A memorial, of sorts

[Namabiiru]

Today being the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, as well as the day before Veteran’s Day, I wanted to share a thought. It’s become fashionable in the last few years to thank military veterans for their service, but as a veteran myself I’m always somewhat abashed whenever I hear it. Police officers, firefighters, teachers, trauma surgeons, we all serve, but few are ever thanked for it. Those Great Lakes mariners who supply a hungrily industrialized nation serve also, and hazard their lives every day more than I ever did in 20 years on active duty, so let’s remember them as well and thank them for their service.

 

[Roger Pellett]

Every year on the first weekend of November there is a maritime history Conference in Duluth, MN. It is held at Duluth’s convention center overlooking the largest harbor on the Great Lakes, and the shipping point for much of the iron ore, western coal and grain hauled by ships over the lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald left on her fatal voyage from Superior, Wisconsin part of the same harbor. Started by shipwreck divers and now named the “Gales of November” conference, it commemorates the Lakes’ History and especially the 6000+ sailors estimated to have been lost from collisions, fires, and especially storms.

This year, it was held this past Friday and Saturday (yesterday). As can be expected the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald was a major topic with several speakers offering different points of view. My favorite was a Metrology Professor from the University of Wisconsin Madison who put the Edmund Fitzgerald storm in the context of two other almost identical ones; the 1940 Armistice Day storm and a 1998 gale. A relative of one of the lost crew members spoke about the memorial service held annually near where the ship was lost; the other end of Lake Superior.

The conference ended with the playing of Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting song.

Roger

 

[TJCampbell]

Every year on the first weekend of November there is a maritime history Conference in Duluth, MN. It is held at Duluth’s convention center overlooking the largest harbor on the Great Lakes, and the shipping point for much of the iron ore, western coal and grain hauled by ships over the lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald left on her fatal voyage from Superior, Wisconsin part of the same harbor. Started by shipwreck divers and now named the “Gales of November” conference, it commemorates the Lakes’ History and especially the 6000+ sailors estimated to have been lost from collisions, fires, and especially storms.

This year, it was held this past Friday and Saturday (yesterday). As can be expected the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald was a major topic with several speakers offering different points of view. My favorite was a Metrology Professor from the University of Wisconsin Madison who put the Edmund Fitzgerald storm in the context of two other almost identical ones; the 1940 Armistice Day storm and a 1998 gale. A relative of one of the lost crew members spoke about the memorial service held annually near where the ship was lost; the other end of Lake Superior.

The conference ended with the playing of Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting song.

Roger

I figured you'd be attending Roger. This is something I would like to make my way up for one day, but Windsor to Duluth is quite the hike!

This year, being the 50th anniversary of the sinking - the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle hosted a number of events, including a brunch yesterday (Sunday Nov 9) serving the menu of what would've been offered on the Fitz, there was also a big event on Saturday, plus tonight is the 26th annual Lost Mariner's Remembrance ceremony which can be watched live on FB. I will be tuning in for sure as I always do.

The ceremony on Belle Isle and this day kind of holds a special place in my heart for me. I was only 2 years old when the Fitz went down, but I live (always have) only 2 blocks from the Detroit River on the Windsor side. Detroit (despite Lightfoot's lyrics) was the Fitzgerald's ultimate destination on that voyage, so she would've been a regular at the Windsor riverfront. My late uncle who is a pretty well reknowned railroad artist (and Detroit native) did a wonderful painting of the Fitzgerald for my as a Christmas gift years ago. Lastly.... Gordon Lightfoot is an artist I grew up listening too, as my Dad is a huge fan of his (has his entire album collection), apparently my parents would play his albums to help rock me to sleep as an infant..... but his song is such a wonderful piece of storytelling and the music, etc. is hauntingly wonderful.

 

[Kurt Konrath]

Well said that all mariners, and first responders as well as those in Merchant Marines that were lost during travel at sea, be it from storms at sea, or storms of war, should be remembered and thanked.

I think the term "Veteran", should be for all who have served this country, not just those who were in our military.

 

[Roger Pellett]

Yes, she was traveling to Zug Island on the American side of the Detroit River to deliver a cargo of iron ore pellets for the Ford Motor Co’s River Rouge steel making complex. After unloading she would have sailed empty to nearby Toledo Ohio for winter layup.

Author John U. Bacon has just published a book on the Fitzgerald that surprisingly made the New York Times best seller list. Bacon is well known by University of Michigan alumni like me as a sportswriter covering Michigan Football and Basketball. His book is largely non-technical; he leaves a technical analysis of The Fitzgerald’s sinking to others. Instead he focuses on the crew by interviewing a surprising number of their surviving relatives. He was a speaker at the conference and signed my copy of his book.

Roger

 

[TJCampbell]

Yes, she was traveling to Zug Island on the American side of the Detroit River to deliver a cargo of iron ore pellets for the Ford Motor Co’s River Rouge steel making complex. After unloading she would have sailed empty to nearby Toledo Ohio for winter layup.

Author John U. Bacon has just published a book on the Fitzgerald that surprisingly made the New York Times best seller list. Bacon is well known by University of Michigan alumni like me as a sportswriter covering Michigan Football and Basketball. His book is largely non-technical; he leaves a technical analysis of The Fitzgerald’s sinking to others. Instead he focuses on the crew by interviewing a surprising number of their surviving relatives. He was a speaker at the conference and signed my copy of his book.

Roger

This book is sold out locally here in Windsor bookstores, I should have grabbed it, but will order online.

@Roger Pellett - I know there is/was a rumour out there that Fraser Shipyards had new hull plates ready to install on the Fitzgerald. I think there was a photo circulating a number of years ago with these plates that were marked as being for the Fitz - not sure if true or not

 

[Roger Pellett]

New hull plates at Fraser: Maybe but by all accounts she was wintering at Toledo, Ohio with no plans to return to Lake Superior prior to the 1976 Shipping season.

The most accurate technical analysis is possibly Raymond Ramsey’s For Who the Bells Toll.

IMHO with his close connections to Michigan, Bacon missed an opportunity. There is a student Naval Architecture organization; The Quarterdeck Society. When I was there they required a technical paper for Membership. With modern day computer software a structural analysis with the actual cargo distribution and wave heights that she was subjected to would be interesting.

Roger