In 1994 many of the questions were answered by former police officer, Frederick J Shannon. He took an expedition down to the Fitz. It was the first American Manned Submersible dive ever. He set records for the longest time spent at the wreck site. He mapped the entire wreck site using GPS technology. The bow section is in United States Waters, while the inverted stern section is in Canadian waters. It was determined at that time, the General Alarm was triggered, therefore, the crew knew they were going down. The Chadburn reads "all stop" and is tipped over on the floor of the pilot house. shutting down propulsion is the first step in abandoning ship. One would not want to be hit by a rotating 19.5 foot wide propeller. Not that you would ever try to launch a heavy, metal, lifeboat in 30 foot waves anyway. Inflatable life rafts were useless as well with 100 MPH wind gusts, which leaves only one thing left...life jackets. The port side pilot house door is open and locked in the open position. Giving more evidence the crew tried to abandon ship at some point. The body found outside the Fitzgerald is still wearing his cork panel life vest with the circa 1970s "D" ring clearly visible in the photos and videos Fred provided me. Evidence also proves the Fitzgerald broke apart on the surface, the stern section sinking first coming to rest on the bottom inverted. There are two huge piles of taconite pellets which also is evidence that the Fitzgerald was not underway when she broke apart. If it was underway (nose dive theory) the Taconite would be spread out over a larger area...not in the two huge mountains that are well documented. The Fitz did not hit a shoal. In fact, according to the Anderson's log book, the Anderson was closer to the shoals than the Fitzgerald ever was. We know this because the only course we know the Fitz was actually on was that of 141degrees. In other words, right where she needed to be to make it into Whitefish Bay. The Anderson's log book places the Fitzgerald more than 3 miles off Caribou Island well away from the shoals. This is not conjecture, this is fact. Furthermore, the Fitzgerald did not have the ability to pump water from the cargo hold. When Mcsorley reported back to the Anderson that they had both of their pumps running, and yet were not making any headway on the starboard list.... we are talking about ballast tank water, not water in the cargo hold. The Fitz's pumps could evacuate 7000-7500 gallons per minute through 16 inch pipes exiting out of the stern yet the Fitz was unable to correct the list. He was pumping Lake Superior in through a stress-fracture of the hull that spanned two ballast tanks (vents missing and topside damage reported). 7500 gallons per minute but not making any headway on the list is probably why McSorley replied "We're Holding our own." In other words, not getting better on the list, but not getting any worse. The rogue wave theory has some merit when placed in conjunction with the stress-fracture. The Fitz having already been compromised with a stress-fracture, having taken on a starboard list, riding low in the water with the two waves, in close succession, Capt. Cooper spoke about finished off the Fitz. Let there be no mistake. There were only two investigations into the sinking of the Fitzgerald. The first was conducted in 1976 by the United States Coast Guard, and is a complete whitewash. The Coast Guard determined "the cause could not be determined." The second and final investigation was conducted in 1994 by Frederick J Shannon (retired police officer). Fred found 5 lost crewmen after reviewing his high definition underwater footage and still photos. Having lost a family member on the Fitzgerald, I am eternally grateful to you Fred Shannon, for your hard work and determination in solving this case once and for all. The crew can finally rest in peace. I would also like to thank you for being the first person ever to recognize the Fitzgerald as a grave site by placing the memorial plaque on the Fitzgerald in 1994. It means a lot to all of the surviving family members of the lost crew.
xcaliber69 the rogue wave theory could be possible and her sinking is very similar to that german ship which was hit by a rogue wave besides the fact that they only found empty life rafts and there was very limited radio communication before the ship was hit which no body was ever found
What you’re hearing is called COURAGE. The men knew the weather conditions were potentially deadly and they still went back out to search for their friends. I have nothing but the upmost respect for those men.
I agree, although why on earth they sent the Anderson, another vulnerable freighter, back out to search is beyond me. The Coast Guard has ships for this purpose. I've only ever seen Michigan, but standing on it's shore at night, during a snow storm in Door County, I can't imagine the courage it would take to go out into that. These are hardly even to be called lakes. They might as well be oceans.
Cooper is a hero. He said if it were his ship that needed help, he would want someone to turn around and come back for them, so he did it. Absolutely an honorable and courageous man and every one of his crew voted to go back as well. All of them are absolute angels!!!
Captain Cooper has my total respect.He was willling to turn his ship around and to go back to those rough and dangerous waters to search for the Fitz.Talk about bravery!! May he RIP.
@Nathan Jurewicz I agree. The coast guard would have done the best they could under the circumstances. In the end it wouldn't have made a difference anyway.
@@railsofthenorthland1181 They sent out a helicopter that night but you can only do so much. Cooper kept saying the storm is extremely bad and wanted to get out of it rather than stay in it
Wrong....can u understand the English language....the coasties launched a C-130 to drop flares n rafts n flew over the site looking for any signs of survivors....launching a bird in those conditions would’ve been suicidal...they did the best they could ....it was up to nearby ships to come around n render any n all assistance to the Fitz n her crew
I saw a Captain Cooper interview where he stated he asked the crew their opinions on searching. The crew said if it was the Anderson that was lost, they would want someone to search for them.
Captain Cooper was scared out of his mind and with good reason. He had a fully loaded vessel and still went back into the teeth of the monster to look for survivors. This man and his crew should have gotten medals.
It's insane that the Coast Guard couldn't do anything. It reminds me of years ago when I witnessed a car crash and if I didn't see it, who knows if the driver would have lived.
Also remember the Anderson was lengthened that year so the extra worry of that and if the modifications was done right and not going to fail in heavy seas worried Cooper as well.
My father Wendell E. Routhier was the Chief Lock Master at the Sault Locks, he waited to here from the Fitgerald and had talked to the Anderson. Dad new both Capts. My dad passed on Aug 5 2009. RIP from your loving daughter he loved and hated Gitchagumee
This is weird to hear. My grandfather was the wheelsman for the Anderson and was the one guiding that ship the night they went out to look for them. My grandma got a phone call after the fact from him (which thank god at the time) and was in a near panic after hearing a ship went down. It's crazy to hear this, after having heard the stories from all of my relatives that knew about it in some way. Unfortunately I never actually got to meet my grandfather as he passed from cancer I believe in 1985.
Tremendous respect for Captain Bernie Cooper, Captain Don Erickson and every brave man that was sailing on the Arthur M. Anderson and William Clay Ford that night.
People just don't understand what its like to be in the freezing cold, blowing snow at night, waves of 30 plus feet from 2 directions at once, winds blowing at 60-90 "miles per hour" and all of this happening at the same time on deep dark water!! The ship Anderson, Capt. Cooper, his Crew & Other Ships were hero's going back out to look for survivors in this ultra violent super storm! Even the coast guard said later it was as bad or worst than a North Atlantic super storm.
i sailed a couple of years , saw the 'fitz' a few times. she was big and beautiful, truly sad she and her crew are gone. it really makes me think. all the great lakes can get very mean but the superior can very easily. god bless the crew and their families.
Yeah. The Superior is terrifying. You get out there in the middle of it and you might as well be out in the atlantic ocean, and when it gets mean it's just as scary as that if not worse.
+switchbuckle5th You would be better off in the Atlantic ocean than on the Great Lakes in a bad storm due to the 'relatively' shallow depths of the lakes and while the lakes are huge they are small compared to the ocean so waves tend to stack very close together compared to the Atlantic or Pacific additionally the waves on the Great lakes can become very confused in a storm
Explosivepiggies we have the original bell in the whitefish bay museum...the bell with the crew names was placed in the original bell's spot on the ship. May they rest in peace.
I can remember my Dad singing the song by Gordon Lightfoot when I was 10 or 11 years old, must have been not long after it was released and he had learnt the words! My dad passed away last year. He grew up on the water and was fascinated by the lakes and the oceans, and the fact they can be both beautiful and treacherous. He would have loved this video. Well done. RIP crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald. RIP Dad
Captain Cooper and Captain Erickson were true heros to go back out into the worst of the storm. Do we have any men like that in today's time. I hope so, but do we?
to me this story is more fascinating by far than titanic the rescue attempt by the Arther M Anderson is heroic just every day guys working for a living risking it all to save fellow mariners a work horse vessel fighting a hurricane loosing to the water just 17 miles from shelter good men all doing noble work and the storm still won
@@johntabler349So do I. Just think, the bell was tolled 30 times on May 1,2023 29 for the crew and one for Gordon Lightfoot who did the moving eulogy/tribute for the crew in The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald.
My dad was Lightkeeper at the Slate Islands, in October of '77 he found a life ring from the Fitzgerald on a beach close to the lighthouse. It is on display at Neys Provincal Park.
+ja jane Who the heck ever thought that they were at fault? Anyone who has ever worked on the lakes for any length of time knows exactly how scary and deadly they can turn in the flash of an eye. The poor boys never had a chance aside from the grace of God
Daniel Keogh I read it in the newspapers of the days after it and heard it on the TV News. The ship's insurance company tried to say it was "human error", but yes, all the regular people knew that that couldn't possibly be true. And we didn't even know about Super Rouge Waves back then. They never had a chance. like the song says if they put 15 more miles behind them.... They Rest In Peace in the The Fitz. G-d save their Souls.
One early investigation pointed out the the clamps weren’t properly tightened. Clamps were put on manually by the crew. Thus pointing to negligence of crew
Hearing those recordings brings a person back to that time. Also movie makers spent 200 million plus making the Titanic. I would like to see a big budget for an Edmund Fitzgerald movie Oh and I am a Michigan native.
My best friend, neighbor, fellow Fenian, Captain Joseph M. Decker, knew everyone on the Fitz, and Capt. MCSorley , was his best friend since their merchant marine days. Bloody sad all around to be sure
"Only seen the "Fitz" once, God rest the souls on her last journey, bless their families always"!!! 😇😇✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝", 29 crosses for each man lost"!💖💖💖💖
You can tell in the voice of the captain he didn't want to go.Man that must have been bad.The fact they did go back speaks volumes of their bravery...........This is the best video of events surrounding the sinking of the Fitz.Well done
2:50 That's spray going over the aft house. The night the Fitzgerald went down, they were taking green water over the aft house---that means solid water! 12-16 feet of solid water was washing over the weather deck where the hatches are located! Picture the waves in this video about three times larger, and you've got an idea of what those boats faced that night!
@@danalarose846 its just when you bury a boat into a wave. When the water rushes across the deck it appears green. Probably due to the light colored deck showing thru the water.
Captain Cooper theorized that they thought they were going through a big wave, but they were really on their way to the bottom. That would explain why there was no mayday.
RIP to all who perished. Cannot imagine what they must have gone through in those final moments. Very emotive video. Kudos for keeping their memory alive.
great work absolutly brought tears to me eyes....the fear in the voice of the captain of the Anderson when they asked him to come about but he still did it what a brave man knowing that he could end up going down just a great peice of work
This is painful to watch and listen to. Having lost my father to mysterious circumstances at sea, I feel the pain of every family member of the crew lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald. This especially hits home because I live so close to Lake Superior and spend quite a bit of time in the summer boating on her waters.
These men we are listening to are true heros to try and rescue the crew of the Fitzgerald. Brought tears to my eyes listening to the transmission. God rest the Fitzgerald crew souls.
When I was a kid, my parents and I went on vacation, to the UP (Upper peninsula) We went through the Soo Locks, and the Edmund Fitzgerald was right behind us! When it sank, my dad remembered that we had seen it! We eventually found we had taken a photo of it from the back of our boat!! The pic is long gone, now, but it was cool, but very eery that just a year or 2 before it sank, it had been right behind us. I am, to this day intrigued about the wreck, and, love the song by Gordon Lightfoot. I read/watch everything I can about the Fitzgerald. I feel connected, somehow, to the incident. Freighters, 🚢 in general, seem so cool 😎, but there is such an eeriness about them!! I am so sorry for the people who lost their loved ones when the Fitzgerald wrecked.😥😭❤❤❤
@@kidink5435 Thank you, but the people that knew the men that died on the Edmund Fitzgerald, they really deserve your condolences. All their friends, fellow shipworkers and families. It was a horrible tragedy. 😭
38 years ago tomorrow the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk I was 10 years old and didn't understand what was happening. Now I do. I have had a quick dip in Lake Superior and it is damn cold. I would not wish this tragedy on any family.
+weiner dad Actually, the coldness of the water probably diminished their pain suffering- one can't survive in those waters (temp in low 40's) for more than a couple of minutes before succumbing to hypothermia- thought is that one drifts off to "sleep" without pain
"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee Superior, they said, never gives up her dead When the gales of November come early."
When I was in grade 5 we took a class trip to Toronto where we went on a ship that was going across Lake Ontario, and the captain of that ship picked one of the kids to "captain" the ship (under his help and guidance, of course). He chose me, and I remember holding the wheel and the first thing he ever said in regards to it all was "you have respect the lake." Years on, I heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Superior, and recalled my time on the lake and realized that he wasn't lying. Unbelievable
this was amazing. i still cant believe it was 36 yrs ago today. I wasn't born when it happend but i always have and always will honor the 29 men who lost their lives. I listen to the song every year on nov 10th. and i will always have a moment of silence. if i had a bell it would ring 29 times
I was a kid in the 60s an into the 70s an one of thebest songs was gordon lightfoot....it was till i was older and fully understood the words he was singing an the tribute he made in a beautiful way....Respect to the familys....of hard working folks
A tear and warm hearted salute to the skipper of the Arthur M. Anderson......and the Men of The Edmund Fitzgerald....May they all rest in wonderful peace.
Give that Captain of the Arthur M. Anderson a medal for turing around to look for the Fitzgerald and her crew!!!! That man is the bravest sailor ever!!!! Wow what a man!!!! I hope he is remembered for his bravery!!!!!
thanks for the documentary on this ship, i was a kid when it went down, of course knew the song, but didnt know the history. now generations to come can know about this famous ship
I was a junior in high school when she went down. this was a tragedy of more than epic proportions, made even more tragic by seeing the documentaries made, and hearing the stories. thank god for the Arthur m Anderson!!!!!
46 Years ago today. RIP to the 29 souls of the Edmund Fitzgerald. RIP as well to Captain Bernie Cooper of the Arthur Anderson and his crew, who took their vessel back out of safe harbor into the teeth of that storm to search for survivors. The actions of Captain Cooper and his crew were nothing short of heroic.
this is so interesting! Only just heard about the fitz and it is so fascinating Crew members: Michael Armagost Fred Beetcher Thomas Bentsen Edward Bindon Thomas Borgeson Oliver Champeau Nolan Church Ransom Cundy Thomas Edwards Russel Haskel George Holl Bruce Hudson Allen Kallman Gordon MacLallen Joseph Mazes John McHarthy Ernest McSorly Eugene O'Brien Karl Pekoll Joseph Poviach James Pratt Robert Rafferty Paul Riipa John Simmons William Spengler Mark Thomas Ralph Walton David Weiss Blane Willhelm
Wow - this is incredible. Forty-seven years on now. I was 12 in Windsor and lived near the Detroit River, when this happened. I could see the big Freighters out my bedroom window and at night you would hear the ships calling to each other as they passed by each other on the river . This all seems like it was just yesterday.
Friend or no Friend, this guy was willing to go back into that dangerous sea waves and risking his life and his ship to see if any survivors could have been floating on water or to see if maybe a part of the Fitz. was above water and could be seen. I would love to find a friend like this guy who went back to look, imagine what kind of a person he could be in our world in this society we are living in.
I've always respected Bernie. We'd bought our home (my home now) off Bernie and Sue Cooper 9 years before this happened. My dad was a USS captain as well, and I often sit and think of the legacy in my home.
Well done gentlemen. Thank You. My Dad retired from the P&C Docks on Conneaut, OH and had loaded and unloaded "The Fitz" many times. I was in Marine Basic at Parris Is. on this day which coincides with the Marine Corps Birthday. I used to be an Advanced Trimix diver and dove the Morrell after meeting the late Dennis Hale; the sole survivor of the wreck and many other in Lake Erie, Ontario and the St Lawrence. They are truly God's Cathedrals. The spookiest wreck I ever dove was the Marsh off Kingston, ON
@@I.KUchiha Agreed, more like poor guys, they thought that ship was going to make it through, and it didn't and it was a tragic loss. Her sister ship, the Aurther B. Homer has been decomissioned and scraped, i believe in the middle of the 80's.
+Dan Basta Was this a big news story across the country?? Or just around the Great Lakes. Very tragic and must have been terrifying. Haunting song too.
Grew up in Michigan and my Aunt and Uncle lived in Paradise which is on whitefish point. Months after the sinking when the water warmed some boxes of things floated up, no bodies but cargo of some sort. That lake is dangerous, we went fishing on it and a storm blew up from no where. I thought we were gonna die. Never went back on that lake and that was probably 1976
I've read that The Great Lakes are the most dangerous bodies of water on earth. I think it's because they're shallow compared to the ocean and the waves are able to build up lots more energy and get larger than any on the ocean can and the next thing you know you're being pulled down. The book I read described it like water sloshing back and forth in a bath tub
I think the comment "holding our own" was just for the benefit of the crew. I am pretty sure that the Capt. knew that they were in very serious trouble!
A fencerail that snapped in two, vent covers that were blown off, and a starboard list that would worsen despite having all the pumps running. A seasoned skipper like McSorley would take all these factors into account, and undoubtedly know that his ship and crew were in big trouble.
@@briannoonan6116 the last haul of the season, McSorley wanted to get it in as soon as possible. Also the Fitzgerald was scheduled for a refit and lengthening that off season at Fraser shipyards in Superior WI. McSorley didn't want to be late for that either.
Yes they did!! Cooper, his Great Crew, and others that night were Hero's to head back out looking for survivors. Plus they were very very lucky the rouge waves didn't kill them....sending them to the bottom! People don't understand the power of that storm.
Titanic was the 2nd ship if the Olympic class. If it hadn’t sunk you wouldn’t have known it. This ship was 17 years older when it sunk. It wasn’t the biggest ship at all when it went down.
Sad very sad but the fact that captain Cooper went Back out there to search for his friends makes him a hero no doubt it takes a lot of guts to head into harms way like that God bless him and all the lost crew on the Fitzgerald
Eerie...you can really hear the distress in Capt Cooper's voice. I wouldn't judge any man who was in his position that night. It had to scare the bejeebus out of him to think of returning to those tempestuous waters.
Wow you REALLY did some intense work cleaning up the original radio recordings. They are incredibly noisy, yet hear they are quite intelligible. Nice work.
July 4th, 1995 was when this ships bell was recovered......I was born on March 21st, 1995....I was only a couple of months old when that bell was recovered....for some reason I feel honored to be born on that year now....R.I.P the Edmond Fitzgerald and R.I.P the 29 crew members who lost their lives.....😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
This video is really well done. It does an great job of communicating the frustration that Capt. Cooper of the Anderson felt that night. I've spoken to members of his crew over the years and it's hard to imagine what they felt that night. After surviving one of the worst storm in modern history on Lake Superior (and fully loaded), they were asked to turn around and go back into the storm to search for the Fitzgerald. God Bless Captains McSorley and Cooper.
i live an hour away and have seen first hand the power of the storms on Superior. she's a mean viscious lake with a temper. when a storm starts picking up open the throttle and head for the nearest land or you WILL die. waters freezing cold even in summer and by november when the Fitz sank it's about 34 degrees. the ship broke in halk these poor guys had no chance. god rest their souls
I see a lot of people talk about their submechanaphobia acting up when they see a boat propeller in the water. I can kinda understand. But when I see a wreck like the Edmund Fitzgerald, and think about the night and the conditions in which she went down, that's when I could really see someone getting it. Big ship, big wreck. All those souls lost....
In 1994 many of the questions were answered by former police officer, Frederick J Shannon. He took an expedition down to the Fitz. It was the first American Manned Submersible dive ever. He set records for the longest time spent at the wreck site. He mapped the entire wreck site using GPS technology. The bow section is in United States Waters, while the inverted stern section is in Canadian waters. It was determined at that time, the General Alarm was triggered, therefore, the crew knew they were going down. The Chadburn reads "all stop" and is tipped over on the floor of the pilot house. shutting down propulsion is the first step in abandoning ship. One would not want to be hit by a rotating 19.5 foot wide propeller. Not that you would ever try to launch a heavy, metal, lifeboat in 30 foot waves anyway. Inflatable life rafts were useless as well with 100 MPH wind gusts, which leaves only one thing left...life jackets. The port side pilot house door is open and locked in the open position. Giving more evidence the crew tried to abandon ship at some point. The body found outside the Fitzgerald is still wearing his cork panel life vest with the circa 1970s "D" ring clearly visible in the photos and videos Fred provided me. Evidence also proves the Fitzgerald broke apart on the surface, the stern section sinking first coming to rest on the bottom inverted. There are two huge piles of taconite pellets which also is evidence that the Fitzgerald was not underway when she broke apart. If it was underway (nose dive theory) the Taconite would be spread out over a larger area...not in the two huge mountains that are well documented. The Fitz did not hit a shoal. In fact, according to the Anderson's log book, the Anderson was closer to the shoals than the Fitzgerald ever was. We know this because the only course we know the Fitz was actually on was that of 141degrees. In other words, right where she needed to be to make it into Whitefish Bay. The Anderson's log book places the Fitzgerald more than 3 miles off Caribou Island well away from the shoals. This is not conjecture, this is fact. Furthermore, the Fitzgerald did not have the ability to pump water from the cargo hold. When Mcsorley reported back to the Anderson that they had both of their pumps running, and yet were not making any headway on the starboard list.... we are talking about ballast tank water, not water in the cargo hold. The Fitz's pumps could evacuate 7000-7500 gallons per minute through 16 inch pipes exiting out of the stern yet the Fitz was unable to correct the list. He was pumping Lake Superior in through a stress-fracture of the hull that spanned two ballast tanks (vents missing and topside damage reported). 7500 gallons per minute but not making any headway on the list is probably why McSorley replied "We're Holding our own." In other words, not getting better on the list, but not getting any worse. The rogue wave theory has some merit when placed in conjunction with the stress-fracture. The Fitz having already been compromised with a stress-fracture, having taken on a starboard list, riding low in the water with the two waves, in close succession, Capt. Cooper spoke about finished off the Fitz. Let there be no mistake. There were only two investigations into the sinking of the Fitzgerald. The first was conducted in 1976 by the United States Coast Guard, and is a complete whitewash. The Coast Guard determined "the cause could not be determined." The second and final investigation was conducted in 1994 by Frederick J Shannon (retired police officer). Fred found 5 lost crewmen after reviewing his high definition underwater footage and still photos. Having lost a family member on the Fitzgerald, I am eternally grateful to you Fred Shannon, for your hard work and determination in solving this case once and for all. The crew can finally rest in peace. I would also like to thank you for being the first person ever to recognize the Fitzgerald as a grave site by placing the memorial plaque on the Fitzgerald in 1994. It means a lot to all of the surviving family members of the lost crew.
xcaliber69 the rogue wave theory could be possible and her sinking is very similar to that german ship which was hit by a rogue wave besides the fact that they only found empty life rafts and there was very limited radio communication before the ship was hit which no body was ever found
xcaliber69 Back in the day I went to catholic school with Fred Shannon at St. Marys school in Mt. Morris Michigan.
You wrote so many words and only got a little bit of likes. This comment needs way more likes
Well said, thank you......
xcaliber69 Wow, thanks for those facts, more need to see this.
What you’re hearing is called COURAGE. The men knew the weather conditions were potentially deadly and they still went back out to search for their friends. I have nothing but the upmost respect for those men.
I agree, although why on earth they sent the Anderson, another vulnerable freighter, back out to search is beyond me. The Coast Guard has ships for this purpose. I've only ever seen Michigan, but standing on it's shore at night, during a snow storm in Door County, I can't imagine the courage it would take to go out into that. These are hardly even to be called lakes. They might as well be oceans.
Where is the ship now?
@@banjoist123 it was the closest, and in a storm like that time is everything. The Titanic is a great example, many more could have been saved.
@@ericpitre4031 for a while there she was drydocked in Wisconsin but she's back on the lakes. You can still see here
SALUTE
Cooper is a hero. He said if it were his ship that needed help, he would want someone to turn around and come back for them, so he did it. Absolutely an honorable and courageous man and every one of his crew voted to go back as well. All of them are absolute angels!!!
I SALUTE THEM ALL
Captain Cooper has my total respect.He was willling to turn his ship around and to go back to those rough and dangerous waters to search for the Fitz.Talk about bravery!! May he RIP.
@Nathan Jurewicz I agree. The coast guard would have done the best they could under the circumstances. In the end it wouldn't have made a difference anyway.
@Grey Miller R I P brave man!!!!! I am sure he never got over the fact that he couldn't save his friends!!!!!
@@railsofthenorthland1181
They sent out a helicopter that night but you can only do so much.
Cooper kept saying the storm is extremely bad and wanted to get out of it rather than stay in it
Wrong....can u understand the English language....the coasties launched a C-130 to drop flares n rafts n flew over the site looking for any signs of survivors....launching a bird in those conditions would’ve been suicidal...they did the best they could ....it was up to nearby ships to come around n render any n all assistance to the Fitz n her crew
I just saw the Arthur M Anderson today going through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie still in service after all these years
I have immense respect for captain cooper, he didnt have to go back out but he did. He was a very brave, honorable and courgeous man.
umbrellacorpsoldier1
He endangered his crew and ship. The Fitz and her crew were gone immediately
I saw a Captain Cooper interview where he stated he asked the crew their opinions on searching. The crew said if it was the Anderson that was lost, they would want someone to search for them.
Captain Cooper and his crew deserved the Presidential Medal of Freedom for what they did that night.
@@vinny4411 Bullshit. He had no idea what was about to happen
Yeah, but a little foolish.
Captain Cooper was scared out of his mind and with good reason. He had a fully loaded vessel and still went back into the teeth of the monster to look for survivors. This man and his crew should have gotten medals.
It's insane that the Coast Guard couldn't do anything. It reminds me of years ago when I witnessed a car crash and if I didn't see it, who knows if the driver would have lived.
Almost a guarantee u probably caused the accident in some sick scheme to defraud the insurance company
He was empty and in ballast.
Also remember the Anderson was lengthened that year so the extra worry of that and if the modifications was done right and not going to fail in heavy seas worried Cooper as well.
@@insertnamehere313 I forgot they had lengthened her.
Almost 50 years and am sooo grateful the Fitzgerald crew is still remembered! This is a GREAT video - THANKS!
💚
My father Wendell E. Routhier was the Chief Lock Master at the Sault Locks, he waited to here from the Fitgerald and had talked to the Anderson. Dad new both Capts. My dad passed on Aug 5 2009. RIP from your loving daughter
he loved and hated Gitchagumee
Sad for your loss. These were special men.
Sorry for your loss.
What's Gitchagumee
@@supervidya2486 nickname/original name for Lake Superior, in the original native language it roughly translates to “big sea.”
@@tryzentv3316 oh thx
✋ salute to the guys that went back out.
he tried every reason why he didn't want to go, but the coast guard would not get the hint, and I don't blame him
I think that captain cooper did what he had to do
Nothing but absolute respect for the brave captain and crew of the Anderson to go back to search for the Fitzgerald and possible survivors.
This is weird to hear. My grandfather was the wheelsman for the Anderson and was the one guiding that ship the night they went out to look for them. My grandma got a phone call after the fact from him (which thank god at the time) and was in a near panic after hearing a ship went down. It's crazy to hear this, after having heard the stories from all of my relatives that knew about it in some way. Unfortunately I never actually got to meet my grandfather as he passed from cancer I believe in 1985.
Ur grandfather was a Man of Honor 🇺🇸
Sorry about your grandfather's passing. He and all his fellow sailors were very brave. God bless them all.
Tremendous respect for Captain Bernie Cooper, Captain Don Erickson and every brave man that was sailing on the Arthur M. Anderson and William Clay Ford that night.
True the Captains n Crew of those vessels displayed Honor Courage n Humanity 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
People just don't understand what its like to be in the freezing cold, blowing snow at night, waves of 30 plus feet from 2 directions at once, winds blowing at 60-90 "miles per hour" and all of this happening at the same time on deep dark water!! The ship Anderson, Capt. Cooper, his Crew & Other Ships were hero's going back out to look for survivors in this ultra violent super storm! Even the coast guard said later it was as bad or worst than a North Atlantic super storm.
I was about 5 miles out from Duluth and I had 40MPH winds. That was horrifying. Can’t imagine 90+.
i sailed a couple of years , saw the 'fitz' a few times.
she was big and beautiful, truly sad she and her crew are gone.
it really makes me think.
all the great lakes can get very mean but the superior can very easily.
god bless the crew and their families.
Yeah. The Superior is terrifying. You get out there in the middle of it and you might as well be out in the atlantic ocean, and when it gets mean it's just as scary as that if not worse.
+switchbuckle5th You would be better off in the Atlantic ocean than on the Great Lakes in a bad storm due to the 'relatively' shallow depths of the lakes and while the lakes are huge they are small compared to the ocean so waves tend to stack very close together compared to the Atlantic or Pacific additionally the waves on the Great lakes can become very confused in a storm
+switchbuckle5th Definitely! and Erie too by different mechanism (waves smaller, but much closer together and coming from multiple directions)
j van sickle at least we have the bell with everyones name on it
Explosivepiggies we have the original bell in the whitefish bay museum...the bell with the crew names was placed in the original bell's spot on the ship. May they rest in peace.
I'm from Michigan and was in high-school I can still remember the fitzgerald going down I'm glad Gordon Lightfoot song keeps there memories alive
Rest in peace men.
May the LORD be with you.
Thank You for your service!
The courage the crew of the AMA showed is beyond words. Thank you so very much for demonstrating the best of humanity.
I can remember my Dad singing the song by Gordon Lightfoot when I was 10 or 11 years old, must have been not long after it was released and he had learnt the words! My dad passed away last year. He grew up on the water and was fascinated by the lakes and the oceans, and the fact they can be both beautiful and treacherous. He would have loved this video. Well done. RIP crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald. RIP Dad
Bless Captain. Cooper and crew for going back out to look for the Edmund Fitzgerald. Such bravery should never be forgotten.
"Do you realize what the conditions are out there?!"
Captain Cooper and Captain Erickson were true heros to go back out into the worst of the storm. Do we have any men like that in today's time. I hope so, but do we?
@@Donna.V Only a very few!!!!
Yes we do , 13 of them just lost their lives in Afghanistan.
🇺🇸💜
to me this story is more fascinating by far than titanic the rescue attempt by the Arther M Anderson is heroic just every day guys working for a living risking it all to save fellow mariners a work horse vessel fighting a hurricane loosing to the water just 17 miles from shelter good men all doing noble work and the storm still won
GOD wanted them back
And the Anderson was loaded as well.
@@michaelstamper3444 I hope I get to shake Bernie Cooper's hand in the great hereafter
@@johntabler349So do I. Just think, the bell was tolled 30 times on May 1,2023 29 for the crew and one for Gordon Lightfoot who did the moving eulogy/tribute for the crew in The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald.
@@michaelstamper3444 fitting tribute
Those damn bagpipes... Gets me every time knowing they are memorializing lost lives
My dad was Lightkeeper at the Slate Islands, in October of '77 he found a life ring from the Fitzgerald on a beach close to the lighthouse. It is on display at Neys Provincal Park.
We now know that the crew of the Edmund Fitz was NOT at fault. Science has proven without a doubt. Rest in Peace, you brave men.
+ja jane Who the heck ever thought that they were at fault? Anyone who has ever worked on the lakes for any length of time knows exactly how scary and deadly they can turn in the flash of an eye. The poor boys never had a chance aside from the grace of God
Daniel Keogh I read it in the newspapers of the days after it and heard it on the TV News. The ship's insurance company tried to say it was "human error", but yes, all the regular people knew that that couldn't possibly be true. And we didn't even know about Super Rouge Waves back then. They never had a chance. like the song says if they put 15 more miles behind them.... They Rest In Peace in the The Fitz. G-d save their Souls.
Insurance companies are assholes
Mcsorley screwed up
One early investigation pointed out the the clamps weren’t properly tightened. Clamps were put on manually by the crew. Thus pointing to negligence of crew
Hearing those recordings brings a person back to that time.
Also movie makers spent 200 million plus making the Titanic. I would like to see a big budget for an Edmund Fitzgerald movie
Oh and I am a Michigan native.
My best friend, neighbor, fellow Fenian, Captain Joseph M. Decker, knew everyone on the Fitz, and Capt. MCSorley , was his best friend since their merchant marine days. Bloody sad all around to be sure
"Only seen the "Fitz" once, God rest the souls on her last journey, bless their families always"!!! 😇😇✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝✝", 29 crosses for each man lost"!💖💖💖💖
You can tell in the voice of the captain he didn't want to go.Man that must have been bad.The fact they did go back speaks volumes of their bravery...........This is the best video of events surrounding the sinking of the Fitz.Well done
2:50 That's spray going over the aft house. The night the Fitzgerald went down, they were taking green water over the aft house---that means solid water! 12-16 feet of solid water was washing over the weather deck where the hatches are located! Picture the waves in this video about three times larger, and you've got an idea of what those boats faced that night!
Wow, no wonder it went down so quickly...!
I wondered what was meant by green water.
@@danalarose846 its just when you bury a boat into a wave. When the water rushes across the deck it appears green. Probably due to the light colored deck showing thru the water.
@@biscuitag97 thank you! I heard that reference on the movie perfect storm as well.
Captain Cooper theorized that they thought they were going through a big wave, but they were really on their way to the bottom. That would explain why there was no mayday.
RIP to all who perished. Cannot imagine what they must have gone through in those final moments. Very emotive video. Kudos for keeping their memory alive.
Rip to the brave crew of the big fitz
great work absolutly brought tears to me eyes....the fear in the voice of the captain of the Anderson when they asked him to come about but he still did it what a brave man knowing that he could end up going down just a great peice of work
Some of the most haunting radio traffic ever.
This is painful to watch and listen to.
Having lost my father to mysterious circumstances at sea, I feel the pain of every family member of the crew lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This especially hits home because I live so close to Lake Superior and spend quite a bit of time in the summer boating on her waters.
I feel ya
These men we are listening to are true heros to try and rescue the crew of the Fitzgerald. Brought tears to my eyes listening to the transmission. God rest the Fitzgerald crew souls.
When I was a kid, my parents and I went on vacation, to the UP (Upper peninsula) We went through the Soo Locks, and the Edmund Fitzgerald was right behind us! When it sank, my dad remembered that we had seen it! We eventually found we had taken a photo of it from the back of our boat!! The pic is long gone, now, but it was cool, but very eery that just a year or 2 before it sank, it had been right behind us. I am, to this day intrigued about the wreck, and, love the song by Gordon Lightfoot. I read/watch everything I can about the Fitzgerald. I feel connected, somehow, to the incident. Freighters, 🚢 in general, seem so cool 😎, but there is such an eeriness about them!! I am so sorry for the people who lost their loved ones when the Fitzgerald wrecked.😥😭❤❤❤
Hey Elaine Hendrickson I’m soo sorry
@@kidink5435 Thank you, but the people that knew the men that died on the Edmund Fitzgerald, they really deserve your condolences. All their friends, fellow shipworkers and families. It was a horrible tragedy. 😭
Those radio transmissions give me the chills...
38 years ago tomorrow the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk I was 10 years old and didn't understand what was happening. Now I do. I have had a quick dip in Lake Superior and it is damn cold. I would not wish this tragedy on any family.
+weiner dad Actually, the coldness of the water probably diminished their pain suffering- one can't survive in those waters (temp in low 40's) for more than a couple of minutes before succumbing to hypothermia- thought is that one drifts off to "sleep" without pain
damn u old
meltroll
mol Dude is only 53, that's not young but not old either.
Actually most of the crew were probably dead before they had a chance to hit the water
OUTSTANDING video production! My God Bless the Captain & Crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
All that darkness & cold, alone down there forever.
"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early."
Valkyrie Melancon Yes Yes Yes a truly beautiful and haunting song. I'm a proud Michigander.
This gave me chills down my spin
God bless those men for going back to try and find out what happened. What a horrible tragedy this was. RIP all.
Nothing But Absolute Respect For The Men That Died, but Also The Men That Risked Their Lives To Go Back and Search For Their Sea Breathren.
captian bernie cooper!what a brave man!
When I was in grade 5 we took a class trip to Toronto where we went on a ship that was going across Lake Ontario, and the captain of that ship picked one of the kids to "captain" the ship (under his help and guidance, of course). He chose me, and I remember holding the wheel and the first thing he ever said in regards to it all was "you have respect the lake." Years on, I heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Superior, and recalled my time on the lake and realized that he wasn't lying. Unbelievable
Great radio tapes of the Anderson, Capt. Cooper, and History...(thanks for posting)!!
I heard these tapes existed way back when, and never could find them. I'm glad they "surfaced" to tell a vital part of the epic story of the Big Fitz.
That capt had balls to even make the attempt.
Even in 2023 there’s still a lot of ppl who will sacrifice for their fellow Human Beings 🇺🇸👌🇺🇸👌
this was amazing. i still cant believe it was 36 yrs ago today. I wasn't born when it happend but i always have and always will honor the 29 men who lost their lives. I listen to the song every year on nov 10th. and i will always have a moment of silence. if i had a bell it would ring 29 times
No words for this... none at all... :-(
I was a kid in the 60s an into the 70s an one of thebest songs was gordon lightfoot....it was till i was older and fully understood the words he was singing an the tribute he made in a beautiful way....Respect to the familys....of hard working folks
Yep it was a time when Americans looked out for one another n appreciated that we’re in the Greatest Country GOD created 🇺🇸👌🇺🇸👌🇺🇸
A tear and warm hearted salute to the skipper of the Arthur M. Anderson......and the Men of The Edmund Fitzgerald....May they all rest in wonderful peace.
Give that Captain of the Arthur M. Anderson a medal for turing around to look for the Fitzgerald and her crew!!!! That man is the bravest sailor ever!!!! Wow what a man!!!! I hope he is remembered for his bravery!!!!!
thanks for the documentary on this ship, i was a kid when it went down, of course knew the song, but didnt know the history. now generations to come can know about this famous ship
I was a junior in high school when she went down. this was a tragedy of more than epic proportions, made even more tragic by seeing the documentaries made, and hearing the stories. thank god for the Arthur m Anderson!!!!!
THANK YOU for posting this, GLSS! I hope you keep this video up as a memorial to the EDMUND FITZGERALD...
46 Years ago today. RIP to the 29 souls of the Edmund Fitzgerald. RIP as well to Captain Bernie Cooper of the Arthur Anderson and his crew, who took their vessel back out of safe harbor into the teeth of that storm to search for survivors. The actions of Captain Cooper and his crew were nothing short of heroic.
Being scared to death and to go back out anyway to help their brothers in need is remarkable!! They are real men and heroes without a doubt!!!
Remembering the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald on this 43rd anniversary
this is so interesting! Only just heard about the fitz and it is so fascinating
Crew members:
Michael Armagost
Fred Beetcher
Thomas Bentsen
Edward Bindon
Thomas Borgeson
Oliver Champeau
Nolan Church
Ransom Cundy
Thomas Edwards
Russel Haskel
George Holl
Bruce Hudson
Allen Kallman
Gordon MacLallen
Joseph Mazes
John McHarthy
Ernest McSorly
Eugene O'Brien
Karl Pekoll
Joseph Poviach
James Pratt
Robert Rafferty
Paul Riipa
John Simmons
William Spengler
Mark Thomas
Ralph Walton
David Weiss
Blane Willhelm
As A LONGTIME Edmund Fitzgerald researcher this is possibly the best and most touching video I have ever watched about it.
✅
Wow - this is incredible. Forty-seven years on now. I was 12 in Windsor and lived near the Detroit River, when this happened. I could see the big Freighters out my bedroom window and at night you would hear the ships calling to each other as they passed by each other on the river . This all seems like it was just yesterday.
Thanks for sharing this information...
Thank you for this haunting audio w/ slides. What a night that must have been.
"You have to respect the lake".
Wow!.
With those words, that Captain let you look into the window of all his knowledge and experience, what a man!.
45 years today, if you are aGreat Lakes sailor you know what they went through that evening! Doc.
Friend or no Friend, this guy was willing to go back into that dangerous sea waves and risking his life and his ship to see if any survivors could have been floating on water or to see if maybe a part of the Fitz. was above water and could be seen. I would love to find a friend like this guy who went back to look, imagine what kind of a person he could be in our world in this society we are living in.
They don’t make men like that anymore....typical example bidenx n obama 👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿🇺🇸👌🇺🇸
🌚🗑 n 🇮🇱🌈 that’s 🇺🇸 nowadays
I cant imagine what was going through those men's minds that night knowing that they might not make it. I salute those men.
I've always respected Bernie. We'd bought our home (my home now) off Bernie and Sue Cooper 9 years before this happened. My dad was a USS captain as well, and I often sit and think of the legacy in my home.
That’s awesome n special....
Well done gentlemen. Thank You. My Dad retired from the P&C Docks on Conneaut, OH and had loaded and unloaded "The Fitz" many times. I was in Marine Basic at Parris Is. on this day which coincides with the Marine Corps Birthday. I used to be an Advanced Trimix diver and dove the Morrell after meeting the late Dennis Hale; the sole survivor of the wreck and many other in Lake Erie, Ontario and the St Lawrence. They are truly God's Cathedrals. The spookiest wreck I ever dove was the Marsh off Kingston, ON
Rest in peace you brave 29 men i wish i was in minnesota earlier
poor bastards. Not much I can think of that would be scarier
hotdoggravy no need to call them bastards bro
Sir I.K Elzyy It was a figure of speech. It wasn't derogatory.
@@I.KUchiha Agreed, more like poor guys, they thought that ship was going to make it through, and it didn't and it was a tragic loss. Her sister ship, the Aurther B. Homer has been decomissioned and scraped, i believe in the middle of the 80's.
+Dan Basta Was this a big news story across the country?? Or just around the Great Lakes. Very tragic and must have been terrifying. Haunting song too.
Something about this accident really stirs my soul. The Titanic has never done this to me or any other marine disaster I know of.
Thanks for taking the time to share these photos
Grew up in Michigan and my Aunt and Uncle lived in Paradise which is on whitefish point. Months after the sinking when the water warmed some boxes of things floated up, no bodies but cargo of some sort. That lake is dangerous, we went fishing on it and a storm blew up from no where. I thought we were gonna die. Never went back on that lake and that was probably 1976
I've read that The Great Lakes are the most dangerous bodies of water on earth. I think it's because they're shallow compared to the ocean and the waves are able to build up lots more energy and get larger than any on the ocean can and the next thing you know you're being pulled down. The book I read described it like water sloshing back and forth in a bath tub
The legend lives on from the chippewa on down, of the big lake they call glitche gumee...
I m soooooo sorry 😢 people.
my dad had me listen to this with my eyes closed. And I felt the emotions of them, I could hear them all screaming in terror.
11 years. Published 11 years ago and now the algorithm speaks. You can’t look for what you don’t know is there.
I think the comment "holding our own" was just for the benefit of the crew. I am pretty sure that the Capt. knew that they were in very serious trouble!
No he didnt. He would have let someone know.
A fencerail that snapped in two, vent covers that were blown off, and a starboard list that would worsen despite having all the pumps running. A seasoned skipper like McSorley would take all these factors into account, and undoubtedly know that his ship and crew were in big trouble.
@@deanladue3151 ..how come they didn't dock for an extra day till the storm blew over
@@briannoonan6116 the last haul of the season, McSorley wanted to get it in as soon as possible. Also the Fitzgerald was scheduled for a refit and lengthening that off season at Fraser shipyards in Superior WI. McSorley didn't want to be late for that either.
@@jennyprorock bro stfu🤡let the man think what he wants to think ya 🤡
2:35 the coast guard brings up the Daniel J. Morrell
Reverent and moving. Thank you.
"Do you realize what the conditions are out there don't ya"
Yes they did!! Cooper, his Great Crew, and others that night were Hero's to head back out looking for survivors. Plus they were very very lucky the rouge waves didn't kill them....sending them to the bottom! People don't understand the power of that storm.
Brave men! The William Clay Ford went back out to look too loyal brave men!
"The Titanic Of The Great Lakes"
@@fishtug2420 it triggers me every time i see "Titanic of the _______." anywhere.
Titanic was the 2nd ship if the Olympic class. If it hadn’t sunk you wouldn’t have known it. This ship was 17 years older when it sunk. It wasn’t the biggest ship at all when it went down.
Much respect and God rest the ones lost
Fitz here checking in. Rip sailors ⚓
Sad very sad but the fact that captain Cooper went Back out there to search for his friends makes him a hero no doubt it takes a lot of guts to head into harms way like that God bless him and all the lost crew on the Fitzgerald
Haunting, gives me chills. RIP the Fitz and her crew.
Eerie...you can really hear the distress in Capt Cooper's voice. I wouldn't judge any man who was in his position that night. It had to scare the bejeebus out of him to think of returning to those tempestuous waters.
God bless the Fitzgerald crew rest in peace for years to come its sad that years later they still dont know how it sank
Wow you REALLY did some intense work cleaning up the original radio recordings. They are incredibly noisy, yet hear they are quite intelligible. Nice work.
True ✅
What a sad story! Remember it well, everyone was shocked that a huge ship like this could have just disappeared with no trace.
July 4th, 1995 was when this ships bell was recovered......I was born on March 21st, 1995....I was only a couple of months old when that bell was recovered....for some reason I feel honored to be born on that year now....R.I.P the Edmond Fitzgerald and R.I.P the 29 crew members who lost their lives.....😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Great stuff. Great ship, GREAT CREW.
This video is really well done. It does an great job of communicating the frustration that Capt. Cooper of the Anderson felt that night. I've spoken to members of his crew over the years and it's hard to imagine what they felt that night. After surviving one of the worst storm in modern history on Lake Superior (and fully loaded), they were asked to turn around and go back into the storm to search for the Fitzgerald. God Bless Captains McSorley and Cooper.
They were just Captains doing their jobs ...sometimes the water asserts her awesome power 🇺🇸
i live an hour away and have seen first hand the power of the storms on Superior. she's a mean viscious lake with a temper. when a storm starts picking up open the throttle and head for the nearest land or you WILL die. waters freezing cold even in summer and by november when the Fitz sank it's about 34 degrees. the ship broke in halk these poor guys had no chance. god rest their souls
I see a lot of people talk about their submechanaphobia acting up when they see a boat propeller in the water. I can kinda understand. But when I see a wreck like the Edmund Fitzgerald, and think about the night and the conditions in which she went down, that's when I could really see someone getting it. Big ship, big wreck. All those souls lost....