Edmund Fitzgerald

“We are holding our own.” These were the last words spoken to anyone outside the ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald. November 10th 1975 the Fitzgerald sank with all 29 men still aboard. The ship had hit heavy seas resulting in the loss of the beam rails, the loss of both radars as well as at least 1 of the 2 ton steel hatch covers collapsing. The S.S. Arthur M. Anderson was relaying radar coordinates to the Fitzgerald when a massive swell separated the line of sight between the two ships. After the swell past the Fitzgerald never returned to the Andersons radar and the lookouts never saw the lights again. The Fitzgerald wasn’t seen again until May of 1976 when the wreck was discovered at the bottom of lake superior with the crew still aboard. In 1995 the Bell was raised from the wreck and a Memorial Bell engraved with the names of the 29 men who were lost was placed on the wreck. This is the last time the ship would ever be seen. It now serves as a memorial, and a tomb, for those who were lost on that stormy night.