By Suzette Lopez
On this day November 18, 1958, Lake Michigan claimed the steamer CARL D. BRADLEY as well as 33 of her crew of 35. Rogers City, Michigan, was especially devastated. It was home to 23 of the lost crew. The newspapers showed grieving families, churches full of caskets, the two survivors in hospital beds, basically an entire town in shock.
The BRADLEY was built in 1927 at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Company for the Bradley Transportation Co. of Rogers City, Michigan. Launched on
April 9th, she was the second to carry the name of the president of the Bradley Transportation Co. and Michigan Limestone. She was a steel, self-unloader that measured 623.2 feet in length, 65.2 feet in beam and 30.2 feet in draft and could carry about 18,000 tons of stone. Like the others in the Bradley fleet, she was painted gray so the dust from her cargoes faded in just fine.
She was the flagship from her commissioning in 1927 until 1952 when the JOHN G. MUNSON was launched and claimed the title.
Having completed 45 round trips in 1958, the BRADLEY had unloaded her final cargo for the season to a steel mill in Gary, Indiana. As is in November a storm was brewing. She headed home late in the evening of the 17th. The next day brought winds of over 60 mph and 25 foot waves. About 5:30 pm a loud noise was heard. Then the ship started vibrating which resulted in a large crack amidships. The first mate sent a distress call just as the power cables snapped – the ship was breaking in two. Those in the forward section were able to reach a life raft. Those in the aft section were not that lucky.
The distress call was heard by the CHRISTIAN SARTORI. When responding they saw the flash of the exploding boilers of the BRADLEY. In the dark and raging storm, the SARTORI saw no survivors when they reached the site two hours later.
The next morning the CG Cutter SUNDEW located one life raft. Four crew members were in it. Only two were still alive – First Mate Elmer Fleming and deckhand Frank Mays.
The company disputed the claim that she broke in two. In 1959 US Steel had an underwater survey of the wreck done which claimed she was in 360 feet of water and in one piece. The tragedy was “an act of God” not negligence. In 1997 the M-ROVER, a submersible Remote Operated Vehicle on loan from the University of Michigan, showed the BRADLEY sitting upright in two sections about 90 feet apart.
Elmer Fleming joined his crew in 1969. Frank Mays in 2021.
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Suzette Lopez is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
Photo at top of page: CARL D. BRADLEY, dated 1936.
Other Photos:
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
