It was November of '75 when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald went down without a
word, taking 29 sailors to the bottom of Lake Superior. To those of us who
grew up on the Great Lakes, it was a terrible thing (even for those of us
who had nothing to do with the maritime industry), and the sinking launched
one of the largest air/sea rescue searches in history.

I was 17 at the time, and the horror of the loss even managed to penetrate
my teenage angst and self-centered existence at the time. It was horrendous
November weather (not unlike what we've just been through here), with
extraordinary winds and horrible, crashing waves -- and we were in Racine,
at the southern end of Lake Michigan! Those poor guys were on Lake Superior,
a much more treacherous body of water.

To those who have ever witnessed a winter storm on the Great Lakes, it's a
humbling sight from shore -- I can't imagine what it must be like at sea.
And to those flyers who launched into that weather, searching in vain for
that missing ship, you can only tip your hat to their courage.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"