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.

Identification Card (Site Style)

Description

STEELVENDOR was a steel-hulled motor freighter powered by a diesel engine and single propeller. Built in 1923 for general cargo and bulk transport across the Great Lakes, her final voyage in 1942 reflects her wartime function of moving steel billets—key to U.S. industrial and war efforts.

History

Commissioned in 1923 and constructed by Federal Shipbuilding in Kearney, New Jersey, STEELVENDOR served the Great Lakes maritime trade throughout the interwar period and into WWII. Specific operational history (ownership changes, cargo types, modifications) remain undocumented in online sources and would benefit from registry and company record research.

On 3 September 1942, en route from Duluth, Minnesota, to Waukegan, Illinois, carrying steel billets, she ran into a severe storm on Lake Superior. The unsecured cargo shifted amid heavy seas, causing her to capsize and founder stern-first at approximately 3:45 am. One crew member perished; the remaining 24 were rescued 

Final Dispositions

STEELVENDOR was declared a total constructive loss. No salvage efforts or recovery operations are recorded in available sources. She remains listed among U.S. merchant marine losses during WWII.

Located By & Date Found

There are no known discoveries, sonar surveys, underwater archaeological records, or diving expeditions confirming her current resting place. The wreck remains unlocated in contemporary maritime records.

Notmars & Advisories

No notices to mariners or navigation hazard advisories have been documented following her sinking.

Dive Information

Access: Likely only by boat, given open Lake Superior location.
Entry Point: Dependent on confirmed wreck coordinates; nearest major ports include Duluth or Waukegan.
Conditions: Unrecorded; typical Lake Superior conditions include low visibility, strong thermoclines, cold water.
Depth Range: Unknown; requires bathymetric survey to determine.
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard sectors serving Lake Superior.
Permits: Likely required for any dive or research, pending state or federal submerged lands regulations.
Dive Support: Not documented; would require coordination with maritime research institutions or charters.

Crew & Casualty Memorials

Crew names, including the one fatality, remain unidentified in current sources. Recommended next steps include researching U.S. Coast Guard casualty reports (1942), local newspapers (e.g., Duluth, Marquette), and genealogical sites like Find A Grave for potential memorial records.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“Motor/canaller STEELVENDOR was down bound on Lake Superior with a load of steel billets bound for Waukegan, IL. Her cargo shifted during heavy weather.”

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

Official Number 223082 appears in Great Lakes vessel records. Additional data on registry port, registration documents, and insurance claims must be retrieved from U.S. Coast Guard archives or maritime insurance records of the period.

Site Documentation & Imaging

No NOAA virtual resources, 3D imaging, or underwater photography exists for STEELVENDOR. She remains undocumented in modern U.S. maritime archaeology efforts.

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
• Newspapers.com
• Find A Grave

References

1. “Steelvendor” entry, Great Lakes Vessel History (detailing final voyage — foundered 3 September 1942, 15 miles east of Manitou Island, cargo shifting in storm)
2. Facebook group discussion: “Motor/canaller STEELVENDOR … cargo shifted during heavy weather.”

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card