1910
1910: BUCKEYE was launched January 29, 1910, as the straight decker a.) LEONARD B MILLER (Hull # 447) [US-207272] at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.
1910: JOHN P. REISS (Hull # 377) [Built-1910, US-207251]was also launched this date in 1910, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co.
1953
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).[US-265808] 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
1975: RATTRAY HEAD, [Built-1965, IMO-6521393, other names: ANGMERING] a Seaway trader first in 1971, ran aground on Black Rock Shoal, Galway Bay, while inbound with a cargo of coal. The ship was a total loss.
1987
1987: January 29, 1987 – BADGER [Built-1953, IMO-5033583] almost capsized at her dock due to a broken water intake pipe.
2023
2023: Luedtke Engineering starts process to close business
Frankfort, MI – A marine engineering company based in Frankfort is preparing to close its doors after over 92 years in business.
Luedtke Engineering is in the process of closing, according to Paul Luedtke, president of Luedtke engineering. Luedtke said the company will still be in business for a “couple of years” and that the company is currently downsizing and in the process of selling assets. Luedtke said further information on the company’s planned closure would be released at a later date.
According to the company’s website, Luedtke is a family-owned marine construction company started in 1930 by E.R. “Duke” Luedtke. The company expanded to a fleet of eight tugboats, 20 barges and completed over 1,000 projects on the Great Lakes.
Luedtke Engineering specializes in dredging, marina construction, subaqueous pipeline construction and habitat restoration.
Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.
