1892
1892: CITY OF CLEVELAND [Built-1880 US-125808 by Detroit Dry Dock Co. of Wyandotte, Michigan. Renamed STATE OF OHIO in 1892 US-125808 and CITY OF ALPENA in 1885 US-125808] Renamed STATE OF OHIO At Cleveland, OH, February 14, 1892.
1895
1895: KEWEENAW [Built-1891 US-161010 by-F. W. Wheeler & Co. at West Bay City, Michigan] Last Enrollment surrendered at San Francisco, CA, on February 14, 1895, and endorsed “Vessel lost about December 7, 1894. Supposed to have foundered. Has not been heard from since”.
1923
1923: ANN ARBOR NO.4 [Built-1906 US-203695 by American Shipbuilding Co. at Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed: CITY OF CHEBOYGAN-1937 US-203695, and EDWARD H ANDERSON-1960 US-203695] As ANN ARBOR NO.4 struck south pier at Frankfort, MI, February 14, 1923, while entering harbor in gale, and sank alongside pier. Raised that spring.
1927
1927: NORTHERN No. 35 [Built-1920 By Manistee Shipbuilding Co, Manistee, Michigan US-219829] Foundered off Five Fathoms Bank Lightship, NJ, February 14, 1927; no lives lost
1935
1935: CONNERSVILLE [Built-1918 US-217071 By Great Lakes Engineering Work, Ashtabula, Ohio. Other names: SPEC-1929 Reg:-Norway] As SPEC departed River Clyde, Scotland, February 14, 1935, with cargo of coal. Reported by wireless to Sable Island that she was encountering severe storm and ice off Newfoundland; never heard from again.
1946
1946: LAKE CRYSTAL [Built-1918 US-216168 by Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, Michigan] Foundered February 14, 1946, under tow from New York for Boston with coal, three miles off Watch Hill, RI.
1947
1947: LAKE SAPOR [Built-1919 US-217657 by Detroit Ship Building Co. at Wyandotte, Michigan. Renamed: LAKE SAPOR-1946-Panama] Stranded on Mina Shima Reef, Pacific Ocean, in position 24.25N x 41.30E, on February 14, 1947; crew of thirty saved. Vessel on voyage Honolulu for Shanghai with gasoline and freight at time of loss.
1966
1966: Ford Motor Co., looking to expand its fleet, purchased the JOSEPH S. WOOD, a.) RICHARD M. MARSHALL on February 14, 1966, for $4.3 million and renamed her c.) JOHN DYKSTRA. In 1983, she was renamed d.) BENSON FORD. Renamed e.) US.265808, in 1985, she was scrapped at Recife, Brazil in 1987.
1973
1973: On February 14, 1973, the LEADALE’s forward cabins burned during winter lay-up at Hamilton, Ontario and were later repaired. Built in 1910, at Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull#77) as a,) HARRY YATES, for the American Steamship Co. renamed b.) CONSUMERS POWER in 1934, c.) FRED A. MANSKE in 1958 and d.) LEADALE in 1962. Scrapped at Cartagena, Columbia in 1979.
1977
1977: MESABI MINER (Hull#906) was launched on this day in 1977, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. becoming the fourth 1,000-foot bulk carrier on the Great Lakes and Interlake’s second. She had been built under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 at a cost of $45.1 million.
1997
1997: The SD 14 cargo ship PATRICIA M. was a Seaway trader in 1974 and returned as c) SELATAN in 1991. It was sailing as d) NIKA II when it stranded on a breakwall near Veracruz, Mexico, while inbound, in ballast, to load sugar. The hull was refloated on March 8, towed to an anchorage and declared a total loss. It was broken up for scrap at Tuxpan, Mexico, beginning on April 27, 1997.
2000
2000: ZAFIRO, a Seaway trader in 1984, sank as d) ZAFIR off Calabria, Italy, after a collision with the ESPRESSO CATANIA while carrying 6000 tons of cement clinker. Thirteen sailors were lost or missing.
Data from: Skip Gillham, Ahoy & Farewell II and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series.
