May 2005 Vol I
Letter From the Board Members and Friends,
MSRA is entering an exciting period of time. We are a small organization with a growing membership, focusing on renewing and developing interest in local maritime history through the study of our shipwrecks and other maritime resources. One result of our growth is the development of a quarterly newsletter of which this is our first installment. Another is the updating of our web page, which can be viewed at www.michiganshipwrecks.org Another exciting development is that our local organization has captured the attention of a nationally recognized individual, who shares similar interests and goals with MSRA. That man is none-other-than Clive Cussler, acclaimed author. With Mr. Cussler’s backing and direction, MSRA is launching into a joint venture search for the remnants of a tragic local accident- the disappearance of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 in 1950, which was the worst US commercial airplane disaster at that time. Thedisaster did not receive much news coverage at the time, perhaps due to the media’s attention to events taking place in Korea at the beginning of that war. The possible discovery of portions of the plane, may help experts determine a cause for the disaster that happened 55 years ago, and serve as a memorial to those who were lost but not forgotten. This year MSRA will also continue our pursuits in discovering the SS Michigan, lost in 1883 off Holland. This is what MSRA is all about- finding answers to long unsolved mysteries. The challenge of the research - finding the pieces of the puzzle that may lead to a discovery and ultimately to solve the mystery, is what fuels us and keeps us going. We hope that you will be equally infused with this challenge. Get on board and join the exploration! Valerie van Heest
The Search Begins..... As the search for Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 begins again in 2005, historical research has been critical in establishing the search area and determining what type of wreckage we hope to find. Dozens of newspaper articles and several interviews have narrowed down the search grid to a specific area of Lake Michigan off the shores of South Haven. Flight 2501 was a Douglas DC-4 airliner that took off from New York’s LaGuardia airport at 7:30 PM on Friday June 23, 1950 with a crew of three and 55 passengers, and headed west under clear skies. The uneventful flight passed safely over Cleveland, Ohio and continued west toward Minneapolis, Minnesota — a major hub for Northwest Airlines. The DC-4 reached the South Haven, Michigan lakeshore at 12:13 AM EST when Captain Robert Lind, knowing of storms over Lake Michigan, requested clearance from air traffic control to 2,500 feet. He was denied due to other traffic in the area. That was the last communication from Flight 2501. Her disappearance marked the largest aviation disaster in U.S. history up to that point.
At daybreak, the search and rescue teams began an intense search on the fog-covered lake. The US Navy, US Coast Guard and State Police from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were on site. At the time, authorities wanted to determine whether the plane suffered a mid-air explosion, or whether it struck the water intact. Small pieces would be the only clues they had. The official investigation ended with no major wreckage found and no official reason for the loss. 55 years later, MSRA has made it a goal to research, discover and document the loss of Flight 2501. While the story was buried deep in the lost history of West Michigan for half a century, MSRA’s plans reached author Clive Cussler w h o h a d , himself, become fascinated by the loss of Flight 2501. While Mr. Cussler had discovered over 80 shipwrecks around the world, including the famed civil war submarine, the CSS Hunley, he had never attempted a project in the Great Lakes. He immediately suggested that his National Underwater and Marine Agency – NUMA — team
The Explorer is a regular publication of MSRA and is distributed via email. For more information visit www.michiganshipwrecks.org
MSRA Board of Directors
The search begins,.... Con’t
Jan Miller Valerie Olson van Heest Craig Rich Ross Richardson Jack van Heest Geoffrey Reynolds
up with MSRA to locate the remains of Flight 2501. The goal is to solve the mystery and determine the cause of this 55-year old loss. That search continues in the spring of 2005 as NUMA’s chief search expert Ralph Wilbanks again joins MSRA in the search to solve the mystery of Flight 2501.
One of the benefits of MSRA membership is that you will receive regular emails during the search detailing the day to day work taking place on the lake. And you will be the first to know the results of this joint venture. With the solid research that we have collected, and the committment of Mr. Cussler, MSRA is looking forward to a successful outcome.
David Trotter returns to hunt for the S.S. Michigan
Associates Brendon Baillod Historian/Writer
In June, MSRA will return to the waters off Holland with noted Great Lakes shipwreck hunter David Trotter to continue the search for the SS Michigan, which in 1885 became trapped in the ice during a rescue mission, and instead become the victim when it sank to the bottom in 300 feet of water. THis will be only the second year out of seven years that we have been able to undertake two hunt? You different search efforts.
“Treasure bet! Would I go again? Of course!”
Shipwreck searching takes a lot of patience and perseverance. After the initial efforts to get the sonar in the water and tuned to delivering the appropriate frequency, then it become a matter to “mow the lawn”. The boat moves a slow three miles per hour back and forth Lou Spencer, Sustaining Member across the lake with the sonar fish riding below the surface sending a signal back to the plotter on board. If the lake is calm and the weather clear, the team may scan the bottom Arthur Allen for as many as 10 hours per day. Or like last year, with only a small window of good weather, the team scanned for 24 hours straight! We use the waiting time to swap stories of adventure and discovery, and Oceanographer when we tire of that, we retreat to a quiet corner of the boat and nap or read. Sound boring? Well it can U.S. Coast Guard be, but to be on board when someone yells “TARGET!”, like sustaining member Lou Spencer was in 2001 when MSRA discovered the Akeley, is worth all the waiting. To be among the first to discover a Kenneth Pott shipwreck lost for over 100 years is a once in a lifetime experience for most. Maritime Archaeologist Dr. David Schwab Oceanographer GLERL
Kimberly E. Monk Maritime Archaeologist Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates , is a Michigan non-profit 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.
As members of MSRA, you can count on regular updates on the progress of the search for the Michigan which begins in early June. Sustaining members will have the opportunity to join in on the expedition.
Mark Your Calendars May 7, 2005 Knickerbocker Theatre 86 East Eighth St. 7:00 Please join MSRA and the Joint Archives of Holland as we present Mysteries and Histories, An Evening Beneath The Inland Seas, MSRA’s annual event. The Evening with feature four multi-media presentations about shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, and will include the debut of MSRA’s production The Disappearance of Flight 2501, and feature, Ralph Wilbanks, who with Clive Cussler, discovered the Civil War submarine Hunley.
MICHIGAN SHIPWRECK RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 1134 Goodwood Ct. Holland, MI 49424 www.michiganshipwrecks.org
Tickets are $10.00 for members and their guests (one complementary ticket per membership), and $12.50 at the door for non-members.
Join MSRA
$25 Annual Individual Membership Includes 1 free admission to Mysteries and Histories event, daily search emails and MSRA newsletters.
$50 Annual Family Membership Includes 2 free admissions to Mysteries and Histories event, daily search emails and MSRA newsletters.
$100 Supporting Membership Includes 2 free admissions to Mysteries and Histories event, daily search emails and MSRA newsletters, plus a complimentary documentary in video or DVD.
$250 Supporting Membership Includes 2 free admissions to Mysteries and Histories event each year, daily search emails and MSRA newsletters, plus two complimentary documentaries in video or DVD.
$500 Sustaining Membership
Includes the above plus the opportunity for you to join the MSRA search crew on a side scan expedition for one day during the June 2005 “Wreck Quest”.
$1,000 Lifetime Membership Includes the above plus opportunity for you and a friend to join the MSRA search crew on a side scan expedition for one day during the June 2005 “Wreck Quest”. To join, please send your check, made out to MSRA, to the address at the left. Please indicate if you plan to attend the event on May 7th, and how many tickets you need held for you.