View source for SS Carl D. Bradley

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{{Short description|Self-unloading Great Lakes freighter that sank in a Lake Michigan storm}} 
{|{{Infobox ship begin}} 
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=CarlDBradley_ship.jpg
|Ship caption=SS ''Carl D. Bradley''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|government}}
|Ship registry={{flagicon|US|civil}} [[New York City]]
|Ship name=''Carl D. Bradley''
|Ship owner=* [[Bradley Transportation Company]] [[Duluth, Minnesota]] 1927–1952
* [[U.S. Steel|United States Steel Corporation]] [[Cleveland]], Ohio 1952–1958
|Ship operator=* Bradley Transportation Company 1927–1952
* United States Steel Corporation 1952–1958
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[American Ship Building Company]], [[Lorain, Ohio]]
|Ship yard number=00797
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=April 9, 1927
|Ship completed=mid-1927
|Ship christened=July 28, 1927
|Ship maiden voyage=July 27–28, 1927
|Ship identification=Registry number US 226776
|Ship acquired=
|Ship nickname=''Carl D''.<ref name="Schumacher2008, p. 4">{{cite book |last = Schumacher |first = Michael |title = Wreck of the Carl D.: A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=YBieuKYzbhQC&q=Wreck+of+the+Carl+D. |publisher = Wayne State University Press |location = Detroit |year = 2008 |isbn = 978-0-253-22258-9 |page = 4 |access-date = October 20, 2020 |via = [[Google Books]] }}</ref>
|Ship in service=July 28, 1927
|Ship out of service=November 18, 1958
|Ship fate=Sank in a storm on November 18, 1958
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=Self-unloading [[lake freighter]]
|Ship tonnage={{GRT|10,028}}
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length={{convert|639|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|65.2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship depth={{convert|30.2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship capacity= 14,000 t (stone) 12,000 t (coal) largest cargo 18,114 t (stone)
|Ship power={{convert|4,800|hp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=General Electric high and low pressure steam turbines turning electric motors to a single fixed pitch propeller
|Ship speed={{convert|14|-|16|mph|kph|abbr=on}}
|Ship crew=35
|Ship notes= Second vessel to carry this name. The first SS ''Carl D. Bradley'' was renamed SS ''John G. Munson'' in 1927 and SS ''Irvin L. Clymer'' in 1951.
}}
|}

'''SS ''Carl D. Bradley''''' was an American [[self-discharger|self-unloading]] [[Great Lakes]] [[Lake freighter|freighter]] that sank in a [[Lake Michigan]] storm on November 18, 1958. Of the 35 crew members, 33 died in the sinking. Twenty-three were from the port town of [[Rogers City, Michigan]], United States. Her sinking was likely caused by [[structural failure]] from the brittle steel used in her construction as well as extensive use throughout her 31-year career.

Built in 1927 by the [[American Ship Building Company]]&nbsp;in [[Lorain, Ohio]], ''Carl D. Bradley'' was owned by the [[Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company|Michigan Limestone]] division of [[U.S. Steel]], and operated by the [[Bradley Transportation Company]]. She retained the title of "[[Queen of the Lakes]]" for 22 years as the longest and largest freighter on the Great Lakes.

==History==

===Design and construction===
[[Bradley Transportation Company]]'s fleet of [[Self-discharger|self-unloading ships]] was used to haul [[limestone]] from the [[Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company|Michigan Limestone]] quarry in [[Rogers City, Michigan]]. ''Carl D. Bradley'' was built to meet Michigan Limestone's lucrative contract with a cement firm in [[Gary, Indiana]].<ref name="Schumacher2008, p. 9">{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 8}}.</ref> By {{convert|7|ft|spell=in}}, she was longer than the second largest ship on the [[Great Lakes]] and her engine had almost twice the power of engines installed in most [[lake freighter]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last = Thompson |first = Mark L. |title = Queen of the Lakes |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=irtD2o_uQ88C&q=Carl+D.+Bradley |publisher = Wayne State University Press |location = Detroit |year = 1994 |isbn = 0-8143-3226-9 |pages = 136–137 |access-date = October 20, 2020 |via = Google Books }}</ref>  At {{convert|639|ft}}, she was the longest freighter (and the largest self-unloader) on the lakes for 22 years. Later the AA class of [[United States Steel Corporation|U.S. Steel]]-owned freighters was roughly the same size as ''Carl D. Bradley'' but shorter in length by just inches. ''Carl D. Bradley'' retained the title "[[Queen of the Lakes]]" until the launch of the {{convert|678|ft|adj=on}} SS ''Wilfred Sykes'' in 1949.<ref>{{harvp|Thompson|1994|p= 139}}.</ref>

''Carl D. Bradley'' began as hull 797 in 1923 at the [[American Ship Building Company]] in [[Lorain, Ohio]], where she was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on April 9, 1927. She was outfitted with her fore and aft housing in the ensuing months until her maiden voyage, when her namesake Carl David Bradley, the president of Michigan Limestone; Bradley's wife; the Rogers City community band; and hundreds of Rogers City residents greeted her as she steamed into Calcite Harbor on July 28, 1927. Bradley declared that the new ship was "the last word in freighter construction."<ref>{{harvp|Thompson|1994|p= 136}}.</ref>

The [[United States Coast Guard]] (USCG) described ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s design and construction as: <blockquote> ... [a] typical arrangement for self-unloading type vessels with a forepeak and large cargo area, and having propulsion machinery aft. These areas were separated by two transverse watertight bulkheads, the collision bulkhead at frame 12 and the engine room forward bulkhead at frame 173. The cargo hold space was divided into five compartments by screen bulkheads above the tunnel and the unloading machinery was located in the conveyor room just forward of the cargo spaces. The entire 475 foot length of the cargo spaces was open longitudinally through the tunnel and conveyor room.<ref>{{cite book |author = United States Coast Guard |author-link = United States Coast Guard |title = Marine Board of Investigation: Foundering of the SS ''Carl D. Bradley'', Lake Michigan, 18 November 1958 with Loss of Life |publisher = United States Coast Guard |date = July 7, 1959 |url = http://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/carlbradley.pdf |access-date = November 4, 2017 |page = 6 |archive-date = May 13, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210513191703/https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/carlbradley.pdf |url-status = live }}</ref></blockquote>

As the [[flagship]] of Bradley Transportation Company, ''Carl D. Bradley'' often carried corporate officials and guests in her staterooms. She received more attention than the other ships in the fleet, with her gray and red paint always fresh, her decks freshly hosed down, and a larger crew.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 9, 22}}.</ref> She had individual rooms for the [[Captain (nautical)|captain]], chief [[Mate (naval officer)|mates]], chief [[Steward's Department|steward]], and [[engine room]] officers. The rest of the crew was housed in comfortable dormitory style rooms. She had a "state-of-the-art" [[galley]] with huge refrigeration units and storage pantries. Her engine room housed a huge generator powered by two [[Foster-Wheeler boiler]]s. ''Carl D. Bradley'' was the only fully electric ship in the Bradley Transportation fleet; her generator powered everything from the propeller to the running lights.<ref name="Schumacher2008, p. 10">{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 10}}.</ref>

===Career===
{{multiple image
   | direction = vertical
   | width     = 220
   | footer    =
   | footer_align =
   | image1    = 6-20-49 Str. Carl D. Bradley unloading stone at Gary, Indiana.jpg
   | alt1      = Photograph of ''Carl D. Bradley'' unloading
   | caption1  = ''Carl D. Bradley'' unloading stone at Buffington Harbor in Gary, IN in June, 1949
   | image2    = Bradley, Taylor, circa 1942.jpg
   | alt2      = = Photograph of ''Carl D. Bradley (1)'' and ''Myron C. Taylor''|''
   | caption2  = ''Carl D. Bradley'' (2) and ''Myron C. Taylor'' at Michigan Limestone
  }}
''Carl D. Bradley''{{'s}} registered port was [[New York City]]; however, her true base of operations was Rogers City, where Michigan Limestone was based.  The Bradley Transportation fleet was predominantly crewed by men from Rogers City. Many of crew were friends, neighbors, or familial relatives.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 24}}.</ref> As the boats often departed and returned every few days, many of the crew made their homes and raised their families in Rogers City.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= xiv}}.</ref>

During her career, ''Carl D. Bradley'' carried different grades of limestone from [[Lake Huron]] to deepwater ports on Lakes [[Lake Michigan|Michigan]] and [[Lake Erie|Erie]] and occasionally [[Lake Superior]].<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 9}}.</ref> She set new records in stone trade, carrying her largest cargo in 1929 when she loaded with {{convert|18114|LT|ST t|0}} of limestone, a cargo that would require 300 railroad cars to move.<ref>{{harvp|Thompson|1994|p= 137}}.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Bowen |first = Dana Thomas |title = Lore of the Lakes |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Mo1uAAAAMAAJ&q=Bradley |page = 229 |publisher = Freshwater Press, Inc. |location = Cleveland, Ohio |orig-year = First published 1940 |year = 1969 |lccn = 40033309 |access-date = October 20, 2020 |via = Google Books }}</ref> She was the first lake freighter to pass through the new MacArthur Lock at the [[Soo Locks]] in 1943.<ref name="Gilham, 2004">{{cite magazine |last = Gilham |first = Skip |year = 2004 |title = Shipwreck: ''Carl D. Bradley'' |magazine = Mariners Weather Log |volume = 48 |issue = 3 |url = http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/dec_04/bradley.shtml |publisher = [[National Weather Service]] |location = Silver Spring, Maryland |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230624105113/http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/dec_04/bradley.shtml |archive-date = June 24, 2023 |url-status = live }}</ref>

As the largest ship on the lakes, ''Carl D. Bradley'' was traditionally the first boat through the [[Straits of Mackinac]] when the ice kept the smaller vessels from leaving port. She served as an [[icebreaker]]. Her forepeak was filled with concrete; she would break ice to Indiana, and then go to the Lorain shipyard for replacement of broken plates before starting her season.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 12}}.</ref>

''Carl D. Bradley'' sustained damage in a collision with MV ''White Rose'' on the [[St. Clair River]] on April 3, 1957. She was in [[dry dock]] in [[Chicago]] for seven days in May 1957 for major repairs to her hull.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 6">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 6}}.</ref> ''Carl D. Bradley'' had two [[Ship grounding|groundings]] while proceeding out of [[Cedarville, Michigan]], one in the spring of 1958 and the other in November 1958, the latter of which required repairs.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 6"/> These groundings were not reported to the USCG, which would later consider whether the groundings caused hull stresses that contributed to ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s sinking.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 3">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 3}}.</ref> The USCG noted that although Bradley Transportation received an award for 2,228,775 injury-free [[man hour]]s from April 24, 1955, to December 31, 1957, while operating ''Carl D. Bradley'', the company's focus was industrial safety rather than material safety of the vessel.<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 7}}.</ref> Since the company's founding in 1912, it had never lost a ship until loss of ''Carl D. Bradley''.<ref>{{cite book |last = Kantar |first = Andrew |title = Black November: The Carl D. Bradley Tragedy |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4QMmZAjK3ckC&q=%27%27Black+November:+The+Carl+D.+Bradley+Tragedy%27%27 |publisher = Michigan State University Press |location = East Lansing, Michigan |year = 2006 |isbn = 978-0-87013-783-9 |page = 33 |via = Google Books }}</ref>

Although ''Carl D. Bradley'' was normally one of the busiest ships in the Bradley fleet, she was laid up from July 1 to October 1, 1958, due to a downturn in the steel industry. She made only 43 round trips in the 1958 shipping season.<ref name="Schumacher2008, p. 4"/> ''Carl D. Bradley'' was scheduled for repairs in [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]], [[Wisconsin]], when she laid up over the winter.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 5">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 5}}.</ref> Her owner, Bradley Transportation, a [[U.S. Steel]] subsidiary, planned an $800,000 replacement of her rusting [[Hold (compartment)|cargo hold]] and [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]].<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 19}}.</ref> A common joke among her crew was that she was being held together by her rust.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 5}}.</ref> Sailors reported that they picked up sheared off rivets by the bucketful following storms due to ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s excessive twisting and bending in heavy weather.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 5–6}}.</ref>

The USCG conducted an annual inspection of ''Carl D. Bradley'' on April 17, 1958, and found her seaworthy.<ref name="USCGReport 1959 p. 18">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 18}}.</ref> On October 30, 1958, the USCG found no problems during a safety inspection of ''Carl D. Bradley'' that included a fire and boat drill.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 6"/>

===Final voyage===
''Carl D. Bradley'' met its fate on November 18, 1958, while en route to Rogers City. The previous day, she had completed what was initially supposed to be her last voyage of the 1958 season, which she completed with the delivery of a cargo of crushed stone at Gary, Indiana.<ref name="Kantar 2006 p. 21">{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 21}}.</ref> After leaving Gary, ''Carl D. Bradley'' set course for Manitowoc, where she was due to spend her winter layup in dry dock and was to have a new cargo hold fitted.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 3–4}}.</ref> She departed Gary empty on her final voyage on November 17 at 10:00&nbsp;p.m. with {{convert|9000|gal}} in her [[ballast tanks]] for stability.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 22}}.</ref> However, when ''Carl D. Bradley'' was only a few hours from Manitowoc, she received an order from U.S. Steel to return to Calcite Harbor, as they had scheduled her to deliver another load of stone at the last minute.<ref>{{cite AV media |first1 = Frank |last1 = Mays |first2 = Anne |last2 = Belanger |first3 = Brian |last3 = Belanger |first4 = Christopher |last4 = Knight |title = November Requiem |location = Rogers City, Michigan |publisher = Bon Ami Filmworks |year = 2009 |type = DVD |oclc = 432049094 }}{{full|date=November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/11/64-years-ago-lake-michigan-claimed-the-carl-d-bradley/ |title = 64 years ago, Lake Michigan claimed the Carl D. Bradley |date = November 18, 2022 |first1 = Jeffrey D. |last1 = Braise |newspaper = [[The Alpena News]] |accessdate = December 15, 2022 |archive-date = December 15, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221215170138/https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/11/64-years-ago-lake-michigan-claimed-the-carl-d-bradley/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

The winds were {{convert|25|to|35|mph|kn km/h}} at the start of her trip. The weather forecast was a [[gale]] with {{convert|50|to|65|mph|kn km/h}} southerly winds changing to southwest.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 1">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 1}}.</ref> ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s path would take it into a lethal storm that was the result of two separate weather patterns merging. A line of thirty [[tornado]]es extended from [[Illinois]] to [[Texas]]; more than {{convert|1|ft}} of snow fell on [[North Dakota|North]] and [[South Dakota]]; nearly {{convert|2|ft}} of snow fell in [[Wyoming]]; [[Nevada]]'s temperatures plummeted to below freezing; and [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]], [[Arizona]], had a record {{convert|6.4|inch|adj=on}} snowfall.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 15–16}}.</ref>

Captain Roland Bryan was known as a "heavy weather captain" who took pride in delivering his cargo on time.<ref name="Schumacher2008, pp. 2–3.">{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 2–3}}.</ref> Bryan's usual course up Lake Michigan was quicker and ran closer to the Michigan shore. On November 18, he avoided the brunt of the building seas by instead traveling {{convert|5|to|12|mi}} along the [[windward and leeward|lee]] of the Wisconsin shore.<ref name="Schumacher2008, pp. 2–3."/> He planned a course with his [[First mate|first]] and [[second mate]] that would take them to [[Cana Island]], then turn at Lansing Shoal near the [[Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)|Beaver Island]] group.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 13}}.</ref> Although the seas gathered strength from the southwest, they were not considered severe and the ship was riding smoothly.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 1"/> However, there is evidence that regardless of his reputation, Bryan likely had his doubts concerning how well the 31-year-old vessel could manage in rough seas. Not long before ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s loss, he stated in a letter to a friend that he was well aware that the ship was not in the best condition structurally and should not be out in bad weather. He also expressed in the letter that he was relieved that ''Carl D. Bradley'' was slated to receive a new cargo hold during her winter lay-up in Manitowoc.<ref>{{harvp|Mays|Belanger|Belanger|Knight|2009|loc=}}.</ref>

Two ships were running parallel with ''Carl D. Bradley'' when she passed [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]], at 4:00&nbsp;a.m. on November 18. She reduced her speed sometime prior to 4:00&nbsp;p.m. to {{convert|14|to|15|mph|kn km/h}}. By 4:00&nbsp;p.m, she was past [[Poverty Island]] with Bryan in charge of navigation and the first mate on watch. Winds were storm force from the southwest at {{convert|60|to|65|mph|kn km/h}}. ''Carl D. Bradley'' was "riding comfortably with a heavy following sea slightly on the starboard quarter."<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 8}}.</ref> At 5:35&nbsp;p.m. the ship was about {{convert|12|mi|km}} southwest of [[Gull Island (Charlevoix County, Michigan)|Gull Island]].<ref name="USCG Report, p. 1"/> At this moment a loud thud was heard followed by a vibration. The first mate turned aft and saw the stern of the vessel sagging. Bryan slammed the engine's telegraph to "stop engines" and sounded the alarm to abandon ship.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 38}}.</ref> As the ship broke in two, he shouted at the crew on deck to run and don their life jackets.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 51}}.</ref>  The first mate managed to radio transmissions of [[Mayday (distress signal)|mayday]] and give their position before the power lines aboard the ship were severed.<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|pp= 9–11}}.</ref> The distress call was picked up by the USCG, [[amateur radio]] and commercial stations on land and sea.<ref name="Kantar 2006 p. 21"/><ref name="USCG Report, p. 1"/>

''Carl D. Bradley'' had one [[life raft]] stored in the bow section and two [[Lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboats]] stored in the stern section. The crew in the stern section attempted to lower the lifeboats.<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 11}}.</ref> One lifeboat became entangled in cables and the other lifeboat dangled at an impossible angle for launching or boarding.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 53}}.</ref> The life raft was tossed clear of the wreck when the bow section sank.<ref name="Schumacher 2008 p. 55">{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 55}}.</ref> The four crew members who reached the life raft were repeatedly thrown off by the massive waves and only two survived.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 85–86}}.</ref>

The crew on the German cargo vessel ''Christian Sartori'' witnessed the sinking through their binoculars. They saw the lights go out on the fore part of the ship while the aft end of the ship remained lit. Then they saw the lights on the aft end go out so that the silhouette of the ship remained barely visible. A short time later they heard an explosion and saw a red, yellow and white column of flame and remnants shoot up in the air.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 48–50}}.</ref> They "concluded that the ''Bradley'' had exploded".<ref name="USCG Report, p. 2">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 2}}.</ref>

===Search and rescue===
After witnessing the explosion, ''Christian Sartori'' immediately altered course for ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s location. However, the wind and waves were so fierce that it took her one and one-half hours to traverse the {{convert|4|mi}} that separated the vessels.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 2"/> The [[Plum Island Range Lights|Plum Island]] lifesaving station deployed a {{convert|36|ft|adj=on}} boat within minutes of the sinking. The crew was unable to steer or make any headway in the storm and was forced to seek the shelter of nearby [[Washington Island (Wisconsin)|Washington Island]].<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 64}}.</ref> The [[USCGC Sundew (WLB-404)|USCG Cutter ''Sundew'']] went out from [[Charlevoix, Michigan]], into the open lake in the pounding seas of an unremitting gale. She arrived at the search area at 10:40&nbsp;p.m. on November 18, five hours after ''Carl D. Bradley'' sank.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 93}}.</ref> Coast Guard Station Charlevoix also launched a {{convert|36|ft|adj=on}} motor [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboat]] in an attempt to reach ''Carl D. Bradley'', but this was ordered back after being mercilessly tossed about on Lake Michigan. The [[USCGC Hollyhock (WAGL-220)|USCG Cutter ''Hollyhock'']] from [[Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin]], arrived on the search scene at 1:30&nbsp;a.m. on November 19 after a seven-hour trip that her skipper described as "a visit to hell."<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 96}}.</ref> During the night, friends and family members of ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s crew drove from Rogers City and the surrounding towns to Charlevoix where any survivors would arrive. They kept vigil by lining the beach at Charlevoix with their car headlights turned on.<ref>{{cite book |last = Rattigan |first = William |title = Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MsrCAItQ9FIC&q=Great+Lakes+Shipwrecks+and+Survivors&pg=PA142 |publisher = Galahad Books |location = New York |year = 1977 |orig-year = First published 1960 |isbn = 978-0-88365-243-5 |page = 29 |access-date = October 20, 2020 |via = Google Books }}</ref> Eight other commercial vessels joined the search at daybreak. USCG air and surface units searched for survivors throughout the following days.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 2"/>

At 8:37&nbsp;a.m. on November 19, ''Sundew'' located ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s forward life raft fifteen hours after the sinking and {{convert|17|mi|km}} from the disaster site. Two survivors were on the raft — First Mate Elmer H. Fleming, 43, and Deck Watchman Frank L. Mays, 26.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 108–109}}.</ref> Another crew member from ''Carl D. Bradley'', Deck Watchman Gary Strzelecki, was also found alive, but died not long after being rescued. The two survivors said that they fired two of the three [[signal flare]]s stored on the life raft not long after ''Carl D. Bradley'' sank. When they tried to fire the remaining flare, it was wet and would not fire when ''Christian Sartori'' passed within {{convert|100|yd}} without seeing them.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 71–72}}.</ref> Mays reported that his cork-filled life jacket kept him buoyed but he had to hold it down just to keep it on due to the force of the waves. He knew that he had to find something to hold on to in order to survive.<ref name="Schumacher 2008 p. 55"/>

During the day, ''Sundew'' and other vessels recovered seventeen more bodies, all wearing lifejackets.<ref name="Kantar 2006, p. 49.">{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 49}}.</ref> The bodies were brought to Charlevoix City Hall for family identification.<ref name="Kantar 2006, p. 49."/>  More lifejackets were found laced up, indicating that they may have slipped off while they were worn.<ref name="Kantar 2006, p. 49."/> In all, of the 35 crewmen, 33 lost their lives. The bodies of the fifteen men not recovered remain missing to this day.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 165, 199}}.</ref>

After the ice broke up in the spring of 1959, the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] located ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s wreck using [[sonar]] equipment aboard MS ''Williams''. The wreck was found {{convert|5|mi}} northwest of Boulder Reef and just south of Gull Island lying at a depth of {{convert|360|to|370|ft}}.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 55}}.</ref> Later in 1959, ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s owners, U.S. Steel, hired [[Los Angeles]]-based Global Marine Exploration Company to survey the wreck using the underwater television from the USS ''Submarex''.{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}} They concluded that the ship was lying in one piece. However, the two survivors continued to maintain that they saw ''Carl D. Bradley'' break in two.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 56}}.</ref> The U.S. Steel survey of the wreck was criticized because it was conducted in secrecy without impartial witnesses.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 167}}.</ref>

==Coast Guard investigation and recommendations==
===Investigation===
The Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation found that ''Carl D. Bradley'' sank from excessive [[hogging_and_sagging|hogging]] stresses. The Marine Board reported that four vessels were crossing Lake Michigan parallel or ahead of ''Carl D. Bradley'' during the storm and that eight other vessels sought shelter at the time of the casualty.<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|pp= 8–9}}.</ref> They concluded that Bryan "exercised poor judgment" when he decided to leave the shelter of the Wisconsin shore and sail into the open lake during the storm.<ref name="USCGReport 1959 p. 18"/><ref>{{cite book |last = Thompson |first = Mark L. |title = Graveyard of the Lakes |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Tog_ll_MYrkC&q=Graveyard+of+the+Lakes+by+Mark+L.+Thompson |publisher = Wayne State University Press |location = Detroit |year = 2000 |isbn = 978-0-8143-2889-7 |pages = 307, 309, 314 |access-date = October 20, 2020 }}</ref> However, the Commandant of the USCG, Vice Admiral A.C. Richmond, issued his own report that disapproved the Marine Board's conclusion that Bryan used poor judgment. Richmond noted that his conclusion was supported by the vessel's 31-year history of Great Lakes navigation and the report that it was sailing smoothly prior to its sinking.<ref name="USCG Report, p. 2"/> His report also rejected that hogging stresses caused ''Carl D. Bradley'' to sink, instead concluding that she broke up due to "undetected structural weakness or defect."<ref>{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|p= 3}}.</ref>

Maritime historian Mark Thompson wrote that the type of steel used in the older vessels may have caused their structural failure:<blockquote>After the ''Carl D. Bradley'' sank in 1958, Coast Guard technical experts were aware of the shortcomings of the notch-sensitive and brittle steel that was used to build many ships prior to 1948, but there doesn't seem to have been any program in place to warn the owners or crew of such vessels. That led to the loss of the ''[[SS Daniel J. Morrell]]'' in 1966, and may have been a factor in many other shipwrecks.<ref>{{harvp|Thompson|2000|p= 339}}.</ref></blockquote>

===Recommendations===
Following their investigation of the ''Carl D. Bradley'' sinking, the Marine Board made the following safety recommendations:
:1. Mechanical changes should be made in the way lifeboats are disengaged and deployed.<ref name="USCG 1959, pp. 18–19.">{{harvp|United States Coast Guard|1959|pp= 18–19}}.</ref>
:2.  A second life raft should be mandatory on Great Lakes cargo ships because they land upright no matter how they are overturned.<ref name="USCG 1959, pp. 18–19."/>
:3.  Each life boat should be equipped with two tow ropes (painters).<ref name="USCG 1959, pp. 18–19."/>
:4.  Six parachute-type flare signals with equipment for firing them skyward  should be stored on each lifeboat and life raft.<ref name="USCG 1959, pp. 18–19."/>
:5.  The cork and canvas life vests should be updated to include crotch straps and collars to support the neck.<ref name="USCG 1959, pp. 18–19."/>

The Great Lakes shipping industry later replaced the rigid, open rafts like the one carried on ''Carl D. Bradley'' with inflatable life rafts with an enclosed canopy for protection against the elements.<ref>{{harvp|Thompson|1994|p= 142}}.</ref>

In 1968, the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] (NTSB) gave notice to the USCG Commandant that the structural failure sustained by [[SS Edward Y. Townsend|SS ''Edward Y. Townsend'']], ''Carl D. Bradley'', and ''Daniel J. Morrell'' could recur under similar circumstances. The NTSB recommended that the USCG take action to implement a progressive structural renewal on ships constructed prior to 1948.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/M68_1_2.pdf |title = National Transportation Safety Board letter to the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant |author = Unknown |date = February 8, 1968 |publisher = National Transportation Safety Board |access-date = August 16, 2023 |archive-date = May 2, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170502073541/https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/M68_1_2.pdf |url-status = live }}</ref>

==Legal settlement==
''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s estimated value at the time her loss was $8 million, making her the most costly shipwreck in Great Lakes history.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 138}}.</ref> U.S. Steel initially offered $660,000 as a [[legal settlement|settlement]]. Family members of the lost crewmen felt that U.S. Steel used the USCG findings to avoid responsibility for the loss of ''Carl D. Bradley''. The company believed that their 1959 survey results of the wreck supported their position that her loss was an "[[act of God]]".<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 168}}.</ref>

Ten families filed lawsuits seeking more than $7 million just weeks after the USCG report was released.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 199}}.</ref> U.S. Steel reached a $1,250,000 [[lump sum]] settlement one year and sixteen days after the sinking. A commissioner was appointed to determine how the settlement money would be divided among the families. The settlement would not guarantee lifelong financial security to the victims' families. One published source said the settlement was "one of the fastest in maritime history for a case of its scope."<ref name="Schumacher, p. 171">{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 171}}.</ref>

==Wreck observations==
[[File:Card D Bradley Pilot house door.jpg|thumb|left|alt=photograph of ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s pilot house door|''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s pilot house door in 2007]]
Jim Clary, marine author and artist, and Fred Shannon, maritime explorer, led two diving expeditions to the wreck with the goal of proving that the survivors' account that ''Carl D. Bradley'' broke apart was accurate.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= 184–185}}.</ref><ref name="Shannon Vol. 5, p. 9">{{cite magazine |last = Shannon |first = Frederick |year = 2008 |title = Shipwreck Explorer Establishing ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' - ''Carl D. Bradley'' Database |magazine = The Great Lakes Pilot |volume = 5 |issue = 6 |publisher = Great Lakes Pilot Publishing |location = Grand Marais, Michigan |page = 9 }}</ref> Survivor Frank Mays participated in both expeditions. The first expedition in 1995 was conducted with a [[submersible]]. It was unable to conclusively prove whether ''Carl D. Bradley'' broke apart due to poor visibility and weather conditions.<ref name="McCosh, p. 96">{{cite magazine |last = McCosh |first = Cy |date = June 1996 |title = Secrets of the Lakes |magazine = [[Popular Science]] |volume = 248 |issue = 6 |pages = 92–96 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=e3zzudr4_3UC&q=frederick+shannon+expedition+94+edmund+fitzgerald&pg=PA92 |access-date = March 15, 2011 |via = Google Books }}</ref> However, "Mays, as the only survivor of the tragedy, placed a plaque on the wreck in memory of his fellow crewmen."<ref name="Shannon Vol. 5, p. 9"/>

Clary, Shannon, and Mays conducted the second expedition in 1997 with a [[remotely operated underwater vehicle]] (ROV). They obtained underwater video film showing two sections of ''Carl D. Bradley'' sitting upright about {{convert|90|ft|m|0}} apart at a depth of {{convert|320|to|380|ft|m|0}}.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 185}}.</ref> Forty years after ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s sinking, Mays was able to view her hull from inside the submersible.<ref name="McCosh, p. 96"/> He later wrote, "I saw it go down in two pieces on the surface and now I've seen it in two pieces on the bottom of Lake Michigan."<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 186}}.</ref> 

''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s wreck lies in {{convert|310|to|380|ft}} of water in a [[thermocline]] with a temperature of {{convert|39|F|C}}. A very high degree of technical skill and long decompression are required to dive this wreck.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Clark |first = Mel |title = The ''Carl D. Bradley'': Did she break in two or was she simply overcome by the storm? |magazine = Advanced Diver Magazine |url = http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/articles/bradley/bradley.html |access-date = March 14, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101213030708/http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/articles/bradley/bradley.html |archive-date = December 13, 2010 |url-status = live }}</ref> Mirek Standowicz made the first [[scuba diving|scuba dives]] to ''Carl D. Bradley'' in 2001. He videotaped the [[pilothouse]] for a documentary by Out of Blue Productions. His video recorded the glass blown out of the pilot house windows and the telegraph in the stop position.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 187–188}}.</ref>

Two Minnesota divers, John Janzen and John Scoles, spent months preparing to remove ''Carl D. Bradley''{{'}}s [[ship's bell|bell]]. They designed a special battery system and underwater torch and conducted practice dives in a flooded iron mine in Wisconsin.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 189}}.</ref> After obtaining the required permission from Michigan government agencies, Scoles and Janzen conducted three dives to ''Carl D. Bradley'' in August 2007.<ref name="Pabst">{{cite news |last = Pabst |first = Lora |title = Two Minnesota divers make Lake Michigan history |url = http://www.startribune.com/local/north/11916546.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121015010101/http://www.startribune.com/local/north/11916546.html |date = November 21, 2007 |newspaper = [[Star Tribune]] |location = Minneapolis, Minnesota |access-date = March 15, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-date = October 15, 2012 }}</ref> They removed the original bell and replaced it with memorial bell of similar dimensions, engraved with the names of the lost crew. They were the first scuba divers to reach the stern of ''Carl D. Bradley'', including long penetration dives inside the ship's engine room.<ref name="Pabst"/> Frank Mays was present on the surface during the dives and saw the bell for the first time in 49 years when it broke the water surface.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 192}}.</ref>

== Legacy and memorial ==
Of the 35 crewmen, 33 died in the sinking; 23 were from Rogers City, Michigan, a town with 3,873 residents.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|pp= xiii–xiii}}.</ref>  Twenty-three women were widowed and fifty-three children became fatherless.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 54}}.</ref> Two ''Carl D. Bradley'' wives had children on the way.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 116}}.</ref> The largest mass funeral service was held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church for nine of the recovered victims.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 53}}.</ref> Friends and relatives would nearly double the town's population during the funerals and memorial services. There was a funeral on every street. Rogers City's mayor issued an official proclamation declaring that every November 18 would be dedicated to the memory of the men lost on the ship.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|pp= 51–54}}.</ref> The [[Mariner's Church]] of [[Detroit, Michigan]], offered special prayers for the vessel's sailors. Ships at sea dropped anchor at noon for memorial services for those lost on ''Carl D. Bradley''.<ref>{{harvp|Rattigan|1977|pp= 33–34}}.</ref>

The ''[[Detroit News]]'' established the "''Carl D. Bradley'' Ship Disaster Fund" and contributed $1,000 to set it up. Donations came from across the country, ranging from Michigan Limestone's $10,000 contribution, to collections aboard commercial ships, to individual donations.<ref>{{harvp|Schumacher|2008|p= 132}}.</ref>

On August 9, 1997, a memorial in Rogers City's Lakeside Park was dedicated to the thirty-three men who lost their lives on ''Carl D. Bradley'' and ''Cedarville''.<ref>{{harvp|Kantar|2006|p= 51}}.</ref>

The bell from ''Carl D. Bradley'' was returned to Rogers City in 2007. It was restored and unveiled in a ceremony held on the weekend of the 49th anniversary of the sinking.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.carldbradley.org/50th%20ANNIVERSARY.htm |title = 50th Anniversary |work = Carl D. Bradley memorial |access-date = November 14, 2008 |archive-date = August 5, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090805082254/http://www.carldbradley.org/50th%20ANNIVERSARY.htm |url-status = live }}</ref> On November 17, 2008, a 50th Anniversary Memorial was held at the [[Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum]] in Rogers City when the bell was tolled to commemorate the crew.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/503565.html?nav=5004 |last = Modrzynski |first = Mike |title = Ceremony to honor men lost on Carl D. Bradley |date = November 17, 2008 |work = [[Alpena News]] |access-date = November 18, 2008 |archive-date = July 16, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716220923/http://www.thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/503565.html?nav=5004 |url-status = live }}</ref> The documentary movie ''November Requiem'' premiered at the Rogers City Theater during the ceremonies. It used author Andrew Kantar's book, ''Black November'', as a major source and focused on the repercussions on the small community of Rogers City after ''Carl D. Bradley'' sank.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/news/News.cfm?AnnouncementID=895&CatID=1&year=2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121001010101/http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/news/News.cfm?AnnouncementID%3D895%26CatID%3D1%26year%3D2008 |title = Kantar's Black November Inspires Film |date = December 19, 2008 |publisher = [[Ferris State University]] |location = Big Rapids, Michigan |access-date = March 24, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-date = October 1, 2012 }}</ref> The documentary was  featured on [[PBS]] in November 2008.<ref>{{cite journal |last = Sinclair |first = Andy |year = 2008 |title = Final Mission |journal = Lake Magazine |issue = November |publisher = Small Newspaper Group |location = LaPorte, Indiana |url = http://lakemagazine.com/magazine/article.asp?articleid=LID-1017-TZSZ9-2008319 |access-date = March 21, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110819184407/http://lakemagazine.com/magazine/article.asp?articleid=LID-1017-TZSZ9-2008319 |archive-date = August 19, 2011 }}</ref> In 2010, it won two [[Emmy Awards]] for best historical documentary and best original music score.<ref>{{cite news |title = November Requiem wins two Emmy awards |last = Asam |first = Angie |url = http://www.piadvance.com/article/november+requiem+wins+two+emmy+awards.aspx |newspaper = Presque Isle County Advance |date = June 9, 2010 |access-date = March 24, 2011 |archive-date = July 20, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720142908/http://www.piadvance.com/article/november+requiem+wins+two+emmy+awards.aspx |url-status = live }}</ref>

In 2019, Captain Andrew Stempki released a “songumentary” entitled "The Men Long Forgotten" that memorialized the wreck.<ref>{{cite AV media |title = The Men Long Forgotten: Sinking of the Carl D. Bradley |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFKcsF_XDDE |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/oFKcsF_XDDE |archive-date = December 21, 2021 |url-status = live |language = en |access-date = November 7, 2019 |via = YouTube }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Stempki is also constructing a screenplay for a feature film.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://piadvance.com/2019/09/writer-looking-for-input-on-carl-d-bradley-literary-and-possible-film-project/ |title = Writer looking for input on Carl D. Bradley literary and possible film project |work = Presque Isle County Advance |language = en-US |access-date = November 7, 2019 |archive-date = November 7, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191107012631/https://piadvance.com/2019/09/writer-looking-for-input-on-carl-d-bradley-literary-and-possible-film-project/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

==See also==
* {{SS|Edmund Fitzgerald}}, sank in 1975

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite magazine |url = http://michiganhistorymagazine.com/extra/2009/janfeb/carl_bradley.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090119040625/http://michiganhistorymagazine.com/extra/2009/janfeb/carl_bradley.html |archive-date = January 19, 2009 |last = Ashlee |first = Laura R. |title = Broken in Two |date = November–December 1990 |magazine = [[Michigan History magazine]] }}
* {{cite book |last = Hopp |first = James |title = Mayday: Tragedy at Sea |publisher = James L. Hopp |year = 2008 |isbn = 978-0-9799270-5-8 }}
* {{cite news |url = http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/chi-0611290124nov29,0,277199,full.story |last = Janega |first = James |title = I lived, 'now I can be there for them' |date = November 29, 2006 |work = [[Chicago Tribune]] }}
* Kantar, Andrew (2006). ''Black November: The Carl D. Bradley Tragedy''. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Press. ISBN 978-0-87013-783-9.
* {{cite book |last1 = Mays |first1 = Frank |first2 = Pat |last2 = Stayer |first3 = Jim |last3 = Stayer |first4 = Tim |last4 = Juhl |title = If We Make it til Daylight |publisher = Out of the Blue Productions |year = 2003 |isbn = 978-0-9627084-9-7 }}
* {{cite web |url = http://ul.bgsu.edu/cgi-bin/xvsl2.cgi |work = Great Lakes Vessels Online Index |title = ''Carl D. Bradley'' }}
* {{cite magazine |last = Underwood |first = Don |title = Survivors Tell of the Break-up, Death, Cold, and Fear |magazine = Life |year = 1958 |issue = December 1 }}

==External links==
{{commons category|Carl D. Bradley (ship, 1927)|Carl D. Bradley}}
* [http://www.carldbradley.org/index.htm ''Carl D. Bradley'' homepage].
* [http://www.boatnerd.com/bradley/x97im.htm Expedition 97's ''Bradley'' Photos].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927205810/http://www.dalnet.lib.mi.us/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=d-000-00---0shipping--00-0-0-0prompt-10---4---Document-dky--0-1l--1-en-50---20-about-morrell--001-011-1-0utfZz-8-0&a=d&c=shipping&cl=CL1.3.23&d=HASH015e0506632530e6b16c03d8 University of Detroit Mercy - ''Carl D. Bradley'']
* [http://www.carldbradley.org/NEWS%20HEADLINES.htm Newspaper headlines, "Str Bradley Sinks with 35 Aboard" and "33 Lost, 2 Saved"] ''[[Presque Isle County Advance]]'' and ''[[Alpena News]]'', respectively.
* [http://www.carldbradley.org/NEWS%20HEADLINES%201.htm Newspaper headlines, "33 Missing as Freighter Sinks in Lake Michigan"] ''[[Bay City Times]]'' and erroneous headline from ''[[Detroit Times]]''.
* [http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/historic/perspectives/CarlDBradley/default.htm Pictorial history of the Carl D. Bradley.]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070523145621/http://www.lakefury.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=03e08397a768c21f957e17ee5ac187cd&nPageID=35 The Ship that Time Forgot, video of underwater expeditions to the Carl D. Bradley.]
* [http://www.carldbradley.org/USCG%20SUNDEW.htm Toussaint Warren J. ''May Day-May Day Words No One Ever Wants To Hear'' (originally appeared in "Shipmates" April-May 1997)] published by the Ninth [[U.S. Coast Guard]] District.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaFzyDbZy5I Carl D. Bradley Engine Room, August 2009, on YouTube]

{{1958 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carl D. Bradley}}
[[Category:Great Lakes freighters]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United States]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1958]]
[[Category:1927 ships]]
[[Category:Queen of the Lakes]]
[[Category:Ships built in Lorain, Ohio]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan]]
[[Category:Wreck diving sites in the United States]]