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Author Topic: "The Big Fitz"  (Read 4387 times)

Offline RAGNAR

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"The Big Fitz"
« on: November 10, 2010, 04:24:40 PM »
Take a moment to pause and remember the 29 who died on the Big Fitz.

The Big Fitz was making a run from Wisconsin towards Detroit carrying a 26,000 ton load of taconite when it run into a storm on Lake Superior. Winds and waves were reported at gusts of 100 mph and 35 feet high.

The ship went down about 15 miles from safety and rests on the bottom of Superior in two sections over 500 feet down.

No remains of the crew were ever recovered.



Last Name      First           Position           Age          Hometown

Armagost      Michael E.     Third Mate        37       Iron River, Wisconsin
Beetcher       Fred J.         Porter              56       Superior, Wisconsin
Bentsen        Thomas D.    Oiler                 23      St. Joseph, Michigan
Bindon          Edward F.     1st Ass Eng       47      Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Borgeson      Thomas D.    Maint Man          41      Duluth, Minnesota
Champeau    Oliver J.        3rd Ass Eng        41      Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Church         Nolan S.       Porter                55      Silver Bay, Minnesota
Cundy          Ransom E.    Watchman          53      Superior, Wisconsin
Edwards       Thomas E.    2nd Ass Eng        50      Oregon, Ohio
Haskell         Russell G.     2nd Ass Eng        40      Millbury, Ohio
Holl             George J.     Chief Engineer      60      Cabot, Pennsylvania
Hudson        Bruce L.       Deck Hand           22      North Olmsted, Ohio
Kalmon        Allen G.        Second Cook        43      Washburn, Wisconsin
MacLellan    Gordon F.      Wiper                 30       Clearwater, Florida
Mazes         Joseph W.    Spec Maint Man    59       Ashland, Wisconsin
McCarthy     John H.        First Mate           62       Bay Village, Ohio
McSorley     Ernest M.      Captain              63       Toledo, Ohio
O'Brien        Eugene W.    Wheelsman          50       Toledo, Ohio
Peckol         Karl A.         Watchman           20       Ashtabula, Ohio
Poviach       John J.         Wheelsman          59       Bradenton, Florida
Pratt          James A.       Second Mate       44        Lakewood, Ohio
Rafferty      Robert C.       Steward             62        Toledo, Ohio
Riippa         Paul M.         Deck Hand           22        Ashtabula, Ohio
Simmons     John D.         Wheelsman          62        Ashland, Wisconsin
Spengler     William J.       Watchman           59        Toledo, Ohio
Thomas      Mark A.          Deck Hand          21        Richmond Heights, Ohio
Walton       Ralph G.         Oiler                  58         Fremont, Ohio
Weiss         David E.         Cadet                22         Agoura, California
Wilhelm       Blaine H.        Oiler                  52         Moquah, Wisconsin


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5EfPF2E7mU



Rest in Peace Ship and crew of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, lost, November 10, 1975.


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Offline Medi

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2010, 06:23:06 PM »
Thank you for posting this, Rags.  The song by Gordon Lightfoot always moves me to tears.

Requiem Aeterna, Domine.
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Offline Kimba~

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2010, 03:57:34 PM »
I have to wonder why this particular event strikes a chord with you, Rags?
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Offline razz|n.o.i.r

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2010, 08:12:55 PM »
Quote from: Kimba~ on November 11, 2010, 03:57:34 PM
I have to wonder why this particular event strikes a chord with you, Rags?

Perhaps reading and comprehending what he has posted would help...


RAGNAR; -has a moment of silence for those who fell-
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Offline RAGNAR

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2010, 07:27:42 AM »
Quote from: Kimba~ on November 11, 2010, 03:57:34 PM
I have to wonder why this particular event strikes a chord with you, Rags?


Rafferty      Robert C.       Steward             62        Toledo, Ohio


I met the man and some of his family not quite a year before his death.
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Offline Kimba~

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2010, 01:59:34 AM »
Yeah Sarant, clearly I missed that info when Rags posted it in his original post.  Doh!
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Offline RAGNAR

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2010, 07:57:11 AM »
 :'(
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Offline razz|n.o.i.r

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2010, 02:34:22 PM »
Hey, it happens.

-leaves Bro hugs-..
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Offline Medi

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Re: "The Big Fitz"
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2010, 05:30:37 PM »
A wonderful post, my Brother...

*hugs*
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