and the Anderson
Captain McSorley (C.M.) to Captain Cooper (C.C.):
C.M.: “Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I’m checking down. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?”
C.C.: “Charlie on that Fitzgerald. Do you have your pumps going?”
C.M.: “Yes, both of them.”
4:10 PM
The Fitzgerald radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting radar assistance for the remainder of the voyage.
Fitzgerald: “Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have lost both radars. Can you provide me with radar plots till we reach Whitefish Bay?”
Anderson: “Charlie on that, Fitzgerald. We’ll keep you advised of position.”
About 4:39 PM
The Fitzgerald cannot pick up the Whitefish Point radio beacon. The Fitzgerald radios the Coast Guard station at Grand Marais on Channel 16, the emergency channel.
Between 4:30 and 5:00 PM
The Edmund Fitzgerald calls for any vessel in the Whitefish Point area regarding information about the beacon and light at Whitefish Point. They receive an answer by the saltwater vessel Avafors that the beacon and the light are not operating.
Estimated between 5:30 and 6:00 PM
Radio transmission between the Avafors and the Fitzgerald.
Avafors: “Fitzgerald, this is the Avafors. I have the Whitefish light now but still am receiving no beacon. Over.”
Fitzgerald: “I’m very glad to hear it.”
Avafors: “The wind is really howling down here. What are the conditions where you are?”
Fitzgerald: (Undiscernable shouts heard by the Avafors.) “DON’T LET NOBODY ON DECK!”
Avafors: “What’s that, Fitzgerald? Unclear. Over.”
Fitzgerald: “I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I’ve ever been in.”
Avafors: “If I’m correct, you have two radars.”
Fitzgerald: “They’re both gone.”
Sometime around 7:00 PM
The Anderson is struck by two huge waves that put water on the ship, 35 feet above the water line. The waves hit with enough force to push the starboard lifeboat down, damaging the bottom.
7:10 PM
Radio transmission between the Anderson and the Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald is still being followed by the Arthur M. Anderson. They are about 10 miles behind the Fitzgerald.
Anderson: “Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?”
Fitzgerald: “Yes we have.”
Anderson: “Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you.”
Fitzgerald: “Well, am I going to clear?”
Anderson: “Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you.”
Fitzgerald: “Well, fine.”
Anderson: “By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?”
Fitzgerald: “We are holding our own.”
Anderson: “Okay, fine. I’ll be talking to you later.”
They never did speak later…The 29 men onboard the Fitzgerald will never again speak with anyone outside of the ship.
Sometime between 7:20 and 7:30 PM
It is estimated that this was the time period when the ship vanished and sank.
7:15 PM
The Fitzgerald enters a squall while still on Lake Superior; the squall obscures the vessel from radar observation by the Anderson; this is normal when in a squall.
7:25 PM
Edmund Fitzgerald disappears from the radar of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson, prompting a call to the Coast Guard to inform them of the situation.
7:55 PM
The Anderson calls again and informs the Coast Guard that they have lost the Fitzgerald both visually and on radar.
9:00 PM
The Coast Guard, with no available search ships, radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting assistance.
C.G.: “Anderson, this is Group Soo. What is your present position?”
Anderson: “We’re down here, about two miles off Parisienne Island right now… the wind is northwest forty to forty-five miles here in the bay.”
C.G.: “Is it calming down at all, do you think?”
Anderson: “In the bay it is, but I heard a couple of the salties talking up there, and they wish they hadn’t gone out.”
After much more conversation and a request by the Coast Guard to return to search for the ship, reluctant to go out, the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson agrees to “give it a try” but claims that that is “all we can do.”
10:53 PM
The first aircraft arrives on the scene from Traverse City, Michigan.
Here is the name list of the 29 brave crewmen who went down with the ill-fated ship:
Captain Ernest M. McSorley, 63
First Mate John H. McCarthy, 62
Second Mate James A. Pratt, 44
Third Mate Michael E. Armagost, 37
Wheelsman John D. Simmons, 60
Wheelsman Eugene O’Brien, 50
Wheelsman John J. Poviach, 59
Watchman Ransom E. Cundy, 53
Watchman William J. Spengler, 59
Watchman Karl A. Peckol, 55
Chief Engineer George J. Holl, 60
First Assistant Edward E. Bindon, 47
Second Assistant Thomas E. Edwards, 50
Second Assistant Russell G. Haskell, 40
Third Assistant Oliver “Buck” J. Champeau, 41
Oiler Blaine H. Wilhelm, 52
Oiler Ralph G. Walton, 58
Oiler Thomas Bentsen, 23
Wiper Gordon MacLellan, 30
Special Maintenance Man Joseph W. Mazes, 59
AB Maintenance Thomas D. Borgeson, 41
Deck Maintenance Mark A. Thomas, 21
Deck Maintenance Paul M. Riipa, 22
Deck Maintenance Bruce L. Hudson, 22
Steward Robert C. Rafferty, 62
Second Cook Allen G. Kalmon, 43
Porter Frederick J. Beetcher, 56
Porter Nolan F. Church, 55
Cadet David E. Weiss, 22
As a tribute to the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald, I am dedicating a video clip from Gordon Lightfoot’s number one hit song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”. A very moving clip in memory of the crew on the ill-fated ship.
Lyrics
http://home.pacbell.net/chabpyne/lyrics.html
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore – 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconson
As the big freighters go it was bigger than most
With a crew and the Captain well seasoned.
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
Could it be the North Wind they’d been feeling.
The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the Captain did, too,
T’was the witch of November come stealing.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashing
When afternoon came it was freezing rain
In the face of a hurricane West Wind
When supper time came the old cook came on deck
Saying fellows it’s too rough to feed ya
At 7PM a main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it’s been good to know ya.
The Captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the words turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay
If they’d fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the ruins of her ice water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams,
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors’ Cathedral
The church bell chimed, ’til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early.
