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Students at The Maritime Academy of Toledo held a special colors ceremony Nov. 10 to remember the crew of S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on the 35th anniversary of the tragedy.
On Nov. 10, 1975 at approximated 7:10 p.m., the ship disappeared from radar during a violent storm on Lake Superior. Twenty-nine crewmembers lost their lives, including seven from northwest Ohio. Investigators found the wrecked ship approximately 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Bay submerged in 530 feet of water.
“Every morning our school gathers to raise the flag during our presentation of colors. On Nov. 10, we had students pay tribute to crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald by reciting the names of the crew members and the tolling of a bell,” said Renee Marazon, the academy's superintendent.
“This is an opportunity for the students to learn more about our local maritime history given the fact that seven of the crew members were from our area. The ship also had ties to the community as it would be moored in Toledo when the shipping season ended,” Marazon said.
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Paul LaMarre III, Executive Director of S.S. Willis B. Boyer
and Manager of Maritime Affairs for the Toledo-Lucas
County Port Authority spoke to Maritime Academy of
Toledo students about the importance of the Fitzgerald
story and why they need to keep her legacy alive. The
Fitzgerald made numerous trips to Toledo coal docks,
and during the winter was moored in Toledo. |
The seven crewmembers from Northwest Ohio were Ernest M. McSorley, 63, Captain, Ottawa Hills; Eugene W. O'Brien, 50, Wheelsman, Toledo; Robert C. Rafferty, 62, Steward, Toledo; William J. Spengler, 59, Watchman, Toledo; Thomas E. Edwards, 50, Second Assistant Engineer, Oregon; Russell G. Haskell, 40, Second Assistant Engineer, Millbury and Ralph G. Walton, 58, Oiler, Fremont.
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