The SS EDMUND FITZGERALD, a 729-foot 26,000 ton bulk cargo carrier, was christened on June 8, 1958, and at the time was the largest ship operating on the Great Lakes. On the afternoon of November 9, 1975, the ship left Superior, Wisconsin, with a cargo of 26,116 tons of taconite iron ore pellets bound for Zug Island near Detroit, Michigan. The weather forecast was not unusual for November and predicted that a major storm would pass just south of Lake Superior on November 10th. As the EDMUND FITZGERALD proceeded through Lake Superior the storm greatly intensified, changed direction and gale warnings were issued for the whole of Lake Superior. At 1:00 AM on November 10 the ship reported it was encountering winds of 60 MPH and waves of 10-feet, and speed had been reduced because of the rough conditions. Shortly thereafter the warnings were upgraded from gale to storm. By 3:30 PM a radio message was received from EDMUND FITZGERALD that she was taking on water, had lost two vent covers and a fence railing, had developed a list and bilge pumps were running continuously to discharge the shipped water.
About this time a Coast Guard broadcast warned that all shipping should seek safe anchorage and at 4:10 PM EDMUND FITZGERALD reported the loss of its radar and the Captain is reported to have radioed, “I am taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas I have ever been in.” A nearby ship later reported that at 4:52 PM sustained winds were 67 MPH with waves as high as 25-feel and that rogue waves as high as 35 feet had been encountered. At 7:10 PM the last communication from EDMUND FITZGERALD was made by the Captain who said, “We are holding our own.” Minutes later the ship disappeared from radar screens, she failed to respond to radio calls and no distress signal was sent as the ship slipped from the surface and floundered. Although a search recovered debris, no survivors were found and her entire crew of 29 men perished when the ship sank.
The EDMUND FITZGERALD now lies in Canadian waters at a depth of 530 feet. Although extreme weather and sea conditions played a role in the sinking, the exact cause of the disaster has never been conclusively determined. None of her crew was recovered and the 29 crewmembers lost in the tragedy still lie with her.
Bruce Lee Hudson was a Deck Hand aboard EDMUND FITZGERALD when she sank. He was born on September 10, 1953, in North Olmsted, Ohio, and was very active in his community in his younger years. He was involved in the Boy Scouts and played trombone in his high school band. He also had a band with several friends where he played drums and guitar. The group was often found playing in the basement of his home or in the garage during warmer months with neighborhood kids gathered around to listen to them play. Prior to working aboard EDMUND FITZGERALD, Hudson was employed as an oiler aboard another Great Lakes ship where he did such a good job he was promoted to the EDMUND FITZGERALD where he planned to work until January 1976 when he intended to return to Ohio State University to continue his studies in communications and journalism.
Following the sinking of EDMUND FITZGERALD, Hudson’s mother joined a group of other survivor’s family members who worked tirelessly to get the site declared a no-dive zone. As the location is considered a grave site the Canadian Government has established very strict rules about visits to the site and permits are now needed to go near her.
Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)
