Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Vessel Name(s): August F. Janssen; renamed M.F.D. 23 in 1901
• U.S. Registry Number: 130711
• Year Built: 1896
• Year Lost: 1930 (sunk as a disposal in deep water after decommissioning)
• Lives Lost: 0
• Depth at Wreck: 72 ft (22 m)
• Coordinates: 43° 00.940′ N, 87° 48.180′ W
• Body of Water: Lake Michigan
• Nearest City: Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
• National Register Status: Eligible

Vessel Type

• Class: Gas screw / Fireboat (converted to auxiliary use)
• Intended Use: Municipal fireboat for harbor firefighting
• Propulsion: Steam screw (scrapped prior to sinking)

Description

The M.F.D. 23 was a wooden-hulled municipal fireboat, 110.5 ft (33.7 m) in length, with a 24.7 ft (7.5 m) beam and 10.2 ft (3.1 m) hold depth.

• Gross Tonnage: 133 tons
• Propulsion: Steam screw (original engines removed prior to scuttling)
• Hull Construction: Wood, reinforced for fireboat operations
• Notable Features:
  • Twin to M.F.D. 17 (formerly James Foley)
  • Equipped with firefighting apparatus and pumps when in service
  • Upright wreck with partially collapsed stern, exposed rudder, and embedded propeller

History

• Builder: Ribeoldt, Wolter & Co., Sturgeon Bay, WI
• Home Port: Milwaukee, WI
• Cost to Build: $32,800 (1896)
• Operational Record:
  • Launched 1896, entered service May 15, 1897
  • Named for Assistant Fire Chief August F. Janssen, who died in the line of duty
  • Initially docked at Cherry Street Bridge, later at Menominee River Dock
  • In 1901, renamed M.F.D. 23
  • Served as Milwaukee’s third fireboat
• Decommissioning & Disposal:
  • Replaced by Torrent in 1922
  • Engines removed and salvaged for parts for M.F.D. 17
  • Hull stripped and towed offshore, intentionally burned and scuttled in 1923

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss: Deliberate scuttling after decommissioning
• Salvage & Recovery: Engines and equipment removed; hull intentionally destroyed
• Marine Board or Legal Action: None—official city disposal

Located By & Date Found

• Discovery: 2005 by local Wisconsin divers
• Current Wreck Condition:
  • Upright in 72 ft (22 m) of water
  • Sides opened and partially collapsed
  • Stern heavily damaged and rudder displaced
  • Propeller partially buried in lakebed

Notmars & Advisories

• Notices to Mariners: None currently issued
• Hazard Status: Low; wreck lies in open water, non-navigational hazard

Resources & Archival Links

• Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage – Historical and site data
• Historic Fireboats of Milwaukee – Fireboat registry
• National Register of Historic Places Nomination – M.F.D. 23 (Eligible)
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Database – Vessel ID 130711
• Milwaukee Sentinel Archives – 1922–1923 disposal articles

Shore Dive Information

• Entry: Offshore boat dive required
• Depth Range: 65–72 ft (20–22 m)
• Conditions:
  • Cold water (typically 40–50 °F / 4–10 °C)
  • Visibility varies 5–40 ft
  • Open-water and advanced divers only
• Emergency Contact:
  • U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan: VHF Ch. 16 / +1 414‑747‑7100
• Permits: No permit required for recreational diving; artifact removal prohibited

Conclusion

The M.F.D. 23 (August F. Janssen) represents an important chapter in Milwaukee’s maritime firefighting history. Its wreck is a rare example of a scuttled municipal fireboat on the Great Lakes. The site offers excellent structural visibility for divers and provides a glimpse into early 20th-century urban maritime infrastructure. As a potential National Register site, it holds archaeological significance for the study of municipal vessels and fireboats of the era.

Keywords & Categories

• Region: Lake Michigan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Vessel Type: Fireboat, Gas/Steam Screw, Municipal Service Vessel
• Cause of Loss: Deliberate scuttling after decommissioning
• Material: Wood hull
• Period: 1890s–1920s Great Lakes Municipal Fleet
• Dive Difficulty: Intermediate (72 ft, cold water, boat access)

m-f-d-23-august-f-janssen-us-130711 1930-07-31 00:18:00