On this day 50 years ago, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald (Registry number US 277437) sank to the bottom of Lake Superior. The entire crew of 29 disappeared forever.

The Fitz set off at 2:20 PM on November 9th, 1975, from Superior, Wisconsin, with a full load of taconite pellets.

At 2:39 PM, the National Weather Service issued a Gale Warning in the area that the Fitz will be sailing through.

At around 4:15 PM, the Fitz spots the SS Arthur M. Anderson, The Fitz's sister ship, around 15 miles behind her.

At 7:00 AM the next day, the last weather report the Fitz would ever make would be of winds at 35 knots, and waves of 10 ft.

At 3:20 PM, the Anderson reports winds northeast at 43 knots.

At 3:30 PM, the Anderson and the Fitz exchange a radio call.

Fitz: "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I'm checking down. Will you stay by me til I get to Whitefish?"

Anderson: "Charlie on that Fitzgerald. Do you have your pumps going?"

Fitz: "Yes, both of them.”

At 4:10 PM, the Fitz requests radar coverage from the Anderson for the rest of the voyage. They exchange a radio call.

Fitz: "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have lost both radars. Can you provide me with radar plots till we reach Whitefish Bay?"

Anderson: "Charlie on that, Fitzgerald. We'll keep you advised of position."

At around 4:39 PM, the Fitz cannot receive the Whitefish Bay radio beacon or light. The Fitz calls the Grand Marais Coast Guard Station on Channel 16, the emergency channel.

Around 4:30 to 5:00 PM, the Fitz calls for any vessel to relay to them if the radio beacon is active.

Around 5:30 to 6:00 PM the Avafors responds to the Fitz that the beacon is not currently operating.

Avafors: "Fitzgerald, this is the Avafors. I have the Whitefish light now but still am receiving no beacon. Over."

Fitz: "I'm very glad to hear it."

Avafors: "The wind is really howling down here. What are the conditions where you are?"

Fitz: (Undiscernible shouts heard by the Avafors.) "DON'T LET NOBODY ON DECK!"

Avafors: "What's that, Fitzgerald? Unclear. Over."

Fitz: "I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I've ever been in."

Avafors: "If I'm correct, you have two radars."
Fitz: "They're both gone."

Around 7:00 PM, The Anderson is struck by two “rouge waves” that put water 35 ft. above the waterline of the ship. She is slightly damaged.

At 7:10 PM, The Fitzgerald and the Anderson exchange the last radio calls.
Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?"

Fitzgerald: "Yes we have."

Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you."

Fitzgerald: "Well, am I going to clear?"

Anderson: "Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you."

Fitzgerald: "Well, fine."

Anderson: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?"

Fitzgerald: "We are holding our own."

Anderson: "Okay, fine. I'll be talking to you later."

This would be the last time anyone would talk to the Fitzgerald.

Around 7:15 PM, The Fitzgerald enters an intense squall, and the Anderson is having trouble identifying the Fitzgerald from all of the radar noise.

At 7:20 PM, The Fitzgerald disappears entirely from radar contact. The Anderson reports this to the Coast Guard. The Anderson continues to look for the Fitzgerald.

At 7:55 PM, The Anderson reports the Fitzgerald as missing.

At around 9:00 PM, The Anderson urges the Coast Guard to help look for the Fitzgerald. The Coast Guard did not have any available aircraft or ships at the time.

Coast Guard: "Anderson, this is Group Soo. What is your present position?"
Anderson: "We're down here, about two miles off Parisienne Island right now... the wind is northwest forty to forty-five miles here in the bay."

Coast Guard: "Is it calming down at all, do you think?"

Anderson: "In the bay it is, but I heard a couple of the salties talking up there, and they wish they hadn't gone out."

The Anderson and the Coast Guard agree to both go and look, and the Anderson sets back out to search.

At 10:53 PM, the first Coast Guard aircraft arrives, and it begins searching.

In May of 1976, the wreck was OFFICIALLY discovered by the use of SONAR.

In 1980, the first expedition went to see the shipwreck

In 1995, the last legal dive would occur. The bell was raised from the ship and replaced with a bell with the names of all of the crew lost. The wreck site is now considered a grave site and cannot be dived to.

The sinking was exactly 50 years ago today.