: "Is it calming down at all, do you think? McSorley told the Arthur M. Anderson—which was sailing about 10 miles behind her—replied, “We are holding our own.” It was the last time anyone heard from the Fitzgerald. 4:10 PMThe Fitzgerald radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting radar assistance for the remainder of the voyage. 8:30 AMThe Edmund Fitzgerald is loaded with taconite pellets at Burlington Northern Railroad, Dock 1. "DON'T LET NOBODY ON DECK! Damage is sustained by hitting a Soo Lock wall. The treacherous weather conditions are an obvious factor, but experts differ on what they think specifically caused the accident. The ship was approximately 15 miles north of Whitefish Point when it seemingly vanished. It was originally discovered by sonar shortly after the sinking in 1975 and first documented by several expeditions in 1976 including one by Jean Michel Cousteau, son of famous oceanographer Jaques Cousteau. “Edmund Fitzgerald” wreckage, Museum of the Great Lakes, Toledo OH. -Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976). I have lost both radars. Born in Canada and partially raised in Ogdensburg, New York on the St. Lawrence River, he grew up watching endless flows of ships moving up and down the river and always wanted to be a captain. For more on the story and the ship, visit S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald Online. On November 9, the Fitz was loaded with 26,116 tons of iron ore pellets at the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock in Superior, Wisconsin. What are the conditions where you are? The wreck is in two main sections, the bow and the stern. 7:10 PMRadio transmission between the Anderson and the Fitzgerald. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank 45 years ago tonight, taking her crew of 29 with her. Dudley, whose Wilfred Sykes helped search for survivors in the aftermath of the Edmund Fitzgerald disaster, collaborated on The Night the Fitz Went Down by Hugh Bishop. Packed to the brim with ore pellets, the ship headed out to a steel mill on Zug Island near Detroit, Michigan. No radio contact. The captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald was Captain Ernest McSorley (pictured on the right). Have you checked down? After that, there was nothing on the radar. Unclear. ", C.G. It was christened on June 8, 1958, and made its first voyage on September 24 the same year. Sometime around 7:00 PMThe Anderson is struck by two huge waves that put water on the ship, 35 feet above the water line. Captain Peter Pulcer liked to entertain the audiences by piping music from the intercom of Edmund Fitzgerald. Edmund Fitzgerald was very popular among the boat watchers due to its record-breaking performance, DJ captain, and big size. Captain McSorley (C.M.) Since Fitzgerald was the fastest of the two vessels, it was in the lead and was at least 10 to 15 miles ahead of Anderson.. Captain Cooper of the Anderson and Captain McSorley of the Fitzgerald both agreed to … Facts about Edmund Fitzgerald 4: the boat watchers. The keel of hull number 301 (the Edmund Fitzgerald) is laid in River Rouge, Michigan. The “Soo” Locks, which connect Lake Superior to Lake Huron, allowed the Fitz to reach ports on the lower Great Lakes. The ship was last seen on radar around 7:15 p.m. All 29 men on board were lost with it, and today, more than four decades after the most famous shipwreck in Great Lakes history, the cause is still a mystery. The Edmund Fitzgerald hits a Soo Lock wall, causing additional damage for the second time in one month. ", C.C. Over. That night, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank along with her entire crew of 29 people just 17 miles away from Whitefish Bay, Michigan. It was Capt. Its impressive size made the ship popular with boat-watchers, and over the years it garnered many nicknames, including “The Queen of the Great Lakes,” “The Toledo Express,” and the unfortunate “Titanic of the Great Lakes.” Crowds would watch as the massive freighter moved through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A contract is signed between the Great Lakes Engineering Works (GLEW) and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company stipulating that GLEW is to design and build the largest ship on the Great Lakes. 10:53 PMThe first aircraft arrives on the scene from Traverse City, Michigan. Captain Bernie Cooper The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald lies 530 feet below on the bottom of Lake Superior. The Fitzgerald takes her first voyage under Captain Bert Lambert through the Soo Locks. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald. SS Arthur M. Anderson is a cargo ship of the laker type. On November 10, 1975, two ships made their way in tandem across the stormy waters of Lake Superior. It left at 2:30 p.m. A second ship, the Arthur M. Anderson, sailed 10-15 miles behind the Fitzgerald as a precaution, and the two ships remained in radio contact until just after 7 p.m. on November 10. All Rights Reserved. Both captains were aware the weather was going to be rough, but both had also sailed that route in similar conditions before. : "Charlie on that Fitzgerald. Most lakers traversing the Great Lakes and the connecting waterways carry massive amounts of raw materials such as rock, salt, and grain. Captain Ernest M. McSorley had loaded her with 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets, made of processed iron ore, heated and rolled into marble-size balls. Frequent storms and hurricane-force winds can batter even the toughest-built freighters. They receive an answer by the saltwater vessel Avafors that the beacon and the light are not operating. There was no answer. It is also one of maritime lore’s great mysteries, the details of its disappearance as obscure now as on that fateful November day in 1975. At 7:10 p.m., when asked how they were making out, Capt. I have sustained some topside damage. 1974 January 7. He signs copies of the book, published by Lake Superior Magazine and soon to be printed for a seventh time, in this 2005 photo. During winter maintenance in Duluth, Minnesota, the Fitzgerald is converted from running on coal to running on oil. Bernie Cooper was master of the Arthur M. Anderson, just 10 miles behind the Fitzgerald and caught it the teeth of the same storm. Its mysterious demise inspired Gordon Lightfoot’s hit song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976), which helped make it … Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. MorningA Reverend by the name of Richard Ingalls prays in his church and holds a memorial service for the twenty nine men lost. In eerie archival tapes below, you can hear Anderson skipper Jesse Cooper correspond with the Coast Guard, and see video of the wreck. 1973 May. 7:55 PMThe Anderson calls again and informs the Coast Guard that they have lost the Fitzgerald both visually and on radar. Rare radio chatter between the Arthur M. Anderson and the Coast Guard November 10th, 1975. After that, there was nothing on the radar. 2:20 PMThe Fitzgerald departs Lake Superior en route of Detroit with 26,116 tons of taconite pellets. Captain Dudley J. Paquette. They are about 10 miles behind the Fitzgerald. Captain Cooper, on the Anderson, was in contact with the Coast Guard and made it to Whitefish Point sometime after 8 p.m. with no sign or word from the Fitzgerald. She now lies at the bottom of the lake in two pieces, just 17 miles from the safe harbor of Whitefish Bay. Cooper who sent and received the last communication with the Fitzgerald. With his home near the St. Lawrence Seaway, he had been around boating and ships his entire life. Following the wreck, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board agreed that the tragedy was likely due to faulty cargo hatches, which led to flooding. ", Avafors: "If I'm correct, you have two radars.". The Edmund Fitzgerald’s final voyage. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank on November 10, 1975, 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan in Canadian waters. Capt. ", Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. NO DISTRESS SIGNAL WAS SENT. I'll be talking to you later.". About 4:39 PMThe Fitzgerald cannot pick up the Whitefish Point radio beacon. Clark called the Fitzgerald again at about 7:22 pm. Sometime between 7:20 and 7:30 PMIt is estimated that this was the time period when the ship vanished and sank. No radio contact. ", Anderson: "Okay, fine. Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Captain Ernest M. McSorley commanded the enormous vessel during what was meant to be his last trip before retirement. Shipwreck: The Mystery of the Edmund Fitzgerald reenacts the happenings prior to the mysterious disappearance and sinking of the lake freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald, with both reenactments and diver's footage from dives to the wreckage. A quiet person, Captain McSorley was well respected by his contemporaries as a skillful Master and by his men, whom he treated as true professionals. ", 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. In 1972, he took over the Fitzgerald. The Edmund Fitzgerald and the S.S. Hochelaga collide, causing damage for the second time in less than eight months. Fitzgerald: "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. This service becomes an annual service and is mentioned in the song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. One of the worst seas I've ever been in. Gordon Lightfoot, who had released 10 albums from 1966 to 1975, was inspired to write the ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” after reading an article about the tragedy in Newsweek. Tug boat captain remembers day Edmund Fitzgerald left port. Captain Ernest M. McSorley, who was planning to retire after the year, radioed for help, but the crews were unable to put their own lives in danger to rescue the ship. After construction of the Fitzgerald was complete, Northwestern Mutual placed its charter with the Columbia Transportation Division of Oglebay Norton Company, based in Cleveland. The sinking of the Great Lakes bulk ore carrier Edmund Fitzgerald, in November 1975, may well be the second most-famous shipwreck in history—because of a 1976 ballad by Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot. In the decades since, only a handful of people have been able to see the wreck, which lies in two pieces. The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is OFFICIALLY identified. ", Avafors: "What's that, Fitzgerald? The Canadian government has since prohibited access to the site. June 17. Avafors: "Fitzgerald, this is the Avafors. "To shipwreck historians, the last words spoken on the radio by the captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald have resonated through time with a … : "Anderson, this is Group Soo. around 2:00 AMWilliam Clay Ford arrives at the scene of the wreck. All 29 of the crew died. Captain Ernest McSorley takes command of the Edmund Fitzgerald. What is your present position? Passing these trials will allow the Edmund Fitzgerald to officially begin sailing and carrying cargo under the supervision of a crew. One was the Arthur M. Anderson, led by Captain Jesse Cooper. The … 7:15 PMThe 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. It was constructed as a “maximum sized” bulk carrier and spanned 729 feet—the first laker to reach that length—sat 39 feet high with a width of 75 feet, and weighed more than 13,000 tons without cargo. McSorley is the last captain the Fitzgerald will sail under. ", Anderson: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem? The Edmund Fitzgerald is damaged when it hits a lock wall. We'll keep you advised of position.". I'm checking down. Operation of the ship is handed over Oglebay-Norton. Twenty-nine people died. Here's what we do know about the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, and what happened to it that fateful day: The large cargo vessels that roamed the five Great Lakes were known as lakers, and the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald was, at the time, the biggest ever built. Captain Ernest McSorley takes command of the Edmund Fitzgerald. With Tom Farnquist, Joseph MacInnis, Jack Champeau, John McCarthy. Arthur M. Anderson was also the first rescue ship on the scene in a vain search for Edmund Fitzgerald survivors. This is the last time the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald will ever again be legally dived upon. When a storm struck the two craft, McSorley stayed in contact with Anderson through his radio, telling its crew that these were the "worst seas" he had ever seen. Born in Canada, Ernest Michael McSorley moved to the United States in 1924 with his family when he was a child and was raised in Ogdensburg, New York. Captain Ernest McSorley--a veteran mariner with over 40 years experience--assumed command of the Fitzgerald at the start of the 1972 shipping season. Edmund Fitzgerald Most Probable Track – American Meteorological Society. The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company officially announces they will name the ship for the recently elected chairman of the board, Mr. Edmund Fitzgerald. 7:00 AMWeather report from the Fitzgerald.Winds are at 35 knots, waves of ten feet. Author and Great Lakes historian Frederick Stonehouse posited that the ship likely hit a shoal and took on too much water before plunging into Lake Superior. Edmund Fitzgerald Service Says: October 25th, 2010 at 6:30 pm. ", 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.". The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard deployed planes and cutters with magnetic anomaly detectors, sidescan sonar, and sonar survey to find the wreckage. : "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. Dedicated to informing others. The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald is christened, making it the largest freighter sailing on the Great Lakes. The final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald began November 9, 1975 at the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock No.1, Superior, Wisconsin. Can you provide me with radar plots till we reach Whitefish Bay? Later, a blizzard obscured the Fitz on the Anderson’s radar, but Captain Ernest McSorley, who was on his final voyage before retirement, assured a crew member on the Anderson at 7:10 p.m. that, “We are holding our own.” It was the last anyone heard from McSorley or the Fitzgerald. Captain Bernie Cooper provided the bulk of first-hand account of the last moments of the Fitzgerald as his ship crew was constantly in contact with the doomed ship through the radio. "We are holding our own. 1:00 AMWeather report from the Fitzgerald.The report from the Fitzgerald shows her to be 20 miles south of Isle Royale. 2:39 PMThe National Weather Service issues gale warnings for the area which the Fitzgerald is sailing in. He had commanded nine ships before joining the crew of the Fitzgerald. The annual Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony takes place on November 10th at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. Damage is sustained by hitting a Soo Lock wall. The wreck is 535 feet down in water that is too cold to swim in during the height of summer. 3:20 PMAnderson reports winds coming from the Northwest at 43 knots. One was the. 9:00 PMThe Coast Guard, with no available search ships, radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting assistance. By 7:15 pm, the Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew of … This song is still performed to this day at his concerts. The Edmund Fitzgerald is assigned a new captain: Captain Larson, Peter P. Pulcer becomes captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald. At first, the Arthur M. Anderson was ahead of the Edmund Fitzgerald, but overnight the Edmund Fitzgerald … PRESS RELEASE 35th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service RIVER ROUGE, MICHIGAN — A memorial service is planned for Wednesday November 10, 2010 to remember the 29 men who died when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975. Copyright 2020 Timothy C. McCall. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. The tragedy of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was 45 years ago as of Sunday, November 10th. Later, the Anderson made its way back into the storm to search for the ship, but found only a pair of lifeboats and debris. September 6Internal and external damage occurs when the Edmund Fitzgerald hits ground near the Soo Locks. Thom Holden is the curator of the Army Corps of Engineers' Marine Museum. November is a brutal month on the Great Lakes. Winds are at 52 knots, with waves ten feet in height. The chairman of Northwestern Mutual had a long history with the Great Lakes shipping industry. The song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is released by Gordon Lightfoot to the public commemorating the shipwreck. I have the Whitefish light now but still am receiving no beacon. The other, captained by Ernest McSorley, was the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. He is going to pass to the west of you. All 29 of the crew died. The recovered and restored bell will toll 29 times for each member of the Fitzgerald's crew, and a 30th for the estimated 30,000 mariners lost on the Great Lakes. The Fitz’s captain, Ernest M. McSorley, kept in radio contact with Captain Bernie Cooper of the Anderson. The Edmund Fitzgerald hits a Soo Lock wall, causing additional damage for the second time in one month. The last time anyone ever heard from the Edmund Fitzgerald On November 10, 1975, two ships made their way in tandem across the stormy waters of Lake Superior. 3:30 PMRadio transmission between the Fitzgerald and the Anderson. The storm boasted hurricane-force winds and … In May, a Navy underwater recovery vehicle was sent to the site, and on May 20, 1976, the ship was spotted 535 below the surface of the lake. ", Avafors: "The wind is really howling down here. ): C.M. Gale warnings had been issued by the National Weather Service the previous day, and by the morning of the 10th, the advisories had been upgraded to an official storm warning. This is the last weather report that the Edmund Fitzgerald will ever make. The Fitzgerald departed from Superior, Wisconsin on the afternoon of November 9, 1975. The Edmund Fitzgerald generally loaded taconite, low-grade iron ore, from mines on the shores of Minnesota and transported the pellets to steel mills near Detroit and Toledo, Ohio. He included the song on his 1976 album Summertime Dream, and the nearly six-minute single reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that year and became Lightfoot’s second-most successful hit. The next day the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was caught in a tempest. Captain McSorley . Find facts about cruise ship here. , led by Captain Jesse Cooper. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. With the commissioning of the Fitzgerald, Northwestern Mutual became the first American insurance company to build its own ship—at a cost of $8.4 million, the most expensive price tag for a freighter at the time, according to Michael Schumacher’s The Mighty Fitz.

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