By James Heinz
The MV PRINS WILLEM V is a famous shipwreck. The ship sank three miles east of the Milwaukee breakwater lighthouse on October 14, 1954, after striking the towing cable between an oil barge and a tugboat. Shortly thereafter legendary Milwaukee underwater explorer Max Gene Nohl tried to salvage it but failed.
Since that time, the ship has become nationally famous. It is often listed as one of the top five dive sites in the US. It is so popular that although no one died during the sinking, five sport divers have died on the wreck since it sank.
Shortly after it sank, Milwaukee underwater explorer Max Gene Nohl tried to salvage it but failed. I made my first and last Great Lakes dive on the “Willie”. I describe both my and Max Nohl’s adventures on the Willie in a previous story: https://wmhs.org/the-bends-ended-his-diving-adventures-but-not-the-tales-he-tells/
So, it was exciting for me when recently I uncovered a lead to a previously unknown artifact from the Willie in the usual place I get most of my information:
In a bar.
I was having a drink at Transfer Pizza on 1st and Mitchell when I struck up a conversation with the guy seated next to me. He identified himself as Milwaukee ship repair specialist Mike Giannini. He told me that he had an anchor from the Willie at his shop, a few blocks away.
And he took me to see it.
The anchor is painted gold because that was the color that the previous owner had painted it. And, because as Mike said, “that was just the sort of thing he liked to do.”
Stay tuned for more artifacts from the Willie.
———————————
James Heinz is the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s acquisitions director. He became interested in maritime history as a kid watching Jacques Cousteau’s adventures on TV. He was a Great Lakes wreck diver until three episodes of the bends forced him to retire from diving. He was a University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee police officer for thirty years. He regularly flies either a Cessna 152 or 172.
Note: The difference in the anchors in the photos has been noted. This is the anchor’s owner story.
