Bernie Cooper

We're one year shy of the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the big iron ore ship that sank in Lake Superior "when the gales of November came early" in 1975. I don't know if people in the rest of the country notice the occasion as much as people here in Minnesota (and probably Wisconsin) do, but once again this year, there were many mentions of it (and the Gordon Lightfoot song about it) today on BlueSky, and in the past, on Twitter.

Original blueprint of Hull No. 301 "Edmund Fitzgerald," Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, May 5 1958. Donated by the US Army Corps of Engineers via University of Wisconsin Digital Collections. Posted to BlueSky by Vince Netz.

Another writer, Dana DeMaster, posted a long thread about an aspect of the story I hadn't heard before. She wrote about Bernie Cooper, captain of the ship Arthur M Anderson, who she called "the hero we need."

The Anderson and Fitzgerald had left two different ports in Minnesota that day, each loaded full with iron ore:

Both captains knew a storm was brewing. Superior is unpredictable at any time so they decided to stick together and hug the northern shore to avoid the worst weather. They remained in contact throughout the night. The next day the Fitz radioed to report they had a bad list, were taking on water, and their radar was out. There were hurricane force winds and 25 foot waves.

The Anderson agreed to be the Fitz's radar. He was their radar for more than 12 hours. This was especially important because they were approaching Caribou Island and its shoals.

At 3:30 pm that afternoon, [the Fitzgerald] radioed Captain Cooper and said: “Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have a fence rail down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I’m checking down. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?”

Both boats were headed to the shelter of Whitefish Bay. The last radio contact between the ships was at 7:10 pm. The seas were so high the Anderson was having trouble seeing the Fitz on the radar. Cooper later reported waves of 30-40 feet that were completely going over the Anderson.

The last exchange was “By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problems?”“We are holding our own.”

At 7:22 pm the Anderson tried to reach the Fitz and received no response. They started calling the Soo Coast Guard and other ships to see if it was the Anderson's radio that was out, but they were able to communicate with others. The Fitz was no longer on the radar.

Captain Cooper continued to head to Whitefish, arriving about 9 pm, radioing the Coast Guard the entire time. The Coast Guard was understaffed and equipped and was already looking for another boat. Many other boats were sheltering in the bay, including "salties" - ocean-going vessels.

After that, DeMaster includes the transcript of Cooper's radio transmission with the Coast Guard, asking them or the salties to search for the Fitzgerald. Cooper was told, "you’re probably one of the only vessels right now that can get to the scene."

Despite the dire conditions, Cooper replies to the Coast Guard, “I’ll give it a try, but that’s all I can do.”

The Anderson went back and found only debris from the Fitzgerald.

DeMaster ends with this:

Bernie Cooper is the hero we all need! Everyone was doing their best - the salties, the Coast Guard - in terrible conditions. But Cooper was the radar - the stability and constant friend. And then, knowing all is likely lost, knowing the conditions, knowing the danger... Knowing others could do it. Not wanting to do it - he does it.

“I’ll give it a try, but that’s all I can do.”

How amazing. I will try, but that is all I can do. Seriously, his sigh on the recording gives all his feelings. Then he says "turnabout" to his tired crew.

How can we all be a bit more like Captain Bernie Cooper? Just a normal guy who is, against impossible odds, going to try?

Cooper retired in 1993 after 53 years on Superior. He died that same year.

The Arthur M Anderson is still an active ore boat. I saw it last year when I was in Sault Ste Marie.

The Fitzgerald wreck is now a memorial to the 29 crew and can't be disturbed.