SS Daniel J. Morrell
Encyclopedia
The SS Daniel J. Morrell was a 603 feet (183.8 m) Great Lakes
freighter
that broke up in a strong storm on Lake Huron
on 29 November 1966, taking with it 28 of its 29 crewmen. The freighter was used to carry bulk cargo
s such as iron ore but was running with only ballast when the 60-year-old boat sank.
, a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania; who was born in North Berwick, York County, Maine, on 8 August 1821. Morrell attended the public schools; moved to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1836; and entered a counting room as clerk. Thereafter, he engaged in mercantile pursuits; moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. in 1855 and became general manager of the Cambria Iron Company
(which until the Johnstown Flood
was the greatest manufacturer of iron and steel in the United States). Morrell also served as president of the local gas and water company 1860-1884 and president of the First National Bank of Johnstown 1863-1884; president of the city council many years; elected as a Republican to the Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses (4 March 1867-3 March 1871); chairman, Committee on Manufactures (Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1870 to the Forty-second Congress; commissioner to the Paris Exposition of 1878; again engaged in banking; died in Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa., 20 August 1885; interment in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown
. He was a member of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
mainly to keep an eye on the club and its dam which formed Lake Conemaugh. Morrell died before the Johnstown Flood
, caused by the failure of that dam.
, heading for the protection of Thunder Bay
. At 2 am, the ship began its death throes, forcing the crew onto the deck, where many jumped to their deaths in the 34 degree Lake Huron
waters. At 2:15 am, the ship broke in two, and the remaining crewmen loaded into a raft on the forward section of the vessel. While they waited for the bow section to sink and the raft to be thrown into the lake, there were shouts that a ship had been spotted off the port bow. Moments later, it was discovered that the looming object was not another ship, but in fact the Morrell's aft section, barreling towards them under the power of the ship's engines. The two sections collided, with the aft section continuing into the distance. In the words of writer Bill Ratigan, the remnants of the vessel disappeared into the darkness "like a great wounded beast with its head shot off".
. The U.S. Coast Guard issued a "be on the lookout" alert and dispatched several vessels and aircraft to search for the missing freighter.
At around 4:00 pm on 30 November a Coast Guard helicopter located the lone survivor, 26-year-old Watchman Dennis Hale, near frozen and floating in a life raft with the bodies of three of his crewmates. Hale had survived the nearly 40-hour ordeal in frigid temperatures wearing only a pair of boxer shorts
, a lifejacket, and a pea coat
.
The survey of the wreck found the shipwreck in 220 feet (67.1 m) of water with the two sections 5 miles (8 km) apart.
The SS Edward Y. Townsend had a large crack in its deck that grew worse from the same storm, It was declared a total loss and was docked for almost two years. It would later be towed to Europe to be scrapped. On its way for scrapping it broke in two and sank in the same vicinity as the R.M.S. Titanic. The German saltie Nordmeer which had grounded at Thunder Bay Island
Shoal on November 19 was declared a total loss after the additional damage to its bottom caused by the storm.
The destructive force of the November seas and wind were an important factor in this loss, as it has been in many similar incidents on the Great Lakes
. The Coast Guard investigation of the Morrell sinking concluded that it broke in half due to the brittle steel used in her hull which was a "common problem" in ships built before 1948.
In addition to the *SS Edmund Fitzgerald
, other contemporary Great Lakes freighter
s lost under similar circumstances were the SS Carl D. Bradley
and the SS Henry Steinbrenner.
The remains of 25 of the 28 lost crewmen were eventually recovered, most in the days following the sinking, although bodies from the Morrell continued to be found well into the spring of the following year. The three men whose bodies were never recovered were declared legally dead
in May 1967.
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
freighter
Lake freighter
Lake freighters, or Lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that ply the Great Lakes. The best known was the , the most recent and largest major vessel to be wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the...
that broke up in a strong storm on Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
on 29 November 1966, taking with it 28 of its 29 crewmen. The freighter was used to carry bulk cargo
Bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities. This cargo is usually dropped or poured, with a spout or shovel bucket, as a liquid or as a mass of relatively small solids , into a bulk carrier ship's hold, railroad car, or tanker truck/trailer/semi-trailer body...
s such as iron ore but was running with only ballast when the 60-year-old boat sank.
The Ship's Name
The ship was named for Daniel Johnson MorrellDaniel Johnson Morrell
Daniel Johnson Morrell was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Daniel J.Morrell was born in North Berwick, Maine. He moved to Philadelphia in 1836 and entered a counting room as clerk and afterward engaged in mercantile pursuits...
, a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania; who was born in North Berwick, York County, Maine, on 8 August 1821. Morrell attended the public schools; moved to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1836; and entered a counting room as clerk. Thereafter, he engaged in mercantile pursuits; moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. in 1855 and became general manager of the Cambria Iron Company
Cambria Iron Company
Cambria Iron Company is a National Historic Landmark located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1852 and made many important contributions to the iron and steel industry...
(which until the Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
was the greatest manufacturer of iron and steel in the United States). Morrell also served as president of the local gas and water company 1860-1884 and president of the First National Bank of Johnstown 1863-1884; president of the city council many years; elected as a Republican to the Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses (4 March 1867-3 March 1871); chairman, Committee on Manufactures (Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1870 to the Forty-second Congress; commissioner to the Paris Exposition of 1878; again engaged in banking; died in Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa., 20 August 1885; interment in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown
Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown
Grandview Cemetery is a cemetery located at 801 Millcreek Road in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.The cemetery association that operates Grandview was founded in 1885 to accommodate Johnstown's rapidly growing population...
. He was a member of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a Pennsylvania corporation which operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork, Pennsylvania for more than fifty extremely wealthy men and their families...
mainly to keep an eye on the club and its dam which formed Lake Conemaugh. Morrell died before the Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
, caused by the failure of that dam.
"A Bizarre Incident"
Making the last run of the season with its sister ship the SS Edward Y. Townsend, the Morrell became caught in winds exceeding 70 mi/h and swells that topped the height of the ship (20-25 foot waves). During the early morning hours, the Townsend made the decision to take shelter in the St. Mary's River, leaving the Morrell alone on the waters north of Pointe Aux Barques, MichiganPointe aux Barques Light
The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse ranks among the ten oldest lighthouses in Michigan. It is an active lighthouse maintained by the US Coast Guard remotely, located in Lighthouse County Park on Lake Huron near Port Hope, Michigan in Huron County...
, heading for the protection of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay (Michigan)
Thunder Bay is a bay in the U.S. state of Michigan on Lake Huron. The bay extends from North Point at to South Point at .The city of Alpena lies at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River at...
. At 2 am, the ship began its death throes, forcing the crew onto the deck, where many jumped to their deaths in the 34 degree Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
waters. At 2:15 am, the ship broke in two, and the remaining crewmen loaded into a raft on the forward section of the vessel. While they waited for the bow section to sink and the raft to be thrown into the lake, there were shouts that a ship had been spotted off the port bow. Moments later, it was discovered that the looming object was not another ship, but in fact the Morrell's aft section, barreling towards them under the power of the ship's engines. The two sections collided, with the aft section continuing into the distance. In the words of writer Bill Ratigan, the remnants of the vessel disappeared into the darkness "like a great wounded beast with its head shot off".
Overdue
The Morrell was not reported missing until 12:15pm the following afternoon, 30 November, after the vessel was overdue at its destination, Taconite Harbor, MinnesotaTaconite Harbor, Minnesota
Taconite Harbor is an unincorporated community in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. Taconite Harbor is located on Minnesota State Highway 61 between Grand Marais and Little Marais.-Development:...
. The U.S. Coast Guard issued a "be on the lookout" alert and dispatched several vessels and aircraft to search for the missing freighter.
At around 4:00 pm on 30 November a Coast Guard helicopter located the lone survivor, 26-year-old Watchman Dennis Hale, near frozen and floating in a life raft with the bodies of three of his crewmates. Hale had survived the nearly 40-hour ordeal in frigid temperatures wearing only a pair of boxer shorts
Boxer shorts
Boxer shorts are a type of undergarment worn by men. The term has been used in English since 1944 for all-around-elastic shorts, so named after the shorts worn by boxers, for whom unhindered leg movement is very important.Reasons for a preference for boxers can be attributed to their variety of...
, a lifejacket, and a pea coat
Pea coat
A pea coat is an outer coat, generally of a navy-colored heavy wool, originally worn by sailors of American and European navies. Pea coats are characterized by broad lapels, double-breasted fronts, often large wooden or metal buttons, and vertical or slash pockets...
.
The survey of the wreck found the shipwreck in 220 feet (67.1 m) of water with the two sections 5 miles (8 km) apart.
The SS Edward Y. Townsend had a large crack in its deck that grew worse from the same storm, It was declared a total loss and was docked for almost two years. It would later be towed to Europe to be scrapped. On its way for scrapping it broke in two and sank in the same vicinity as the R.M.S. Titanic. The German saltie Nordmeer which had grounded at Thunder Bay Island
Thunder Bay Island
Thunder Bay Island is a island in Lake Huron. The island is one of eight constituent islands of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The island is part of Alpena Township in Alpena County...
Shoal on November 19 was declared a total loss after the additional damage to its bottom caused by the storm.
The destructive force of the November seas and wind were an important factor in this loss, as it has been in many similar incidents on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. The Coast Guard investigation of the Morrell sinking concluded that it broke in half due to the brittle steel used in her hull which was a "common problem" in ships built before 1948.
In addition to the *SS Edmund Fitzgerald
SS Edmund Fitzgerald
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that made headlines after sinking in a Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29. When launched on June 8, 1958, she was the largest boat on North America's Great Lakes, and she remains...
, other contemporary Great Lakes freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
s lost under similar circumstances were the SS Carl D. Bradley
SS Carl D. Bradley
The was a self-unloading Great Lakes freighter that sank in a storm on November 18, 1958. Of the 35 crew members, 33 died in the sinking and 23 were from the port town of Rogers City, Michigan. Her sinking was likely caused by structural failure from the brittle steel used in her...
and the SS Henry Steinbrenner.
Victims
The following crew were lost in the sinking:- Bragg, Norman M., 40, Niagara Falls, NY, WatchmanWatchmanWatchman or Watchmen may refer to:*Watchman , a member of a group who provided law enforcement**Security guard or watchman, a person who watches over and protects property, assets, or people...
- Campbell, Stuart A., 60, Marinette, WI, Wheelsman
- Cleary, John J., Jr., 20, Cleveland, OH, Deckhand
- Crawley, Arthur I., 47, Rocky River, OH, Master
- Dahl, George A., 38, Duluth, MN, Third Assistant EngineerThird Assistant EngineerThe Third Assistant Engineer, also known as the Fourth Engineer, is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel....
- Davis, Larry G., 27, Toledo, OH, Deckwatch
- Fargo, Arthur S., 52, Ashtabula, OH, Fireman
- Fosbender, Charles H., 42, St. Clair, MI, Wheelsman
- Grippi, Saverio, 53, Ashtabula, OH, Coal Passer
- Groh, John M., 21, Erie, PA, Deckwatch (missing)
- Homick, Nicholas P., 35, Hudson, PA, Second Cook
- Kapets, Phillip E., 51, Ironwood, MI, First Mate
- Konieczka, Chester, 45, Hamburg, NYHamburg (village), New YorkHamburg is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,116 at the 2000 census. The village is reportedly named after Hamburg, a city in Germany...
, Fireman - MacLeod, Duncan R., 61, Gloucester, MA, Second MateSecond MateA second mate or second officer is a licensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The second mate is the third in command and a watchkeeping officer, customarily the ship's navigator. Other duties vary, but the second mate is often the medical officer and in charge of maintaining...
- Mahsem, Joseph A., 59, Duluth, MN, Porter
- Marchildon, Valmour A., 43, Kenmore, NY, First Assistant EngineerFirst Assistant EngineerA first assistant engineer is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. This title is used for the person on a ship responsible for supervising the daily maintenance and operation of the engine department...
- Marcotte, Ernest G., 62, Waterford, MI, Third MateThird MateA Third Mate or Third Officer is a licensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The third mate is a watchstander and customarily the ship's safety officer and fourth-in-command...
- Norkunas, Alfred G., 39, Superior, WI, Second Assistant EngineerSecond Assistant EngineerA Second Assistant Engineer or Third Engineer is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel.The Second Assistant is usually in charge of boilers, fuel, auxiliary engines, condensate and feed systems, and is the third most senior marine engineer on board. Depending on...
- Price, David L., 19, Cleveland, OH, Coal Passer (missing)
- Rischmiller, Henry, 34, Williamsville, NY, Wheelsman
- Satlawa, Stanley J., 39, Buffalo, NY, StewardChief StewardA chief steward is the senior unlicensed crew member working in the Steward's Department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, whence its name...
(missing) - Schmidt, John H., 46, Toledo, OH, Chief EngineerChief EngineerIn marine transportation, the chief engineer is a licensed mariner in charge of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. "Chief engineer" is the official title of someone qualified to oversee the entire engine department; the qualification is colloquially called a "chief's...
- Sestakauskas, Charles J., 49, Buffalo, NY, Porter
- Simpson, Wilson E., 50, Albemarle, NC, Oiler
- Stojek, Arthur E., 41, Buffalo, NY, Deckhand
- Truman, Leon R., 45, Toledo, OH, Coal Passer
- Wieme, Albert P., 51, Knife River, MN, Watchman
- Worcester, Donald E., 38, Columbia Falls, ME, OilerOiler (occupation)An oiler is a worker whose main job is to oil machinery. In previous eras there were oiler positions in various industries, including maritime work , railroading, steelmaking, and mining...
The remains of 25 of the 28 lost crewmen were eventually recovered, most in the days following the sinking, although bodies from the Morrell continued to be found well into the spring of the following year. The three men whose bodies were never recovered were declared legally dead
Death in absentia
Death in absentia is a legal declaration that a person is deceased in the absence of remains attributable to that person...
in May 1967.