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Old 11-10-2007, 04:29 PM
 
Location: Sitting on a bar stool. Guinness in hand.
4,428 posts, read 6,506,556 times
Reputation: 1721

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Crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald



Twenty-nine brave men lost their lives on November 10, 1975. This website is dedicated to those brave men. Their names, ages, occupations, and hometowns are listed below.



Name
Age
Occupation Onboard
Hometown

Michael E. Armagost
37
Third Mate
Iron River, Wisconsin

Fred J. Beetcher
56
Porter
Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas D. Bentsen
23
Oiler
St. Joseph, Michigan

Edward F. Bindon
47
First Asst. Engineer
Fairport Harbor, Ohio

Thomas D. Borgeson
41
Maintenance Man
Duluth, Minnesota

Oliver J. Champeau
41
Third Asst. Engineer
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Nolan S. Church
55
Porter
Silver Bay, Minnesota

Ransom E. Cundy
53
Watchman
Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas E. Edwards
50
Second Asst. Engineer
Oregon, Ohio

Russell G. Haskell
40
Second Asst. Engineer
Millbury, Ohio

George J. Holl
60
Chief Engineer
Cabot, Pennsylvania

Bruce L. Hudson
22
Deck Hand
North Olmsted, Ohio

Allen G. Kalmon
43
Second Cook
Washburn, Wisconsin

Gordon F. MacLellan
30
Wiper
Clearwater, Florida

Joseph W. Mazes
59
Special Maintenance Man
Ashland, Wisconsin

John H. McCarthy
62
First Mate
Bay Village, Ohio

Ernest M. McSorley
63
Captain
Toledo, Ohio

Eugene W. O'Brien
50
Wheelsman
Toledo, Ohio

Karl A. Peckol
20
Watchman
Ashtabula, Ohio

John J. Poviach
59
Wheelsman
Bradenton, Florida

James A. Pratt
44
Second Mate
Lakewood, Ohio

Robert C. Rafferty
62
Steward
Toledo, Ohio

Paul M. Riippa
22
Deck Hand
Ashtabula, Ohio

John D. Simmons
63
Wheelsman
Ashland, Wisconsin

William J. Spengler
59
Watchman
Toledo, Ohio

Mark A. Thomas
21
Deck Hand
Richmond Heights, Ohio

Ralph G. Walton
58
Oiler
Fremont, Ohio

David E. Weiss
22
Cadet
Agoura, California

Blaine H. Wilhelm
52
Oiler
Moquah, Wisconsin
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Old 11-10-2007, 04:51 PM
 
Location: West Michigan
12,083 posts, read 38,840,284 times
Reputation: 17006
Rest in Peace guys.

Nov 10th 1975, a wild day turned sad on the mighty Lake Superior.
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Old 11-10-2007, 06:09 PM
 
Location: Aiken, SC
362 posts, read 1,502,366 times
Reputation: 144
Default Tribute to the Fitz

November 10, 1975 will forever be on my mind -- a sad day indeed.

For my personal tribute (along with pictures taken by my father when she was launched in 1958) see: Edmund Fitzgerald
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Old 11-10-2007, 08:08 PM
 
Location: Grand Rapids, MN
571 posts, read 2,529,160 times
Reputation: 314
I was only 2 years old when it happened, but in my hometown (Duluth) they usually did some kind of memorial service every year. Truly a tragic day for the great lakes region.
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Old 11-12-2007, 07:38 PM
 
7,357 posts, read 11,753,298 times
Reputation: 8944
Wow, is it that time of year again already?

29 brave -- and incredibly seasick -- men. What a miserable, terrifying way to go.
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Old 11-13-2007, 07:21 AM
 
Location: Aiken, SC
362 posts, read 1,502,366 times
Reputation: 144
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliffie View Post
29 brave -- and incredibly seasick -- men. What a miserable, terrifying way to go.

Indeed..............
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Old 11-13-2007, 09:16 AM
 
Location: West-central Iowa
84 posts, read 364,010 times
Reputation: 75
Yes, rest in peace.

Never forget...
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Old 05-24-2008, 02:38 PM
 
1 posts, read 36,915 times
Reputation: 13
June 7th 2008
Gibraltar Historical MuseumLake Erie Metropark
11 am to 4pm
Free History Event
$4.00 Park fee
The Lake Erie Metropark will be hosting a Downriver Historical Event and Celebration featuring the 50th Anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This will also include workshops on shipbuilders, ships built in Gibraltar and downriver in the last 200 years. There will be a Salute to Excellence Award, Meet the Designers and Ship Builders Launch Commemoration and lots of Art and Artists. This historical event will be hosted at the Marshlands Museum and Nature Center and the Gibraltar Historical Museum will also be a part of this celebration day with Special Hours of 11am to 4pm Saturday
More info [url=http://www.ssedmundfitzgerald.com]S. S Edmund Fitzgerald[/url]
810 955-4305 Roscoe

Last edited by Great Lakes Ship Builders; 05-24-2008 at 02:41 PM.. Reason: need help
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Old 05-24-2008, 04:49 PM
 
2,790 posts, read 6,349,956 times
Reputation: 1955
It is amazing the effect of this sad event had on people who had no connection to lake freighters. When my boys were little, we used to take them to Mariner's Church for the Blessing of the Fleet service in the spring and for the memorial service every November.

We took a photographic tour of Michigan's lighthouses when the oldest boy was six or seven. One our stops was to The Valley Camp, a retired freighter converted into a maritime museum. The director was retired from the USCG and was the captain of the cutter that led the search for the Edmund Fitzgerald. There was quite an extensive display about the wreck.

A few years back, we had a chance to re-visit The Valley Camp. It was while we were walking the deck that my first-born confided that that previous visit, when he was just six or seven, convinced him to join the Coast Guard.
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Old 05-24-2008, 05:48 PM
 
Location: Garden City, MI
695 posts, read 3,409,536 times
Reputation: 154
The call of working on the lakes is a strong one. And it's probably one of the more dangerous boating careers. Ocean going sailors don't think the lakes can get as bad as they do.

I was fortunate enough to talk with Robert C. Rafferty's daughter via a Great Lakes website a number of years ago. The stories are very hard to hear. Those sailors are very dedicated people.
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