1910

BUCKEYE was launched as the straight decker a.) LEONARD B MILLER (Hull # 447) at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.

1910

JOHN P. REISS (Hull # 377) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co.

1953

RICHARD M. MARSHALL (steel propeller freighter, 643 foot, 10,606 gross tons) was launched in Bay City, Michigan, at Defoe’s shipyard (Hull # 424). Later she was named JOSEPH S. WOOD in 1957, JOHN DYKSTRA in 1966, and BENSON FORD in 1983. She was scrapped in 1987 at Recife, Brazil.

1975

RATTRAY HEAD, a Seaway trader in 1971, ran aground on Black Rock Shoal, Galway Bay, while inbound with a cargo of coal. The ship was a total loss.

1987

The carferry BADGER almost capsized at her dock due to a broken water intake pipe.

2023

Luedtke Engineering in Frankfort, MI, began the process of winding down operations after 92 years in business, planning to close entirely in “a couple of years” according to company officials. Luedtke Engineering specialized in dredging, marina construction, subaqueous pipeline construction and habitat restoration.

Contributors & Sources

Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Compiled & Maintained by Roger LeLievre