Fitz wreck pics

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Guest

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Guest »

I found this website recently that has old film from the GLEW showing the construction of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Herbert J. Jackson and Arthur B. Homer.

http://www.ustream.tv/flash/video/8393357
http://www.ustream.tv/flash/video/2558938
Castaway
Posts: 60
Joined: March 19, 2010, 1:56 am

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Castaway »

Hey, guys. So my friend who wrote the article got back to me. He said the person who went on the expedition sent him some photos, saying they hadn't been published before. It turns out they had been published in a maritime magazine, so he asked if he had any that really were unpublished. He said he sent "close to 2 dozen."

He said the article came about because he heard that Frederick Shannon would be doing a memorial service on the anniversary, so he called him and did an interview. It became a story from there.

Pretty cool stuff.
Guest

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Guest »

With most humble respect and prayers for the captain and crew...

If remains were visible in the pilothouse through official documentation of the wreckage, it would have been listed or publicized. From what I've read in official reports, no remains have been spotted inside the wreckage, proper. If so, any official government photos would, indeed, be off limits to the general public.

It was claimed that a body was discovered by the Shannon expedition, lying on the bottom in front of the ship, as if the person had been thrown from the wreckage as it plowed into the bottom. It was quite the sensation back in 1994. There was an event at the Thomas Edison Inn in Port Huron where video footage was to be shown. There was concern that the body may be shown, but it apparently was not. I left the event as it was too sensational for my tastes.

There was so much concern and outrage over the potential that such video could be shown that the State of Michigan quickly passed a law making it a crime to show such footage unless it was related to a law enforcement activity or other "legitimate" purpose.

The body apparently is wearing a life vest and coveralls from what I have read. The water pressure prevents the life jacket from floating.

Some people have said that the vest is consistent with safety equipment the Fitzgerald would have been equipped with. Others have said the vest appears to be an earlier type and that the ship may have sunk coincidentally where a drowned sailor with a waterlogged life vest may have earlier sunk to the lake floor.

Obviously, the body would have to be examined and I don't see that happening with the pain that would cause the families and the idea of desecrating the site. If the capability existed that bodies could be recovered, I would think that the families would have requested that be done by now if they so desired. It seems that they just want the ship and their loved ones to be left alone to rest in peace.

It's sad any way you look at it.
Randy S
Posts: 587
Joined: October 15, 2010, 2:30 pm

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Randy S »

maritimeartist wrote:Excellent video, contains some video and pics I have not seen. Great job!
I wish I could take credit for it, but it is not my video. I just happened to find it.
maritimeartist
Posts: 4
Joined: March 19, 2010, 1:12 pm

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by maritimeartist »

Excellent video, contains some video and pics I have not seen. Great job!
Guest

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Guest »

Guest wrote:
Guest wrote:Presumably they would be public record unless there were human remains visible (which there were not). I would probably start with corresponding with the National Archives in Washington and the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office. Also involved was the National Transportation Safety Board. Could be filed among these record groups. They should be able to tell you. The sheer volume of material from the initial investigation, though, will complicate your search as that would have to be sorted and pulled based on its classification and description.
I've heard that there were remains visible in the pilothouse, which is why a lot of photos haven't been released. Is this just sensationalism?
Apparently Frederick Shannon located a body during one of his 1994 dives. This article briefly mentions it toward the bottom:

http://www.freep.com/article/20101106/N ... -shipwreck
Boatkitten
Posts: 458
Joined: April 20, 2010, 10:37 pm

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Boatkitten »

Thanks so much for posting this information & video. Very well done & very touching.
sally

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by sally »

very nicely done god bless
Castaway
Posts: 60
Joined: March 19, 2010, 1:56 am

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Castaway »

This is somewhat unrelated, but I just realized that I worked with the guy who wrote that. We worked together at my last job. I might send him an e-mail about it since he did such a good job on it.
guest

article on Fritz

Unread post by guest »

The USA today has an article about the Fritz if anyone wants to view it.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/201 ... 8_ST_N.htm
Guest

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Guest »

Guest wrote:Presumably they would be public record unless there were human remains visible (which there were not). I would probably start with corresponding with the National Archives in Washington and the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office. Also involved was the National Transportation Safety Board. Could be filed among these record groups. They should be able to tell you. The sheer volume of material from the initial investigation, though, will complicate your search as that would have to be sorted and pulled based on its classification and description.
I've heard that there were remains visible in the pilothouse, which is why a lot of photos haven't been released. Is this just sensationalism?
Les Weston
Posts: 169
Joined: March 16, 2010, 1:56 pm
Location: Brook Park OH

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Les Weston »

Hi, Randy.

Thanks for the video post. I agree it was well done.

The launching sequence brought back some memories from the past, as I was fortunate enough to be at the launching, and remember some of the scenes vividly.
ph_mich

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by ph_mich »

Rare photos of the Edmund Fitzgerald realeased today to freep.com http://www.freep.com/article/20101106/N ... Fitzgerald
Randy S
Posts: 587
Joined: October 15, 2010, 2:30 pm

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Randy S »

There is some video in this somewhat haunting tribute to the Fitz and her crew: The video also contains radio recordings and TV news footage. All-in-all, I think it is very well done.
Guest

Re: Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Guest »

Presumably they would be public record unless there were human remains visible (which there were not). I would probably start with corresponding with the National Archives in Washington and the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office. Also involved was the National Transportation Safety Board. Could be filed among these record groups. They should be able to tell you. The sheer volume of material from the initial investigation, though, will complicate your search as that would have to be sorted and pulled based on its classification and description.
Jeff

Fitz wreck pics

Unread post by Jeff »

I know there were hundreds of photos taken of the fitz as she lays on the bottom. Have the pics ever been made public and if so where could I view them.
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