Shipwreck Report: Dredge #906 (1912)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Dredge #906
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: None
• Type at Loss: Steel Dredge Barge (Non-Self-Propelled)
• Date Built and Launched: 1912
• Builder: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Measurements: 110 ft (33.5 m) length, 40 ft (12.2 m) beam, 12 ft (3.7 m) depth
• Tonnage: Unknown
• Date Lost: May 23, 1956
• Place of Loss: 6 miles southeast of Milwaukee, off Cudahy, Wisconsin
• Lake: Michigan
• Approximately 6.25 miles (129°) from the Milwaukee North Breakwater Light

Vessel Type

Steel Dredge Barge (Non-Self-Propelled)

Description

The Dredge #906 was a steel-hulled Dredge Barge built in 1912 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Designed for harbor and channel dredging, she was a non-self-propelled vessel, meaning she relied on tugboats for movement.

Owned by FitzSimons and Connell Dredge & Dock Co. of Chicago, Dredge #906 was actively engaged in dredging operations for the construction of a new power plant at Oak Creek, Wisconsin, roughly 10 miles south of Milwaukee.

Her large dredging boom—a crucial part of her operation—would ultimately play a tragic role in her loss.

Final Voyage & Loss

On May 23, 1956, Dredge #906 was under tow by the Tug E. JAMES FUSIK, heading toward Milwaukee to outrun an approaching storm. However, as 15-foot waves battered the vessels, the boom of the Dredge broke loose, swinging wildly in the stormy seas.

The shifting boom destabilized the vessel, causing Dredge #906 to capsize suddenly and sink without warning.

The crew aboard the FUSIK attempted a daring rescue, but the rough conditions made it extremely difficult to reach survivors. The U.S. Coast Guard responded with boats and a rescue plane, but despite all efforts, nine crew members of the Dredge #906 were lost, including four whose bodies were never recovered.

Casualties & Survivors

• Total Crew Aboard: 19
• Survivors: 10 rescued
• Fatalities: 9 lost (4 bodies never recovered)
• Acting Captain Marty Walsh survived but suffered serious injuries.
• Captain Edward Selvick was not aboard at the time of the sinking.

Final Disposition

Capsized and sank on May 23, 1956, 6 miles southeast of Milwaukee, off Cudahy, Wisconsin. Nine lives lost, and the vessel was a Total Loss.

The wreck of Dredge #906 was later located approximately 6.25 miles from the Milwaukee North Breakwater Light (129° direction).

Located By & Date Found

• Position Identified: Near Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Location Coordinates: 6.25 miles (129°) from the Milwaukee North Breakwater Light

NOTMARs & Advisories

• The wreck is well-documented and remains in deep water.
• The site may be of interest to technical divers and maritime archaeologists.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Conclusion

The tragic loss of Dredge #906 in 1956 underscores the dangers faced by industrial vessels working on the Great Lakes, even in the 20th century. The storm, combined with mechanical failure—in this case, the dredging boom breaking loose—led to a rapid and deadly capsize.

Her sudden sinking resulted in nine deaths, making it one of the deadliest dredging accidents in Lake Michigan history. The heroic efforts of the Tug E. JAMES FUSIK and the U.S. Coast Guard saved ten lives, but the event remains a somber chapter in the history of Great Lakes industrial shipping.

The wreck’s exact location is well-documented, resting six miles off Milwaukee, and serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives in one of the Great Lakes’ most devastating dredging disasters.

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Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: Dredge #906 shipwreck, Milwaukee shipwreck, Great Lakes dredging disaster, FitzSimons & Connell Dredge & Dock Co., Lake Michigan storm losses
• Categories: Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Industrial Workboat Disasters, Dredging & Harbor Development, 20th Century Maritime Losses, Milwaukee Maritime History
• Glossary Terms:
• Dredge Barge: A flat-bottomed vessel equipped with dredging equipment, used for deepening harbors and channels.
• Capsized: A vessel that has rolled over and overturned, often leading to sinking.
• FitzSimons and Connell Dredge & Dock Co.: A Chicago-based dredging company responsible for harbor and waterway construction projects across the Great Lakes region.