Nov. 2008 Vol 13
Letter From the Board Dear MSRA Members, Greetings after a long summer which extended into the fall and allowed MSRA to accomplish much this year. Summer activities included diving and documenting the two new wrecks found with Clive Cussler, as well as exploring three newly discovered wrecks in the northern Lake Michigan area off Frankfort, MI. More information about those activities will be included in our next newsletter. The team is also working to complete the Michigan Humanities Council Grant that has resulted in the development of an exhibit at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph. Details about the exhibit are included on page 6. Sometimes the work of the organization takes us in directions we would not anticipate, such as being able to host a memorial for the families of Flight 2501 victims 58 years after the accident. Being able to do something like this for the families has been very rewarding and we appreciate the support of all our members. We look forward to celebrating the year with the organization at our third annual MSRA holiday party which will be held on December 6th. We hope you can all join in the festivities. Details will follow! Best Regards,
Craig Rich
Director, MSRA P.S. Please consider a year-end tax-deductable donation to MSRA
MSRA Hosts Memorial
WNDU News Story by Ryan Famuliner 9-20-08
Families from across the country gathered in St. Joseph, Michigan Saturday afternoon to finally get closure after losing their loved ones more than 58 years ago.The story started back in June of 1950, when Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 crashed into Lake Michigan. At the time, it was the largest aviation disaster ever in the U.S. None of the 58 people on board survived, and to this day no one really knows why the plane crashed, because the wreckage has never been found. But days after the crash debris started washing ashore, which until recently had been forgotten about. Now, more than a half century later, it’s given families at least one answer. A group based out of Holland, Michigan started searching for the remains of the plane about 5 years ago. “We have yet to find the remains, but we found something more important I think,” said Valerie Van Heest with Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates (MSRA).Searching through old records, they found evidence of an unmarked grave. “It was about one line that basically said “plane crash victims from 1950,” that were buried in Riverview Cemetery; which is where we are today,” said Chriss Lyon, another member of MSRA, who helped discover the unmarked mass grave. Even though most of the victims of the crash had their own services in towns across the country in 1950, Saturday was the first time victims had a memorial at their true resting place. “I’m so glad. It was really hard to come but I thought; it’s just one day in my life that I really don’t want to miss,” said Elizabeth Schulze, who came to the service from California. Her uncle died in the crash. Victim’s relatives wore pictures of their loved ones near their hearts, where the memories had never left. I was 16 when it happened and I can remember when my mother told us what had happened; I thought well maybe he didn’t get on the plane, maybe he’s safe somewhere; but of course that wasn’t true,” Schulze said. Some human remains washed ashore back in 1950. The coast guard cremated them and buried them in the Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. The grave was not marked, and no family members were ever notified. “You don’t ever quite close the door on this happening because there wasn’t any closure,” Schulze said. “We don’t know what remains are buried there, but for the same reason I assume my mother’s are. So for the first time she's not quote, “lost.” She’s dead, but it doesn’t have the sense of "what happened?" so much,” said Bill Kaufmann of Oakland, CA, whose mother died in the crash when he was 6 years old. There’s not so much sadness; I mean it’s been 58 years. Con’t Page 2
The Explorer is a regular publication of MSRA distributed via email. For more information visit michiganshipwrecks.org Page 1
Memorial
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From the Front Page of the Herald Palladium: Sept. 21, 2008
Jeff Filbrandt of Filbrandt Funeral Home in South Haven made all this possible. He donated the granite grave stone engraved with the names of all 58 victims.
Some might recall Bill Kaufmann and Ken Skoug II and III who traveled here in 2006 to meet the team, attend MSRA’s annual program and participate in the search effort. We were pleased that both families could return for the memorial service.
The families who traveled here for the memorial service met after the service at the Van Heest’s house for a gathering to remember those lost in the crash and share stories of how they dealt with the tragic loss of their loved ones.
Con’t From Page 1 They talk about completion and tying up loose ends, but there are a lot of things we still don’t know about,” said Robert K. Williams of Minnesota, whose cousin died in the crash. MSRA hopes to give the families that, too, by continuing the search for the wreckage in Lake Michigan. “Finding the grave has provided one answer, and finding the plane will get the rest of the answers,” Van Heest said. But for some the answer to, “where?” helps closure finally start. “Just to have a picture in my mind of near where the plane crashed… and the beautiful place where they’re resting,” Schulze said. A few days after the crash in June of 1950, the Korean War started. Families say that dominated the news coverage, so they found out very few details about the crash where they lived. None of the victims were local. The flight left New York headed for Minneapolis, and ultimately bound for Seattle. They say it was really difficult to track down any information about the crash. MSRA also had some trouble tracking down all the families even now; many relatives have passed on. But they've contacted the majority of them, and about 10 families from as far away as Virginia and California came to Michigan for the Ceremony Saturday. A headstone for the victims was dedicated at the ceremony Saturday, with all 58 names listed: 55 passengers, and 3 crew members. Page 2
In the Next Issue..... Stay tuned for the following stories in the next issue of The Explorer: Details and photos of the two wrecks discovered with Clive Cussler this past spring. Stories of three newly discovered wrecks the team surveyed this past fall up in Frankfort, Michigan with our affiliate Jed Jaworski.
Pastor Robert Linstrom from the Peace Luthern Church in South Haven officiated at the Flight 2501 Memorial Service.
MSRA member and Flight 2501 Project pilot, Kevin McGregor made an exciting discovery this past summer with regard to the Northwest Flight 4422 wreck he discovered in the mountains of Alaska that was the subject of a presentation he made in Holland at MSRA’s annual program in 2007. And if you are able to attend the MSRA Annual Christams Party on December 6th at the Van Heest’s house, you just may see your picture int he next issue of The Explorer!
Shipwrecked! Not Just a Thing of the Past! July’s sinking of a 65-foot motor yacht in Lake Michigan, underscored a major rule in boating: equip your boat with good PFDs!
Tim Marr and his son Tim Jr. have always been close, but even more so now that they survived the sinking of the Pizzazz. At times during the ordeal they each feared loosing the other.
In the weeks following the accident, Tim Marr was able to locate the wreck of the Pizzazz and attempt to retrieve some of his personal possessions, but few remained after the sinking. Another team of divers, Bill Miklosz and Gordon Chapman, who are helping to develop the West Michigan Underwater Preserve also independantly located the wreck. Diver Deb Chase took this incredible photo of the wreck and those on the next page when visibility was almost 100-feet. Once final insurance work is completed on the wreck, Tim will post the coordinates so that other divers may visit this wreck.
This article was written by Valerie van Heest for Lakeland Boating Magazine and will appear in an upcoming issue. Tim Marr is no stranger to shipwrecks. He owns Advance Scuba, a dive shop in Holland Michigan, where he teaches diving, and operates a charter service that takes divers to explore the numerous shipwrecks lost off the shores of western Michigan. But Tim never expected to be shipwrecked himself! Last month this burly 46-year old former Special Forces operative, boat mechanic and Captain with a 100- ton master’s license, was retained by the owner of a classic 65-foot, 1966 Chris-Craft “Constellation,” PIZZAZZ, to pilot the yacht from its new home port in Saugatuck, MI to Charlevoix, MI. The owner intended to drive up and meet the boat for a weekend of cruising. July 23rd was a warm, the sky was dull and the seas were running 1-3 feet. It would be a bouncy, but safe run, Tim thought, particularly for a boat of that size and condition. The beautiful 42-year old motor yacht, with mahogany planking and teak decks, had been meticulously maintained by its prior owner. Tim’s 15-year old son and namesake, Tim Marr Jr., would accompany him on the run north. Timmy is no stranger to Lake Michigan; he is a certified diver and first mate, who regularly works alongside his Dad. The father/son pair had intended to spend a few days together in Charlevoix before the owner arrived. The three-foot chop they set out in on Tuesday morning would have more than enough to make a cruise on a smaller boat annoying and unpleasant, but the big yacht PIZZAZZ was taking the waves comfortably and making good headway north along Michigan’s western shore. Tim calculated they would reach Charlevoix, 220-miles distant, by late afternoon on Wednesday. What the father/ son crew could never have anticipated was the series of rogue waves that hit them in the early afternoon. PIZZAZZ was about a mile off Little Sable Point when Tim saw a freak wave in the distance. “Get up here Junior,” he called to his son who was down in the salon playing Xbox, “There’s a huge wave heading our way!” Tim held the helm steady, steering perpendicular into the freak wave building from the north. PIZZAZZ reared upwards and glided nicely over the wall of water. Tim and Timmy both breathed an audible sigh of relief, but when the onslaught of water cleared from the windshield, they could see several more unusually large waves. My God, Tim thought, I’ve Con’t on Page 4
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Shipwrecked! ... Con’t from page 3 never been in such big waves – they’re over ten- feet high. Tim maintained his composure and reassured his nervous son, that a boat this size could handle rough seas like they were experiencing. The boat rode over the second wave just like it did the first. When the next one hit, Tim’s confidence turned to fear when he heard a loud cracking noise. Then rather than ride up the fourth rouge wave, PIZZAZZ plowed right through it. As Tim gripped the wheel, and tried to see through the cascading water, the boat didn’t feel right. When the water cleared, He could see the boat angling down in the water, and looking down into the salon he saw water rushing in. In a heartbeat, Tim knew the boat was sinking. His only thought was for Timmy. With one hand on the helm, he groped around the bench seat for the bag that contained the life jackets, and struggled to pull one out and wrap it around his terrified son. They both fumbled with the clasps, but were able to secure it. “Go out back and wait for me,” Tim directed his son when he saw water quickly filling the salon “don’t jump in yet.” Timmy is a good swimmer, but his Dad saw the fear in his eyes. This was every parent’s nightmare—a situation he had no control over that could result in the loss of his child. The boat was angling down by the bow and water was working its way up the steps towards the pilothouse. Tim was able to radio a distress call, “May Day! May Day! Abandoning ship!” After a verbal scuffle with the coast guardsman, who thought this was a crank call, he gave his position. When water began lapping at his ankles, he grabbed another life jacket, threw it over one shoulder and hurried aft to join his son.
Underwater Photos by Deb Chase. Her husband and dive buddy, Paul, is pictured in the second photo. The last photo shows the damage the waves created.
We appreciate Tim Marr’s willingness to share this story with our membership and the public. He feels there is something that we can all learn from this event and the lesson may well save someone’s life in the future. Always have a type One PFD, like pictured above, when you are on a boat..
As the boat sank from under them, Tim gave the go-ahead to jump. “Swim hard,” he hollered to Timmy, afraid the boat would roll over on him. Timmy hit the water hard and fought his way to the surface. The thin PFD did so little to keep his head above water and he had to tread frantically. His Dad jumped seconds later but landed in the trough of a wave. As he surfaced, and gasped for breath, he was pounded by the next breaker, taking a mouthful of water. Seeing his Dad choking and struggling with the lifejacket that was a tangled mess around his shoulders, Timmy now worried for the safety of his Dad, who had always seemed invincible to him. Timmy managed to swim the 20-feet that separated them. By then, Tim had coughed out the water, but was still fighting the lifejacket. Timmy tried to help fasten it, but it was too tangled and every wave made it worse. They were so busy with their struggle, neither saw the boat slip beneath the waves, but a small piece of the hull bobbed to the surface. In desperation to stay afloat, Tim grabbed onto it, ignoring the pain when twisted nails tore into his flesh. Able to catch their breaths by holding onto the floating wood, Tim tried to calm his son by reminding him they were within site of shore, “We’re going to make it—we can swim.” Even though the cheap lifejacket did not provide much flotation, Timmy now felt a surge of confidence that he could make it to shore, but he was now worried for his Dad. “I wasn’t willing to leave my Dad’s side,” he later recounted. Just as they began to swim east towards shore, they crested a wave and saw their salvation appear. About a quarter mile distant, a boat was heading their way. Suddenly their hope diminished when they saw it turn the other way. A few minutes later it turned again. “Hold on Timmy, I think they’re coming around.” Craig Cather, the captain of the 46-foot Sea Ray, UPWORDS AND ONWORDS had seen two people enter the water as the big boat sank and was trying to negotiate his way to them without the same thing happening to his boat. Finally, he got close enough to fish the twosome out of the water. A lakefront home owner, Cindy Jurik, had seen the ordeal unfolding. She had called the Coast Guard, which had already received the mayday call and dispensed a rescue vessel and chopper, but Cather’s Sea Ray reached them first. Tim and Timmy had been in the water a total of 35 minutes. Despite the relatively warm water and their proximity to shore, Timmy later recognized, “It’s a good thing the other boat picked us up, I wasn’t sure we could make it.” Keith Pearson, a captain and salvage master of TowBoat US Chicago sees the outcome of a number of boat accidents and sinkings each year. “A captain’s job is to stay out of trouble on the water, but occasionally, like with these rouge waves, there’s things you can’t anticipate.” He reminds boaters, “more often than not, when there’s a massive hull breach, you have less than a minute before you find yourself in the water.” The Marrs had double that time, and were still not fully geared up to hit the water. When you think that a boat sinking can only happen to someone else, think again. It can happen to even the most experienced captains. The Mars skirted death despite inadequate lifejackets because another boater happened to be at the right place at the right time. Tim lost his laptop, his mapping software, an Xbox, a GPS, hand-held radio and all the cash he had brought along for the trip, but he did not loose that which is most precious: his son. Tim, who is confident they could have endured many hours in the water and easily made it to shore IF they had good lifejackets, feels compelled to pass on the lesson he learned to other boaters: “Spend the money necessary for a good “type one” PFD, and bring it with you when you travel on someone else’s boat, rather than trust they will be well-equipped. Stow your PFD in an accessible place near open deck; and put it on and secure it at the first sign of trouble. Your life may depend on it. See more photos of PIZZAZZ at the MSRA website!
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Finding The Hero of the S.S. Michigan Submitted by MSRA member Alex Parker (16 years old)
Alex has attended many of MSRA’s programs over the last couple years. He is a great example of how the work of MSRA is reaching the next generation of historians and explorers.
Mark your calendars for November 25th when Craig Rich and Valerie van Heest of MSRA will present a program entitled LOST AND FOUND SHIPWRECKS OF LAKE MICHIGAN for the Holland Historical Society at 7:30 PM at Maas Auditorium on the Hope College Campus, 264 Columbia. Admission is free. Valerie will be signing her books there.
There are many people in the history of mankind that have been heroes. Most of them are unsung whose stories have never been fully told. Their brave acts for kindness are never realized. One such person was a young man named George Henry Sheldon. Sheldon was born in the countryside of Vermont in 1862. Not much is known about his childhood only that he had a couple of siblings and a civil war veteran father. His later life is just as eluding. His story however begins on February 9, 1885. His ship, the steamer S.S. Michigan left port that snowy day in search of a boat named the Oneida. The steamer was jammed in a pack of ice and drifting. Unfortunately the Michigan did not find the Oneida. To make matters worse the Michigan herself became trapped in ice and could not get out. Eventually the ice started moving and the crew was stranded. After a week it was decided about 17 of the crew would go ashore for supplies. They left the ship and trekked 10 hours to shore and caught a ride to Grand Haven, Michigan. Sheldon left the 21st like the other men but came back the next day bringing cigars and newspapers for his fellow crewmembers. He made a second trip on the 23rd, bringing back supplies once again. After he returned to the Michigan on the 25th, the ship once again drifted. After almost a month later on March 17, 1885, the S.S. Michigan gave a groan and the crew realized that she was sinking. The ice had caved in her hull. All the crew left the boat after lowering a lifeboat. The Michigan sank stern first in almost 300 feet of water. After his ordeal George Sheldon would not live long. Tragically he died 5 years later of illness from his adventure. He was only 25 years old at the time of his death. After I first read about this story in Valerie’s book, “Icebound! The Adventures of Young George Sheldon and the SS Michigan decided to visit the grave of George Sheldon. My parents and I went south of Grand Haven after finding directions and after about a half an hour drive we came upon the gate of the Lake Forest Cemetery. We went in a ways and my dad had an idea. Since the gate was open enough for a person to walk through we decided to go farther down the road. We then came upon the front gate of the cemetery. After getting out of our car and walking for about 10 minutes looking at gravestones my dad once again noticed something. An older part of the cemetery was farther down from the entrance. As we walked down right in front of me was the name “George H. Sheldon. 1862 – 1890.” I couldn’t believe that we found the gravestone of a hero that fast. All 3 of us believed that George somehow guided to his grave. I myself believe that he is happy that people know his story at last.
Van Heest’s Book Wins Award!
Valerie accepted the award at the annual meeting of the Historical Society of Michigan at the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids. The ceremony was followed by dinner at the Van Andel Museum as well as a book signing.
The Historical Society of Michigan presented Valerie van Heest with an award for her new book on September 29, 2008. Here is what they said: Icebound! The Adventures of Young George Sheldon and the SS Michigan by Valerie van Heest published by In-Depth Editions was this year’s winner in the category of Publications: Books - Children and Youth. An expertly crafted narrative and illustrations bring this story of a sunken Michigan-built passenger steamer and the discovery of its remains by a team of explorers to life. The book can be enjoyed by all generations as it tells the story of the book’s hero George Sheldon. The story of personal dedication and responsibility speaks to the little documented life of
crewmen on Great Lakes steamers and can be embraced by children today. Order your copy for Christmas: in-deptheditions.com Page 5
MSRA Board of Directors Valerie Olson van Heest Geoffrey Reynolds Craig Rich Ross Richardson Jack van Heest
Associates William Lafferty, PhD Director of Research Arthur Allen Oceanographer, U.S.C.G. Brendon Baillod Historian/Writer Jed Jaworski Maritime Historian Dr. Guy Meadows University of Michigan Kenneth Pott Maritime Archaeologist Dr. David Schwab Oceanographer, GLERL Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, is a Michigan 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation, whose mission is to Preserve Michigan’s submerged maritime history. To that end, the organization’s work includes research, exploration, documentation and education regarding historic shipwrecks within Michigan waters, with an initial emphasis on the area off West Michigan. MSRA works in cooperation with State Agencies. As a Holland-based volunteer-driven organization, MSRA relies on memberships, fundraising events and grants to continue its work.
New Exhibit Opens
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In August the exhibit entitled A DEEP LOOK: THE RISE OF THE SELF-UNLOADING FREIGHTERS opened at The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph, MI. The exhibit was developed as a part of the grant that MSRA received from the Michigan Humanities Council for the Project: From Hennepin to the thousand Footers, the Rise of the SelfUnloaders, The exhibit was designed by Valerie van Heest and William Lafferty in collaboration with Museum staff including Executive Director Ken Pott and Christina Arsenau. The opening panel gives you an overview of the exhibit as follows: The history of commercial shipping on the Great Lakes is the history of moving bulk cargos, especially iron ore, coal, grain, and stone for our nation’s industrialization. Tens of thousands of freighters have navigated the Great Lakes, but the inland seas are dangerous. Storms and collisions prevented many ships from reaching their destinations. Hundreds have ended their careers in watery graves on the bottom of Lake Michigan alone. One way to learn about Great Lakes shipping is to venture underwater. Two of southern Lake Michigan’s shipwrecks, the sailing schooner Rockaway and the steamer Hennepin, represent key stages of the shipping industry. Through their study, we gain valuable new insights into the demands of cargo transport, and how schooners evolved into the 600-foot self-unloading freighters that frequent St. Joseph’s harbor today. On August 6th, Lafferty and van Heest made a presentation on behalf of MSRA at the Heritage Museum which was attended by over 100 people who were able to view the exhibit for the first time that night. They will return in March 2009 The exhibit is the first part of a larger exhibit called Working Waterfronts which is scheduled to open in early 2009. Please plan to visit the exhibit soon.
The exhibit development and design team is pictured right in the exhibit and includes from left to right, Ken Pott, Valerie van Heest, Robert Doornbos, Christina Arsenau and Bill Lafferty.
1134 Goodwood Court Holland, Michigan 49424 www.michiganshipwrecks.org
MSRA is funded in part by an annual grant from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation, a Wisconsin 501c3 founded by Kimm Stablefeldt, Brad Friend and Jon Albrecht Page 6