Hey, Curator of the Presque Isle County Historical Museum here, it was an honor and a pleasure to help you make this video. It's a story I'm very passionate about and I'm glad it gets to be told to a wider audience. There's so much more to the story than can fit in a single video, but you did a wonderful job. I just have a couple of small corrections for the video: The collision with the White Rose happened in April 1956, and she was repaired in May 1957. The other correction is 23 of the 33 lost sailors were from Rogers City, not 20. Otherwise this was very well done.
Thank you for helping this UA-cam channel and adding some corrections. I am also glad that one of the survivors was able to vindicate himself in that he proved the ship had broken in two. Too bad that it came too late for the families.
Those sailors that immediately shifted into action, full-steam towards the floundering vessel - in the middle of a storm, at full tilt - embody and define the word _heroism._
I firmly believe that any vessel and her crew who attempt maritime rescue despite the most adverse and hazardous conditions should receive accolades equivalent to the Medal Of Honor or Victoria Cross. The courage required to face freezing winds and drowning waves to provide aid to another vessel felled by those same conditions or some other unknown threat is unimaginable and deserves proper, formal recognition.
@@andrewince8824 people put their lives on the line EVERY DAY man, from linemen to roofers to firefighters to the girl working a cash register in the ghetto
Even if the claims that the ship didn't break in half were true, the radio calls at the time said the ship was breaking up, from obvious damage and poor condition. Why are businesses allowed to escape responsibility so easily?
My dad joined the coast guard in the late 60s and served into the 70s. He did it to avoid going to Vietnam, but still almost died countless times on rescue missions during those notorious storms the great lakes are known for. He was stationed in Grand Haven for most of it, told me they'd have to beat ice off the boat to stop it from sinking, due to waves freezing immediately after hitting the deck. Anyway, these stories remind me of the ones he told me, and I don't get to see him often, so I really appreciate your channel.
Please tell your dad that I think he's a hero. It takes real bravery to go out there for so long when everyone else has given up! A real upstanding dude 😎
The great lakes are nothing to play with being from Detroit but living on or near the lakes are dangerous. The men and women who worked the lakes are heroes. I have seen pictures where the Detroit River frozen to Canada and people have walked across the border But with global warming one day the great ships will Sail from west lake superior to New York. Long live the 1000 footers.
I was eleven when the Bradley sank and remember it well. Michigan was my home and many of us love the boats. News of a sinking sinks hearts as well. Everything seems to stop for a moment or two when the news breaks. Beauty to behold in good weather, the lakes are liquid hell on earth in a bad storm. I once wanted to sail the lakes. With lessons learned over the long haul I have come to appreciate my warm, safe bed. God help those who work the boats.
@@cf453 I remember the lake boats as a boy. There were many of them in the 1950s. Some looked old even then. As I grew up I learned some were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Yes, the steel became brittle in the cold. But what I had no faith in was the riveted construction. It seemed like instinct. Having read the stories of shipwreck survivors my gut was right. The boars lost rivets like mad and took on water. Maybe it is the lakes themselves. I have seen the storms and survived a few in my Boston Whaler. Never again.
Proof that if you take good care of a ship, she'll last a long, long time: Arthur M. Anderson Next season the Anderson will be in her 70th year. The ship that followed the Edmund Fitzgerald on her fateful mission is still out there - launched six years before the Bradley disaster. But they have to be taken care of: maintenance, inspections, repairs when needed not when convenient. Though they also don't allow the carriers to challenge the nasty storms, either. Storms like those that claimed Bradley and Fitzgerald now get the carriers ordered to shelter.
Good news on both accounts, the order to shelter and happy birthday Arthur M. Anderson! These marvelous machines require a lot of human power to build, operate and maintain. Most of us look at mega constructions and just accept that they ARE and give it no more thought. It is only with a little more age that i've learned to try and be less short-sighted. !:-)
I remember a documentary about the Edmund Fitzgerald where the Anderson's captain, Cooper touched on how driving a massive ship gives you a sense that they're unsinkable and how he felt that way about Anderson. I think he'd be proud to know she's still going. She may not be Queen, but she sure as hell is one of the Queen Mothers
As someone who grew up in the desert SW, I find these stories fascinating. I'm in awe of the lakes, the ships and most importantly, the men who worked on them. Thank you for this sharing this story. The number of views already is a testament to the depth of research needed to produce such a video. Well done.
Please do more stories from the Great Lakes. I am from Minnesota and I am absolutely fascinated by the stories of the many ships that would have come in and out of Duluth mn
My grandma lived in Rogers City and was in grade school for the Bradley and her dad was on the Cedarville. I never asked her how that was handled when the news came. I asked her after watching this video. Very interesting and tragic to hear, the kids whose dad was on the ship pulled from class and told of the news. Rogers City is the very definition of a Maritime town and I can’t imagine what it was like for that small town to have 2 tragic incidents happen in that short of a time. Something interesting my grandma said- When the Bradley sank people said that just means “100 years before the next one”… it took 6 years. The Bradley and Cedarville sinking were both scathed with controversy and conspiracy.
If she's OK to talk about it & hasn't already spoken to them, I'd bet museums & historians around the Great Lakes would love to hear your grandma's stories. Even the little anecdotes & observations like "100 years before the next one" adds richness to the historical record of the region, not to mention helping future generations understand how the community dealt with these disasters... personal experiences resonate through the ages, while dry articles in a newspaper only give us one aspect of any story (often not a particularly accurate one either!).
I never realized how much shipping went on in the Great Lakes and the disasters that happened. Thank you for your well-done videos. (Of course the company made sure they didn't pay fair compensation.)
@@heywardhollis1160 I think it's more coastal bias. The majority of media is from the west and for whatever reason they act like Joshua Tree, Yosemite and Big Sur are the only thing in the whole country worth looking at. We're literally called flyover country because of the disdain for the Midwest.
Growing up in Port Huron, Michigan, I grew up watching the Freighters pass under the Blue Water Bridges, from Lake Huron into the St Clair River, it was probably the best thing about growing up there! I love going to The Soo, and Bell Isle. I find people, not people who live or work on/near the lakes often underestimate them. It’s better to not think of them as lakes, that makes them sound tame and they often are but when they get temperamental they are not to be trifled with. I remember when the remnants of Hurricane Sandy hit Port Huron, The St Clair River what’s wiping up over the lake walk, THE RIVER! imagine the Lakes! It’s better to think of them as fresh water seas, that better describes them and better inspires the respect they deserve. I really like your Great Lakes videos, you treat these lakes with the same respect of the open ocean. I don’t know if your from the Great Lakes region or have experience with them but if your not you are doing this right and I thank you for treating the defining features of my home with the gravitas they demand.
I grew up on the Erie. Love our Island's and shores. As a boy I'd watch the freighters come up and down the Black River and the Cuyahoga. My grandfather and father were avid fishermen so I spent lots of time out there. My grandfather always warned me about how dangerous the Erie was because she was so shallow. We got caught out once and I've never saw fear in my father or my grandfather. But I swear neither were speaking and I could feel we were in trouble. It's unnerving to see a WW2 vet and a Vietnam combat Marine afraid. That's the power of the lake! They are basically inland seas. I remember how brutal the remnants of Sandy were!
Spent a few years in Sarnia and grew up on Lake Erie in a small port village port Bruce (straight across from Sandusky) and you learn real quick to respect the lakes. The Great Lakes are mother nature reminder of her power and will.
It’s something Frank didn’t talk about until after the ‘97 expedition. It was long suggested Dennis fell off and was swept away. He was likely lost before they let go.
Yeah, if you've ever gone off a ship into water (say scuba diving) then pulled yourself back in, it takes some energy. Now I"m trying to picture bouncing around in high waves, screaming winds, knocked out of the boat and pulling yourself in over and over again. For hours. Not hard to picture them so out of energy, they couldn't even lift Meredith back into the boat.
I'm sure those men had a conversation with that ghost quite often in the remainder of their lives. Unless you're a sociopath, watching someone die an unnatural death in front of you scars your soul. The feelings of guilt or underachievement in saving life can be crushing to the psyche. Sadly, this was poorly understood during the period of this tragedy, so it's undoubtably true that these survivors were tormented for the remainder of their days.................
What a great telling of this huge story. I’ ll wager you have spent time at sea in that you bring us details most would miss. The rivets popping and ricocheting like gunfire captures the picture perfectly. Arms spread in the lifeboat is very specific, akin to sleeping with one foot behind the other knee keeping the leg cocked out at 45 degrees to keep you from tumbling from your bunk. Your videos are among the best in this genre, keep them coming. My thanks to you and all who have helped bring us such a vivid capturing of all that went on; simply superb!
Lake Ontario was the first lake I’d ever been to which made me feel like I was at the ocean. The waves were all capped and eventually came rolling ashore. The water met the sky, with no land appearing to form “the other side.” A gigantic tanker came passing by, it was the largest ship I’d ever seen, longer than any cruise ship I’ve been on. I was impressed and amazed and speechless. I don’t think you can appreciate their size until you’re on one.
The Bradley went down close to the place I grew up... Beaver Island. I also lived in the Soo for a number of years, so while I know all this stuff by heart, this is still an excellent video. Lot of info here that most people don't know about. We're no strangers to the nastiness of Lake Michigan up there. Living in the middle of it. I worked on northern lake Michigan for only a couple years and have MUCH respect for everyone who's made a career working on the lakes. When those Alberta clippers meet up with the northbound storms full of gulf moisture. In November when the lakes are still relatively warm.. It pretty much creates a full blown hurricane. 1500 shipwrecks on lake Michigan alone.. Over 6000 total on the Great Lakes. RIP to those who lost their lives just trying to make a living. "They that go down to the sea in ships"
There's plenty of other Great Lakes wrecks to cover so it ought to be a while before you run out of ideas. Personally I would like to see you spread your wings a little. Maybe have a look at some of the wrecks off the coast of the UK. Devon, Cornwall and the North Welsh coastlines have interesting tales about them. With regards to the Çarl D Bradley it never ceases to amaze me how often companies are let off the hook when it comes to compensation. The families deserved better.
@@Paigeofmaces Was the Mary Rose the ship that was laden with longbows and arrows that ended up being preserved and providing a wealth of historical information on Medieval English archery?
I think you'll find that true of most people who work "do or die" jobs. Construction workers and miners come to mind as two professions that are the same way
The Fitz was also in rough shape at the time of her foundering. Maybe not as bad as The Bradley but definitely beat up. The companies simply ask too much from these vessels. Year after year of being ridden hard and put away wet. The constant back and forth, shoddy repair work, and company sanctioned overloading makes them into a ticking time bomb.
I don't think the Fitz sank due to being in rough shape. The crew said she was holding up fine right until she sank. I believe that she bottomed out without the crew knowing, started slowly taking on water, dove into a huge trough, was smashed head first with a wave, and split when she bottomed out due to the ore pressing through the near vertical bulkheads.
@@harrisonkarn2078Fitzgerald's exact sister ship Arthur B Homer was scrapped in the 80s despite having millions of dollars spent on the Ship's lengthening in 1976. Shipyard workers said no fleet wanted to buy the Homer because of structural concerns. An engineer who built both ships said they weren't designed to be carrying the amount of cargo they were in the 70s. Also former Fitzgerald 2nd mate Richard Orgel said the Fitzgerald flexed unusually much in bad weather. So much Captain McSorley himself called it the "wiggling thing"
I remember talking to Frank before and after the ‘95 and ‘97 expeditions. After they confirmed what he had said for all time in’97. He had long maintained the company lied and that the ship broke in two. He was right.
"The most dangerous lake" you've not spent much time around the big three have you lol born and raised on lake Huron. Lake Michigan is a sportsman's lake she can get bad in November storms but nothing like Superior she is the most dangerous lake..
@@Deadman73330 It all depends on the wind direction. Prevailing westerlies will fetch up bigger seas on Superior than on Michigan; but if the winds are from the north or south for a length of time, Michigan will build seas that are every bit as dangerous as a storm on Superior. When Michigan is in that kind of state, repeating Lightfoot’s “for sportsmen” line won’t help you.
@@Deadman73330 Hello, lake sailor here. Technically Lake Erie is the deadliest in terms of which lake has the most shipwrecks... But Lake Superior is not the most dangerous Lake, not even close. There are too many places to hide and anchor along Lake Superior and you can almost always pick a coast to follow to negate the wind. Lake Michigan in a North or South wind is the most dangerous because there is nowhere to hide on Lake Michigan and there is nothing to break the wind. Lake Huron is also more dangerous than Superior because of the frequency of fronts colliding over Huron and causing "boiling seas", in fact, the most deadly storm in Great Lakes history (1913) saw the majority of its victims claimed by Lake Huron in exactly that situation.
It's great to see more lake ship stories on youtube and you do a very good job of telling their tales. What an incredible story and a tragic and avoidable loss.
as a former laker, it’s great to see this history being told to a wider audience. i had the pleasure of meeting Frank Mays about five years ago on Beaver Island. he visited my ship and i heard his testimony, very sobering. sad that he has passed on, but he lived a full life for sure.
Thanks for covering the Bradley. My mothers cousin was Dennis Meredith. Spent most of my childhood summers in Rogers City with my grandparents. If anyone is interested in more info regarding this topic search for the documentary “November Requiem”.
I'd love to see you cover some more Great Lakes shipwrecks. Maybe the Daniel J. Morell? Or the Cedarville? A really interesting story is the Regina and the Charles S. Price. Just a few ideas. I appreciate what you do. Thank you for this!
In the late 70s I dove on the Cedarville. She was about 110’ if I remember correctly. At the time, I was a teenager, but an extremely experienced diver and worked the summers on the Great Lakes for a professional diving company. Visibility was terrible, and I had a very bad feeling before hitting the water; I can’t explain it. I was with two other divers. I had a bit of trouble with my dry suit and was disoriented the entire time. I found myself alone in a cargo hold, no idea how I ended up there. My two buddies lights appeared and we made it out of there and eagerly surfaced. It is one of the scariest dives I ever had.
@@sdcoinshooter Sounds like spirits about my friend. Best be on guard next time. Also a video on the Daniel J Morrell would be amazing. The bizarre event that happened as it sank would make for a great topic!!
Channel Bad Day HQ's series "Disasters of the Century" has an episode about the 1913 "hurricane" that sank the Regina and C. S. Price. Search Bad Day HQ DotC 1913 Great Lakes Hurricane."
Also anybody that is interested, there is a maritime museum in Rogers City, MI. They do a memorial service for the Bradley everyear. I went there a couple years to represent my maritime academy and to ring the bell for one of her mates that is standing the eternal watch.
I was born and raised in collingwood Ontario. I think all of this is on display there in the museum. Awesome story man thanks so much. I have goosebumps hearing about a piece of my hometown.
Sometimes I wonder how many times throughout history survivors of shipwrecks watched rescue ships/aircraft go by without seeing them, only to perish later from the elements with the knowledge of how close they were to being saved. May they all Rest In Peace
Especially ones such as the captain that had his ship underway within the same hour of getting the distress call when he had 12. And with a skeleton crew in a storm to boot. Bravery and courage are amazing qualities.
Outstanding! Stumbled in here I think, and you grabbed my attention immediately. Thank you for a great doc! My father sailed on the Great Lakes his whole life, so I have a bit of interest to anything Great Lakes.
This Minnesotan appreciates any content this good about the history of the Great Lakes and the mariners who sail them. Sometimes I feel like if you don't live in the US, in a state bordering these lakes, you tend to underestimate them, and you bringing these stories of tragedy and heroism to a wider audience is phenomenal. My only disappointment is on your behalf that you don't already have a million subscribers.
The swarm of emboldened ships rushing to help was heart-warming to me. In contrast to the fate of the Edmund Fitzgerald, although I don't believe ever gave a true distress call. Nice vid! I did not know about this incident or this ship, although you could have mentioned what all this cargo was for. this calcium and other materials they were shipping. I'm pretty sure it was for steel production but the geek in me just needs to know... cheers!
Yes, for making steel in Ohio, I believe. And he comes very close to mentioning/ or does mention it early in the video. Technically, it was "Calcite" the Carl Bradley was carrying.
@@sorrenblitz805 Calcite isn't an iron ore, as it is calcium carbonate CaCO3 -- the same as limestone and marble. It does have many uses in steel making, though.
@@sorrenblitz805 Big Fitz was carrying 'taconite', that's raw iron ore from western lake superior. Calcite is a sort of limestone used in refining iron ore in a blast furnace.
This one was poignant and that photo of the two survivors in hospital with their wives brought tears to my eye....the smiles of joy on those ladies' faces, they must have thought they were the luckiest women in the world....and of course that emphasises the pain and grief of all those who lost husbands and boyfriends on the ship, leaving a small town forever scarred by loss. The scale of the rescue effort in this case is astounding, seems like almost every ship on the lake and every rescue helicopter around it came into play somehow!. Thanks MH for such a well-researched and crafted documentary.
Out of a mild curiosity, have you covered the sinking of the SS Daniel J. Morrell at all? It's a pretty bizarre sequence of events with only a sole survivor.
I had the good fortune to meet the Sole Survivor himself, Mr. Dennis Hale, at the museum in Ashtabula. I bought his book and he autographed it for me. He'd be in his 80's now, I hope he is still alive and in good health.
Your content is great. I only got into Maritime history recently, when I started painting ships, and your channel is an absolute treasure trove. Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I am a Great Lakes resident and as a little girl, I got a book on the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. I was immediately spellbound by the mystery and tragedy of these great bodies of freshwater sea and the stormy waters they can produce. As a child, the sinking of the Bradley intrigued me the most, along with the Fitzgerald. You told the story very well. The only suggestion I have, and this is a preferential one that may not be shared by all your viewers, but will be shared by those who, like me, are distracted by visual movement easily, is that the seas behind the images you show us distracts the eye and the mind from the important content you show your viewer. I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you consider either widen the image frame so that the moving water is less dominant, or that you eliminate it. It's a nice touch, and I appreciate what you're going for, but it does produce distraction for those like me. Again, loved the video, you tell the story so well, and I will be liking and subscribing for more sea stories.
US NAVY sailor here, love the channel and everything you’re doing, I’d love to see a video on the USS Indianapolis, and/or USS Thresher (submarine) both very interesting stories. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
The heavy cruiser INDIANAPOLIS was the last major American warship lost in WW2 (a Japanese submarine torpedoed her on July 30, 1945). Submarine THRESHER (SSN-593) sank April 10, 1963 while conducting deep-diving tests in the North Atlantic. She had just completed an overhaul at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. The Court of Inquiry determined that a flooding casualty in the engine room led to her sinking, if I'm not mistaken.
In the small community church graveyard in SE Alabama my family went to when I was a kid (60+ years ago) was a grave....or the headstone.....of a man who died on the USS Indianapolis......date of death matches date of sinking, plus the engraved "USS Indianapolis" on the stone sorta gives it away........tho sadly I don't remember his name. Ex-Navy meself, plus I was stationed on Guam for a time......and was where my Daddy served during WWII. Speaking of sunken ships, in the Apra Harbor on Guam a Japanese ship sank by a US submarine during WWII sits partially atop a German ship scuttled there when the USA declared war on Germany at the start of WWI. Just more odd trivia that makes one the life of any party.......no???
Thanks for your service. I work near where the monument for the U.S.S. Indianapolis is... rumor has it, the stories of the survivors are what inspired Steven Spielberg to make the movie Jaws. Also, it was rumored that she was carrying either a complete atomic bomb or parts for a 3rd atomic bomb that was put over there in case something went wrong with the other two.
As a midwesterner as well as a resident of one of the states on the Great Lakes, people underestimate the size and scope of them before they see stories like this or see footage of ships passing through storms that they'd never expect to see on lakes. They are for all intents and purposes seas and should be treated as such; that being with great respect and care in plotting whatever voyage it may be whether a daytime fishing trip or a crossing. To you utterly insane, brave mariners that brave these waves, hats off to you.
These Great Lakes stories are my favorite. Growing up in MN and heading up to Duluth more than a couple handful of times, the Great Lakes are fascinating with its history. Keep making these videos, they are the most interesting
An unseaworthy vessel being approved to sail? Sounds like a precursor for the sinking of the ss marine electric in the early 80s. Another famous case in coast guard history.
Or the MTS Oceanos, or the MV Arvin just a few years ago. All three were found unseaworthy, all three went anyways, and all three sank. In fact, the Arvin had the EXACT SAME FATE as Bradley: breaking in half mid-voyage.
Just proves the importance of quality and involved officers and a captain with the sense to know when his ship isnt seaworthy instead of just relying on the certification from the coast guard
@@TheEmeraldMenOfficial there’s old videos onboard the arvin, showing exterior shots and a walk through of the ballast tanks for an inspection. She was more rust than steel, and that was 7 years before she snapped in half...
Awesome video man, I just discovered your channel and being a Boatnerd I am happy to see that the Bradley was documented. You could do a video of the Daniel J. Morrell, a 1906-built Bethlehem Steel freighter that sank in November 1966 due to the violent nature of the storm, only watchman Dennis Hale was the sole-survivor.
Thank you for this documentary/video. My Father was drafted for WW2 service 01/08/1942 & his first deployment was Sault Ste. Marie during the construction of the MacAuthur lock. We would visit there every year and the Big Lakes always scared me. He served in the Pacific Theatre ending up on Tinian. I've been facinated by Great Lakes maritime stories/tragedies my whole life and say a prayer for every person who dares to set sail on those waters. Thanks again.
I just found this channel a few days ago, and I absolutely love the work you're doing. I'm perhaps the furthest thing from a maritime buff, but your presentation, content, and overall demeanour are so great that I couldn't help but fall in love with your channel. My only regret is that you've only been uploading for just under a year, so there isn't more content for me to binge
Another fantastic documentary. The telling of the story, the tempo of the video, the information included, and the tone of the narrators voice are all superb.
I see these ships a lot. It's a 7 minute walk to the Canadian Sault locks from my house. You can see them going through the much larger US Sault locks all the time. Nov windy as I type this today.
I can only imagine the vindication he felt after seeing the ship in 2 pieces, 40 years of knowing wtf you saw on that horrific night and finally being able to say i told you so
I have a picture of my grandfather in front of this ship taken in the 1930s I believe. Just ran across this video in my feed and have to give it a watch now!
Well done. Thanks so much. Excellent work. Content, editing, final product including the tributes and respects, all together, make for a superior quality. My belated condolences to the departed and their families and friends and to the survivors and all who came to help during the tragedy.
Hey, great channel my friend. I was a US Army Infantryman but my grandfather was a Navy veteran. He was actually a radio repair tech in the Army Air Corps in Panama in the early 30s and he re-upped in the Navy after Pearl Harbor, fought all over the Pacific, re-upped again for Korea, was a CPO and ran the electronics shop on the USS Hamul AD-20. I have lots of respect for the US Navy. I think it would be great to get your take on the Marine Electric disaster or any of the former USN WWII Liberty Ships or T2 Tankers lost after they passed to civilian ownership after the war.
I recently discovered this channel, and I am loving it. Thanks for doing some videos on lake sinkings. Could you making do the SS Daniel J. Morell, SS Kamloops, or SS Cedarville?
It makes me so angry that the company wasn’t found liable until decades later- long after most of the survivors were dead. I’m curious about the original investigation though. How did they miss the fact that the ship broke apart?
Thank you so much for making this video. Born and raised in Rogers City Michigan. The Bradley is one of the main stories we learn about. Too many people have said that it doesn't get recognized as much as it should. You gave the story justice and the accuracy it deserves 👏 😌
Thank you for bringing this story into the mainstream. I have a family connection to this story, and it has gotten me into great lakes maritime history, and since then it has been the Bain of my existence to make sure the great lakes are no longer obscure. You have no clue how much this video means to me, thank you so much
Dude, just found this channel from the UNSC Pillar of Autumn video. I’m now five videos in and immensely impressed, and utterly fascinated by your choice of subject matter. I’m especially glad to see you cover Great Lakes vessels, a class of vessels almost completely ignored by many other history purveyors.
You know when you find an awesome channel out of the blue and watch every video one after the other? That's this channel for me. Many thanks for the great content!
I have a video suggestion for you (provided you haven't got it in the que already), the Great Storm of 1913 on the Great Lakes. The amount of ships and sailors lost is mind boggling, and I feel like it's halfway forgotten.
My grandpas (Don Conley) hometown is Rogers City, MI. We go north every year for the Nautical Festival and have been every year since I’ve been born. I’ve know this story my whole life and genuinely appreciate your telling of it. Random personal connection - After Frank Mayes was widowed in 1998, he ended up dating my grandpas youngest sister (Ruth Conley). Him and Ruth were together until her passing in the mid 2010s
Love your videos man. I find the most interest in videos you’ve done on great lakes vessels. Would love to see you cover the SS Eastland and her later life as the USS Wilmette.
It's crazy to me, that a year ago I found this video. Back then the events were so far distant to me that it was just a story, but it still touched a cord in my heart. Now that I work on lake Michigan, and we sail the same waters that the Bradley went down in, the story hits even harder.
I'm glad I have been subscribed to you since 1 k. Geez, now your channel is at 18.6k. Thanks for informing me about this ship and keep up the great work.
I know this video isn't about USCGC Mackinaw, but I was psyched to hear it mentioned! I had the pleasure of visiting her in Mackinaw City, where she now resides as a museum ship. She was preserved immaculately. If anyone happens to be near her, I highly recommend a visit!
My Great-Grandfather was a Conveyorman on the Bradley from 1940 until 1953. Transferred to the Robinson after that. It truly hit Rogers City hard. But that city was a lot like other mining towns… the company controlled everything.
I randomly stubbled upon this and instantly gained my attention. Now I may binge watch ship stories!? Very good video! Thanks for the really good narration!
Brilliant! Maybe you would like to do an episode on rogue waves soon, possibly with the example of the "München", where the crew might have held out for 33 hours, before... ;-)
I’ve loaded the Wilfred Sykes @ the LEE Tregurtha (also HUGE) countless times with coal & pet coke. I LOVE seeing documentaries/videos that includes ships I’ve worked with.
Just found your channel a few days ago, I’m loving your content! Wanted to suggest a video on the Cyprus, lost on Lake Superior in 1907. My grandmother’s grandfather (didn’t care to count how many “greats” that would be) was captain when Cyprus went down.
I met Captain Clement F. Morreau, he sailed on the Wyandotte Chemical ships, he was on the Coat Guard Board of Review of the Carl D. Bradley. Captain Morreau gave me a copy of the report, on it is affixed the formal Gold Seal. His comment to me was that the Ballast tanks were the major cause if sinking along with general poor maintenance
I really love your videos! I was hoping you can make a video about the MS Munchen and the SS Waratah. There two ships disappeared and were never found. The Munchen was a German cargo ship that disappeared in 1972 and the Waratah was a passenger/cargo ship that disappeared in 1909. There really interesting mysteries and are really underrated.
Thank you for making this video and to the Presque Isle County Historical Museum for their help. My uncle Alfred Pilarski (2nd cook) went down on this ship. My mother (Alfreds sister) will talk about it like it was yesterday when asked, which is quite an accomplishment since she just turned 92. She still has a few memorial items that she's held onto. I also have 2 other extended relatives that went down on the Great lakes. Those lakes are unforgiving when the weather gets ugly.
Hey, Curator of the Presque Isle County Historical Museum here, it was an honor and a pleasure to help you make this video. It's a story I'm very passionate about and I'm glad it gets to be told to a wider audience. There's so much more to the story than can fit in a single video, but you did a wonderful job. I just have a couple of small corrections for the video: The collision with the White Rose happened in April 1956, and she was repaired in May 1957. The other correction is 23 of the 33 lost sailors were from Rogers City, not 20. Otherwise this was very well done.
Brav, your channel...tis cringe kek.
Love curators that really want to get the info out there, especially videos on UA-cam working as an "archive" available for everyone, kudos to you sir
@UCkioiXXo7SQSGolU8Tl0khA No, Rogers City, MI
Thanks so much for helping make this happen. The world knows of The Fitz but so few realise how many others have gone to the bottom of the lakes.
Thank you for helping this UA-cam channel and adding some corrections. I am also glad that one of the survivors was able to vindicate himself in that he proved the ship had broken in two. Too bad that it came too late for the families.
Those sailors that immediately shifted into action, full-steam towards the floundering vessel - in the middle of a storm, at full tilt - embody and define the word _heroism._
sounds like the makings of a Sabaton song
@@LUNITICWILL on god
I firmly believe that any vessel and her crew who attempt maritime rescue despite the most adverse and hazardous conditions should receive accolades equivalent to the Medal Of Honor or Victoria Cross. The courage required to face freezing winds and drowning waves to provide aid to another vessel felled by those same conditions or some other unknown threat is unimaginable and deserves proper, formal recognition.
@@andrewince8824 people put their lives on the line EVERY DAY man, from linemen to roofers to firefighters to the girl working a cash register in the ghetto
Such heroism is rare today.
Even if the claims that the ship didn't break in half were true, the radio calls at the time said the ship was breaking up, from obvious damage and poor condition. Why are businesses allowed to escape responsibility so easily?
Corruption.
I suspect because she was scheduled for a refit and was cleared by the Coast Guard
@@MajesticDemonLord probably it.
They would be held liable too.
Obviously it was an act of god. Surely you can't argue with that.
@Account NumberEight Well, I'm pretty sure that the practice of sweeping things under the rug is not exclusive to capitalist nations...
My dad joined the coast guard in the late 60s and served into the 70s. He did it to avoid going to Vietnam, but still almost died countless times on rescue missions during those notorious storms the great lakes are known for. He was stationed in Grand Haven for most of it, told me they'd have to beat ice off the boat to stop it from sinking, due to waves freezing immediately after hitting the deck. Anyway, these stories remind me of the ones he told me, and I don't get to see him often, so I really appreciate your channel.
Please tell your dad that I think he's a hero. It takes real bravery to go out there for so long when everyone else has given up! A real upstanding dude 😎
The great lakes are nothing to play with being from Detroit but living on or near the lakes are dangerous. The men and women who worked the lakes are heroes. I have seen pictures where the Detroit River frozen to Canada and people have walked across the border
But with global warming one day the great ships will Sail from west lake superior to New York. Long live the 1000 footers.
Tell me he retired to Florida and never has to deal with ice again
I bet he had to walk 5 miles in the freezing snow just to get to school too.
FF - you need to get your dad's stories directly, hoss. Getting other folks' stories is good, but a poor substitute to pass down to your kids
I was eleven when the Bradley sank and remember it well. Michigan was my home and many of us love the boats. News of a sinking sinks hearts as well. Everything seems to stop for a moment or two when the news breaks. Beauty to behold in good weather, the lakes are liquid hell on earth in a bad storm. I once wanted to sail the lakes. With lessons learned over the long haul I have come to appreciate my warm, safe bed. God help those who work the boats.
God help those who are too cheap to build sturdier boats and maintain them adequately.
@@cf453 I remember the lake boats as a boy. There were many of them in the 1950s. Some looked old even then. As I grew up I learned some were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Yes, the steel became brittle in the cold. But what I had no faith in was the riveted construction. It seemed like instinct. Having read the stories of shipwreck survivors my gut was right. The boars lost rivets like mad and took on water.
Maybe it is the lakes themselves. I have seen the storms and survived a few in my Boston Whaler. Never again.
Proof that if you take good care of a ship, she'll last a long, long time: Arthur M. Anderson
Next season the Anderson will be in her 70th year.
The ship that followed the Edmund Fitzgerald on her fateful mission is still out there - launched six years before the Bradley disaster.
But they have to be taken care of: maintenance, inspections, repairs when needed not when convenient.
Though they also don't allow the carriers to challenge the nasty storms, either. Storms like those that claimed Bradley and Fitzgerald now get the carriers ordered to shelter.
Good news on both accounts, the order to shelter and happy birthday Arthur M. Anderson!
These marvelous machines require a lot of human power to build, operate and maintain. Most of us look at mega constructions and just accept that they ARE and give it no more thought. It is only with a little more age that i've learned to try and be less short-sighted.
!:-)
I remember a documentary about the Edmund Fitzgerald where the Anderson's captain, Cooper touched on how driving a massive ship gives you a sense that they're unsinkable and how he felt that way about Anderson. I think he'd be proud to know she's still going. She may not be Queen, but she sure as hell is one of the Queen Mothers
Love the AA. What a good looking ship.
Wow! Did not know that! I know some ships have a long programmed life span, but this is impressive nonetheless!
@@crabbyj the SS Alpena, a great lakes beauty... Is 79 years old, and is the oldest ship on the lakes.
As someone who grew up in the desert SW, I find these stories fascinating. I'm in awe of the lakes, the ships and most importantly, the men who worked on them. Thank you for this sharing this story. The number of views already is a testament to the depth of research needed to produce such a video. Well done.
I live in Arizona so we have a problem they do not have near the Great Lakes. We're running out of water! This fact hasn't slowed down the growth.
@@mrlaw711 tell that to all the flooding and snow melt we have, its causing havoc due to all the water we got this winter.
I love Michigan and you definitely learn to respect the lakes, they can get bad in the blink of an eye.
Please do more stories from the Great Lakes. I am from Minnesota and I am absolutely fascinated by the stories of the many ships that would have come in and out of Duluth mn
My grandma lived in Rogers City and was in grade school for the Bradley and her dad was on the Cedarville. I never asked her how that was handled when the news came. I asked her after watching this video. Very interesting and tragic to hear, the kids whose dad was on the ship pulled from class and told of the news.
Rogers City is the very definition of a Maritime town and I can’t imagine what it was like for that small town to have 2 tragic incidents happen in that short of a time.
Something interesting my grandma said-
When the Bradley sank people said that just means “100 years before the next one”… it took 6 years.
The Bradley and Cedarville sinking were both scathed with controversy and conspiracy.
If she's OK to talk about it & hasn't already spoken to them, I'd bet museums & historians around the Great Lakes would love to hear your grandma's stories.
Even the little anecdotes & observations like "100 years before the next one" adds richness to the historical record of the region, not to mention helping future generations understand how the community dealt with these disasters... personal experiences resonate through the ages, while dry articles in a newspaper only give us one aspect of any story (often not a particularly accurate one either!).
I never realized how much shipping went on in the Great Lakes and the disasters that happened. Thank you for your well-done videos. (Of course the company made sure they didn't pay fair compensation.)
I think most Americans are homeblind to the majesty of North America's nature.
@@heywardhollis1160 Not just the natural beauty, but how vital the Great Lakes were to the development of the continent.
@@heywardhollis1160 I think it's more coastal bias. The majority of media is from the west and for whatever reason they act like Joshua Tree, Yosemite and Big Sur are the only thing in the whole country worth looking at. We're literally called flyover country because of the disdain for the Midwest.
I’m glad someone covers the beauty and danger of the Great Lakes. You’re either from around there or just crazy knowledge and I respect it
Growing up in Port Huron, Michigan, I grew up watching the Freighters pass under the Blue Water Bridges, from Lake Huron into the St Clair River, it was probably the best thing about growing up there! I love going to The Soo, and Bell Isle.
I find people, not people who live or work on/near the lakes often underestimate them. It’s better to not think of them as lakes, that makes them sound tame and they often are but when they get temperamental they are not to be trifled with. I remember when the remnants of Hurricane Sandy hit Port Huron, The St Clair River what’s wiping up over the lake walk, THE RIVER! imagine the Lakes! It’s better to think of them as fresh water seas, that better describes them and better inspires the respect they deserve.
I really like your Great Lakes videos, you treat these lakes with the same respect of the open ocean. I don’t know if your from the Great Lakes region or have experience with them but if your not you are doing this right and I thank you for treating the defining features of my home with the gravitas they demand.
I grew up on the Erie. Love our Island's and shores. As a boy I'd watch the freighters come up and down the Black River and the Cuyahoga. My grandfather and father were avid fishermen so I spent lots of time out there. My grandfather always warned me about how dangerous the Erie was because she was so shallow. We got caught out once and I've never saw fear in my father or my grandfather. But I swear neither were speaking and I could feel we were in trouble. It's unnerving to see a WW2 vet and a Vietnam combat Marine afraid. That's the power of the lake! They are basically inland seas. I remember how brutal the remnants of Sandy were!
2 years late, but he was a "Laker" for (iirc) 5 years.
Spent a few years in Sarnia and grew up on Lake Erie in a small port village port Bruce (straight across from Sandusky) and you learn real quick to respect the lakes. The Great Lakes are mother nature reminder of her power and will.
Shipwrecks are neat to learn about, the human side of the coin cannot be forgotten they give their lives for something they love doing.
Lessons learned: Poseidon doesn't like spring water for christening ships
Seriously. I would have smuggled in some Canadian whisky or even moonshine.
What about all the christened vessels currently on the bottom everywhere around the world?
@@mgmg116 To make it clear, Poseidon needs the good stuff, not your cheap 20 dollar bottle of booze.
@@xiaoxiagao1254 Many ships christened with champagne currently rest on the bottom of the Atlantic
@@mgmg116 That only goes to show that, when he gets pecking, he’ll eat a ship. Then he’ll need more liquor to wash it down!
Be there holding Dennis Meredith for hours then watching him let go and die like that must be rough! Man smh...RIP 🙏
It’s something Frank didn’t talk about until after the ‘97 expedition. It was long suggested Dennis fell off and was swept away. He was likely lost before they let go.
Yeah, if you've ever gone off a ship into water (say scuba diving) then pulled yourself back in, it takes some energy. Now I"m trying to picture bouncing around in high waves, screaming winds, knocked out of the boat and pulling yourself in over and over again. For hours. Not hard to picture them so out of energy, they couldn't even lift Meredith back into the boat.
I'm sure those men had a conversation with that ghost quite often in the remainder of their lives.
Unless you're a sociopath, watching someone die an unnatural death in front of you scars your soul. The feelings of guilt or underachievement in saving life can be crushing to the psyche. Sadly, this was poorly understood during the period of this tragedy, so it's undoubtably true that these survivors were tormented for the remainder of their days.................
is it so wrong that i had a raging hard-on?
What a great telling of this huge story. I’ ll wager you have spent time at sea in that you bring us details most would miss. The rivets popping and ricocheting like gunfire captures the picture perfectly. Arms spread in the lifeboat is very specific, akin to sleeping with one foot behind the other knee keeping the leg cocked out at 45 degrees to keep you from tumbling from your bunk. Your videos are among the best in this genre, keep them coming. My thanks to you and all who have helped bring us such a vivid capturing of all that went on; simply superb!
Lake Ontario was the first lake I’d ever been to which made me feel like I was at the ocean. The waves were all capped and eventually came rolling ashore. The water met the sky, with no land appearing to form “the other side.” A gigantic tanker came passing by, it was the largest ship I’d ever seen, longer than any cruise ship I’ve been on.
I was impressed and amazed and speechless. I don’t think you can appreciate their size until you’re on one.
Just found the channel a few days ago. Fantastic content, though it makes me tear up hearing about the loss of the lives of my fellow sailors
Man I LOVE hearing our country's forgotten history regardless of it's solemn content. The tremendous acts of heroism are simply mind blowing.
found this channel the other day - i like it, all facts, no hyperbole, well researched and narrated. you've earned yourself a sub
The Bradley went down close to the place I grew up... Beaver Island. I also lived in the Soo for a number of years, so while I know all this stuff by heart, this is still an excellent video. Lot of info here that most people don't know about. We're no strangers to the nastiness of Lake Michigan up there. Living in the middle of it. I worked on northern lake Michigan for only a couple years and have MUCH respect for everyone who's made a career working on the lakes. When those Alberta clippers meet up with the northbound storms full of gulf moisture. In November when the lakes are still relatively warm.. It pretty much creates a full blown hurricane. 1500 shipwrecks on lake Michigan alone.. Over 6000 total on the Great Lakes. RIP to those who lost their lives just trying to make a living. "They that go down to the sea in ships"
There's plenty of other Great Lakes wrecks to cover so it ought to be a while before you run out of ideas.
Personally I would like to see you spread your wings a little. Maybe have a look at some of the wrecks off the coast of the UK. Devon, Cornwall and the North Welsh coastlines have interesting tales about them.
With regards to the Çarl D Bradley it never ceases to amaze me how often companies are let off the hook when it comes to compensation. The families deserved better.
It would be so cool to see the Mary Rose covered by Maritime Horrors.
@@Paigeofmaces the Mary Rose and the Vasa double bill maybe?
Perhaps the disappearance of the Eilean Mor lighthouse keepers as well?
@@Paigeofmaces Was the Mary Rose the ship that was laden with longbows and arrows that ended up being preserved and providing a wealth of historical information on Medieval English archery?
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris I think so, the Henry VIII era ship.
Mariners are a special breed of people. Some of the bravest, most altruistic human beings you’ll ever find.
I think you'll find that true of most people who work "do or die" jobs.
Construction workers and miners come to mind as two professions that are the same way
The Fitz was also in rough shape at the time of her foundering. Maybe not as bad as The Bradley but definitely beat up. The companies simply ask too much from these vessels. Year after year of being ridden hard and put away wet. The constant back and forth, shoddy repair work, and company sanctioned overloading makes them into a ticking time bomb.
I don't think the Fitz sank due to being in rough shape. The crew said she was holding up fine right until she sank. I believe that she bottomed out without the crew knowing, started slowly taking on water, dove into a huge trough, was smashed head first with a wave, and split when she bottomed out due to the ore pressing through the near vertical bulkheads.
You ever heard the song abt Edmond Fitzgerald? It’s tells the fate and the brave men that went down with her. Legendary song
@@harrisonkarn2078Fitzgerald's exact sister ship Arthur B Homer was scrapped in the 80s despite having millions of dollars spent on the Ship's lengthening in 1976. Shipyard workers said no fleet wanted to buy the Homer because of structural concerns. An engineer who built both ships said they weren't designed to be carrying the amount of cargo they were in the 70s. Also former Fitzgerald 2nd mate Richard Orgel said the Fitzgerald flexed unusually much in bad weather. So much Captain McSorley himself called it the "wiggling thing"
Your best work yet, imho. These Great Lakes require our respect and you made that “abundantly clear” here. Chilling story, great follow up.
They sent a broken ship into a massive storm on the most dangerous lake possible, and the dodged all responsibility.
It happens every time.
I remember talking to Frank before and after the ‘95 and ‘97 expeditions. After they confirmed what he had said for all time in’97. He had long maintained the company lied and that the ship broke in two. He was right.
"The most dangerous lake" you've not spent much time around the big three have you lol born and raised on lake Huron. Lake Michigan is a sportsman's lake she can get bad in November storms but nothing like Superior she is the most dangerous lake..
@@Deadman73330 It all depends on the wind direction. Prevailing westerlies will fetch up bigger seas on Superior than on Michigan; but if the winds are from the north or south for a length of time, Michigan will build seas that are every bit as dangerous as a storm on Superior. When Michigan is in that kind of state, repeating Lightfoot’s “for sportsmen” line won’t help you.
@@Deadman73330 Hello, lake sailor here. Technically Lake Erie is the deadliest in terms of which lake has the most shipwrecks... But Lake Superior is not the most dangerous Lake, not even close. There are too many places to hide and anchor along Lake Superior and you can almost always pick a coast to follow to negate the wind. Lake Michigan in a North or South wind is the most dangerous because there is nowhere to hide on Lake Michigan and there is nothing to break the wind. Lake Huron is also more dangerous than Superior because of the frequency of fronts colliding over Huron and causing "boiling seas", in fact, the most deadly storm in Great Lakes history (1913) saw the majority of its victims claimed by Lake Huron in exactly that situation.
@@dave3682 Thank you for the knowledge and expertise! People get a little hyped up on UA-cam knowledge sometimes.
It's great to see more lake ship stories on youtube and you do a very good job of telling their tales. What an incredible story and a tragic and avoidable loss.
as a former laker, it’s great to see this history being told to a wider audience. i had the pleasure of meeting Frank Mays about five years ago on Beaver Island. he visited my ship and i heard his testimony, very sobering. sad that he has passed on, but he lived a full life for sure.
Thanks for covering the Bradley. My mothers cousin was Dennis Meredith. Spent most of my childhood summers in Rogers City with my grandparents. If anyone is interested in more info regarding this topic search for the documentary “November Requiem”.
I'd love to see you cover some more Great Lakes shipwrecks. Maybe the Daniel J. Morell? Or the Cedarville? A really interesting story is the Regina and the Charles S. Price. Just a few ideas. I appreciate what you do. Thank you for this!
In the late 70s I dove on the Cedarville. She was about 110’ if I remember correctly. At the time, I was a teenager, but an extremely experienced diver and worked the summers on the Great Lakes for a professional diving company. Visibility was terrible, and I had a very bad feeling before hitting the water; I can’t explain it. I was with two other divers. I had a bit of trouble with my dry suit and was disoriented the entire time. I found myself alone in a cargo hold, no idea how I ended up there. My two buddies lights appeared and we made it out of there and eagerly surfaced. It is one of the scariest dives I ever had.
@@sdcoinshooter wow, quite the experience!
@@sdcoinshooter Sounds like spirits about my friend. Best be on guard next time.
Also a video on the Daniel J Morrell would be amazing. The bizarre event that happened as it sank would make for a great topic!!
I would love to see one on the Bannockburn, one of the most famous stories from any of the lakes
Channel Bad Day HQ's series "Disasters of the Century" has an episode about the 1913 "hurricane" that sank the Regina and C. S. Price. Search Bad Day HQ DotC 1913 Great Lakes Hurricane."
Also anybody that is interested, there is a maritime museum in Rogers City, MI. They do a memorial service for the Bradley everyear. I went there a couple years to represent my maritime academy and to ring the bell for one of her mates that is standing the eternal watch.
I was born and raised in collingwood Ontario. I think all of this is on display there in the museum. Awesome story man thanks so much. I have goosebumps hearing about a piece of my hometown.
Nobody has ever told her story better here. Very interesting indeed.
Frank’s book does a pretty good job. You should check it out.
Sometimes I wonder how many times throughout history survivors of shipwrecks watched rescue ships/aircraft go by without seeing them, only to perish later from the elements with the knowledge of how close they were to being saved. May they all Rest In Peace
The lengths that some men will go through to save the few lives that may or may not be left after such a disaster demands respect and admiration
Especially ones such as the captain that had his ship underway within the same hour of getting the distress call when he had 12. And with a skeleton crew in a storm to boot.
Bravery and courage are amazing qualities.
Outstanding! Stumbled in here I think, and you grabbed my attention immediately.
Thank you for a great doc!
My father sailed on the Great Lakes his whole life, so I have a bit of interest to anything Great Lakes.
This Minnesotan appreciates any content this good about the history of the Great Lakes and the mariners who sail them. Sometimes I feel like if you don't live in the US, in a state bordering these lakes, you tend to underestimate them, and you bringing these stories of tragedy and heroism to a wider audience is phenomenal. My only disappointment is on your behalf that you don't already have a million subscribers.
Thank you for doing Great Lakes ships.
The swarm of emboldened ships rushing to help was heart-warming to me. In contrast to the fate of the Edmund Fitzgerald, although I don't believe ever gave a true distress call. Nice vid! I did not know about this incident or this ship, although you could have mentioned what all this cargo was for. this calcium and other materials they were shipping. I'm pretty sure it was for steel production but the geek in me just needs to know... cheers!
Yes, for making steel in Ohio, I believe. And he comes very close to mentioning/ or does mention it early in the video. Technically, it was "Calcite" the Carl Bradley was carrying.
Pretty sure The Fitz was hauling iron when she sank, and no she never gave an SOS. "We're holding our own" was the last radio message from her.
@@carlcushmanhybels8159 calcite is a form of iron ore commonly found in that region
@@sorrenblitz805 Calcite isn't an iron ore, as it is calcium carbonate CaCO3 -- the same as limestone and marble. It does have many uses in steel making, though.
@@sorrenblitz805 Big Fitz was carrying 'taconite', that's raw iron ore from western lake superior. Calcite is a sort of limestone used in refining iron ore in a blast furnace.
I grew up close to the great lakes and recently I've been watching as much as I can about the lakes maritime history..Great work with the video..
This one was poignant and that photo of the two survivors in hospital with their wives brought tears to my eye....the smiles of joy on those ladies' faces, they must have thought they were the luckiest women in the world....and of course that emphasises the pain and grief of all those who lost husbands and boyfriends on the ship, leaving a small town forever scarred by loss. The scale of the rescue effort in this case is astounding, seems like almost every ship on the lake and every rescue helicopter around it came into play somehow!. Thanks MH for such a well-researched and crafted documentary.
Out of a mild curiosity, have you covered the sinking of the SS Daniel J. Morrell at all? It's a pretty bizarre sequence of events with only a sole survivor.
I'd have to imagine that is an upcoming episode. You're right, there's just too much there to not do an episode on.
I had the good fortune to meet the Sole Survivor himself, Mr. Dennis Hale, at the museum in Ashtabula. I bought his book and he autographed it for me. He'd be in his 80's now, I hope he is still alive and in good health.
Damn - I checked the Google machine and unfortunately Mr. Hale passed away in 2015. RIP, sailor.
@@dennynoname815 Hey, as long as you still have that book and remember his name, his story, he'll never be forgotten.
Good lord..
Who needs cable when we have this channel? Well done my friend
A truly horrific story beautifully told!
You did a superb job of narrating this story, with compassion, respect and solemnity.
Your content is great. I only got into Maritime history recently, when I started painting ships, and your channel is an absolute treasure trove. Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I am a Great Lakes resident and as a little girl, I got a book on the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. I was immediately spellbound by the mystery and tragedy of these great bodies of freshwater sea and the stormy waters they can produce. As a child, the sinking of the Bradley intrigued me the most, along with the Fitzgerald. You told the story very well. The only suggestion I have, and this is a preferential one that may not be shared by all your viewers, but will be shared by those who, like me, are distracted by visual movement easily, is that the seas behind the images you show us distracts the eye and the mind from the important content you show your viewer. I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you consider either widen the image frame so that the moving water is less dominant, or that you eliminate it. It's a nice touch, and I appreciate what you're going for, but it does produce distraction for those like me. Again, loved the video, you tell the story so well, and I will be liking and subscribing for more sea stories.
US NAVY sailor here, love the channel and everything you’re doing, I’d love to see a video on the USS Indianapolis, and/or USS Thresher (submarine) both very interesting stories. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
The heavy cruiser INDIANAPOLIS was the last major American warship lost in WW2 (a Japanese submarine torpedoed her on July 30, 1945).
Submarine THRESHER (SSN-593) sank April 10, 1963 while conducting deep-diving tests in the North Atlantic. She had just completed an overhaul at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. The Court of Inquiry determined that a flooding casualty in the engine room led to her sinking, if I'm not mistaken.
The channel Sub Brief did an excellent video on the Thresher called 37 Pings
Nobody cares that you are a US NAVY SAILOR
In the small community church graveyard in SE Alabama my family went to when I was a kid (60+ years ago) was a grave....or the headstone.....of a man who died on the USS Indianapolis......date of death matches date of sinking, plus the engraved "USS Indianapolis" on the stone sorta gives it away........tho sadly I don't remember his name. Ex-Navy meself, plus I was stationed on Guam for a time......and was where my Daddy served during WWII.
Speaking of sunken ships, in the Apra Harbor on Guam a Japanese ship sank by a US submarine during WWII sits partially atop a German ship scuttled there when the USA declared war on Germany at the start of WWI. Just more odd trivia that makes one the life of any party.......no???
Thanks for your service. I work near where the monument for the U.S.S. Indianapolis is... rumor has it, the stories of the survivors are what inspired Steven Spielberg to make the movie Jaws. Also, it was rumored that she was carrying either a complete atomic bomb or parts for a 3rd atomic bomb that was put over there in case something went wrong with the other two.
Can’t wait for another well crafted and excellent video.
As a midwesterner as well as a resident of one of the states on the Great Lakes, people underestimate the size and scope of them before they see stories like this or see footage of ships passing through storms that they'd never expect to see on lakes. They are for all intents and purposes seas and should be treated as such; that being with great respect and care in plotting whatever voyage it may be whether a daytime fishing trip or a crossing. To you utterly insane, brave mariners that brave these waves, hats off to you.
These Great Lakes stories are my favorite. Growing up in MN and heading up to Duluth more than a couple handful of times, the Great Lakes are fascinating with its history. Keep making these videos, they are the most interesting
An unseaworthy vessel being approved to sail? Sounds like a precursor for the sinking of the ss marine electric in the early 80s. Another famous case in coast guard history.
Or the MTS Oceanos, or the MV Arvin just a few years ago. All three were found unseaworthy, all three went anyways, and all three sank. In fact, the Arvin had the EXACT SAME FATE as Bradley: breaking in half mid-voyage.
Just proves the importance of quality and involved officers and a captain with the sense to know when his ship isnt seaworthy instead of just relying on the certification from the coast guard
@@TheEmeraldMenOfficial there’s old videos onboard the arvin, showing exterior shots and a walk through of the ballast tanks for an inspection. She was more rust than steel, and that was 7 years before she snapped in half...
Read about this story many times in the past, but your retelling of the events was very well done. Loved it.
Awesome video man, I just discovered your channel and being a Boatnerd I am happy to see that the Bradley was documented. You could do a video of the Daniel J. Morrell, a 1906-built Bethlehem Steel freighter that sank in November 1966 due to the violent nature of the storm, only watchman Dennis Hale was the sole-survivor.
The Dennis Hale book is one of inspiration.
@@roguedalek900 true. Sole Survivor it's called.
Oh boy are you in for a treat... Go check his profile page.
Thank you for this documentary/video. My Father was drafted for WW2 service 01/08/1942 & his first deployment was Sault Ste. Marie during the construction of the MacAuthur lock. We would visit there every year and the Big Lakes always scared me. He served in the Pacific Theatre ending up on Tinian. I've been facinated by Great Lakes maritime stories/tragedies my whole life and say a prayer for every person who dares to set sail on those waters. Thanks again.
I just found this channel a few days ago, and I absolutely love the work you're doing. I'm perhaps the furthest thing from a maritime buff, but your presentation, content, and overall demeanour are so great that I couldn't help but fall in love with your channel. My only regret is that you've only been uploading for just under a year, so there isn't more content for me to binge
The narrator is VERY illuminating with the contingents of this story!
I found this channel 2 days ago, I watched every video you’ve made in 2 days, I look forward to more great videos
Another fantastic documentary. The telling of the story, the tempo of the video, the information included, and the tone of the narrators voice are all superb.
I see these ships a lot.
It's a 7 minute walk to the Canadian Sault locks from my house.
You can see them going through the much larger US Sault locks all the time.
Nov windy as I type this today.
Steelton?
I am so glad the algorithm recommended this channel. Incredible work.
I can only imagine the vindication he felt after seeing the ship in 2 pieces, 40 years of knowing wtf you saw on that horrific night and finally being able to say i told you so
I have a picture of my grandfather in front of this ship taken in the 1930s I believe. Just ran across this video in my feed and have to give it a watch now!
Coming from a little island across the pond who has had the odd trouble at sea this video is just another showing the great bravery all sailors have.
Well done.
Thanks so much.
Excellent work. Content, editing, final product including the tributes and respects, all together, make for a superior quality.
My belated condolences to the departed and their families and friends and to the survivors and all who came to help during the tragedy.
finally someone is covering it! thannks
Thanks for covering this story, my great uncle was Gary Strzelecki it’s sad to hear his story as he was so close. RIP to the crew of the ship.
Hey, great channel my friend. I was a US Army Infantryman but my grandfather was a Navy veteran. He was actually a radio repair tech in the Army Air Corps in Panama in the early 30s and he re-upped in the Navy after Pearl Harbor, fought all over the Pacific, re-upped again for Korea, was a CPO and ran the electronics shop on the USS Hamul AD-20. I have lots of respect for the US Navy. I think it would be great to get your take on the Marine Electric disaster or any of the former USN WWII Liberty Ships or T2 Tankers lost after they passed to civilian ownership after the war.
Much respect shows in creating this content. Thank you for giving me hours of true documentaries. I love history
I recently discovered this channel, and I am loving it. Thanks for doing some videos on lake sinkings. Could you making do the SS Daniel J. Morell, SS Kamloops, or SS Cedarville?
Awesome job on this. Sharing with all my Michigan relatives!
It makes me so angry that the company wasn’t found liable until decades later- long after most of the survivors were dead. I’m curious about the original investigation though. How did they miss the fact that the ship broke apart?
The only survivor's were Elmer Fleming and Frank Mays, Fleming passed in the 60's I believe..
They put a looot of money into legal defense I wager
Corruption
Will definitely watch every maritime disaster story you can inform us about
Donno if you take requests but here are some:
Daniel J Morrell
Cedarville
Georges Philippar
Kamloops
Princess Of The Stars
Sidney E Smith Jr
Thank you so much for making this video. Born and raised in Rogers City Michigan. The Bradley is one of the main stories we learn about. Too many people have said that it doesn't get recognized as much as it should. You gave the story justice and the accuracy it deserves 👏 😌
Thank you for bringing this story into the mainstream. I have a family connection to this story, and it has gotten me into great lakes maritime history, and since then it has been the Bain of my existence to make sure the great lakes are no longer obscure. You have no clue how much this video means to me, thank you so much
Dude, just found this channel from the UNSC Pillar of Autumn video. I’m now five videos in and immensely impressed, and utterly fascinated by your choice of subject matter. I’m especially glad to see you cover Great Lakes vessels, a class of vessels almost completely ignored by many other history purveyors.
I would like your analysis of the Halifax explosion. Maybe Texas City?
You know when you find an awesome channel out of the blue and watch every video one after the other? That's this channel for me. Many thanks for the great content!
I have a video suggestion for you (provided you haven't got it in the que already), the Great Storm of 1913 on the Great Lakes. The amount of ships and sailors lost is mind boggling, and I feel like it's halfway forgotten.
One of the vessels sunk was S.S. BENJAMIN NOBLE. I believe her wreck was located some years ago, at a depth of around 400 feet (?).
My grandpas (Don Conley) hometown is Rogers City, MI. We go north every year for the Nautical Festival and have been every year since I’ve been born. I’ve know this story my whole life and genuinely appreciate your telling of it. Random personal connection - After Frank Mayes was widowed in 1998, he ended up dating my grandpas youngest sister (Ruth Conley). Him and Ruth were together until her passing in the mid 2010s
Love your videos man. I find the most interest in videos you’ve done on great lakes vessels. Would love to see you cover the SS Eastland and her later life as the USS Wilmette.
It's crazy to me, that a year ago I found this video. Back then the events were so far distant to me that it was just a story, but it still touched a cord in my heart.
Now that I work on lake Michigan, and we sail the same waters that the Bradley went down in, the story hits even harder.
I hope your job is going well!! Be safe out there!
I'm glad I have been subscribed to you since 1 k. Geez, now your channel is at 18.6k. Thanks for informing me about this ship and keep up the great work.
Thanks for another great video - and thanks to the Presque Isle Museum for the help they gave you in making it.
Ya know, ive discovered the 1 major problem with this channel
There isn't more amazing content for me to binge watch(yet) >:'(
I know this video isn't about USCGC Mackinaw, but I was psyched to hear it mentioned! I had the pleasure of visiting her in Mackinaw City, where she now resides as a museum ship. She was preserved immaculately. If anyone happens to be near her, I highly recommend a visit!
My Great-Grandfather was a Conveyorman on the Bradley from 1940 until 1953. Transferred to the Robinson after that.
It truly hit Rogers City hard. But that city was a lot like other mining towns… the company controlled everything.
I randomly stubbled upon this and instantly gained my attention. Now I may binge watch ship stories!? Very good video! Thanks for the really good narration!
Brilliant! Maybe you would like to do an episode on rogue waves soon, possibly with the example of the "München", where the crew might have held out for 33 hours, before... ;-)
What a story! This video told it beautifully. Thank you!
I’ve loaded the Wilfred Sykes @ the LEE Tregurtha (also HUGE) countless times with coal & pet coke. I LOVE seeing documentaries/videos that includes ships I’ve worked with.
What a beautiful ending to the video. Good work, sir.
North Great Lakes wreck videos, freighters are such a good topic
My Mother's family were from Rodger's City. Thank you for telling this story.
Just found your channel a few days ago, I’m loving your content! Wanted to suggest a video on the Cyprus, lost on Lake Superior in 1907. My grandmother’s grandfather (didn’t care to count how many “greats” that would be) was captain when Cyprus went down.
I met Captain Clement F. Morreau, he sailed on the Wyandotte Chemical ships, he was on the Coat Guard Board of Review of the Carl D. Bradley. Captain Morreau gave me a copy of the report, on it is affixed the formal Gold Seal. His comment to me was that the Ballast tanks were the major cause if sinking along with general poor maintenance
I really love your videos! I was hoping you can make a video about the MS Munchen and the SS Waratah. There two ships disappeared and were never found. The Munchen was a German cargo ship that disappeared in 1972 and the Waratah was a passenger/cargo ship that disappeared in 1909.
There really interesting mysteries and are really underrated.
A very compelling narrative of this tragic event.
This channel is blowing up big time! Well deserved
Thank you for making this video and to the Presque Isle County Historical Museum for their help. My uncle Alfred Pilarski (2nd cook) went down on this ship. My mother (Alfreds sister) will talk about it like it was yesterday when asked, which is quite an accomplishment since she just turned 92. She still has a few memorial items that she's held onto. I also have 2 other extended relatives that went down on the Great lakes. Those lakes are unforgiving when the weather gets ugly.