SOLE SURVIVOR; Dennis Hale of Daniel J. Morrell Nov 29th 1966

Barry Stutesman of Michigan Magazine TV interviews Dennis Hale the sole survivor of the DANIEL J MORRELL that sank during a November Storm on Lake Huron in 1966, Dennis relives the moments of the tragedy that took 28 of his fellow shipmate.
_________
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
Shipwrecked: Reflections of the Sole Survivor - An Autobiography by Dennis Hale amzn.to/2KMEXgd

[@mortalclown3812]

Dennis said he had an out of body experience while on the raft: a being told him not to eat the ice on the coat he'd put on from one of the dead men. Turns out it would have lowered his body temp and probably killed him. It's in his book. Rest in peace, Dennis. Godspeed.

[@rcanterb7126]

Carl D. Bradly, Edmund Fitzgerald, and Daniel J. Morell, all of these ships... may all the crew Rest In Peace.

[@larrysproul9424]

Very tragic for the family's of these brave men.

[@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat]

Amen

[@notbraindead7298]

All three ships broke in half!!!

[@notbraindead7298]

R Canterb7 : The men on those three ships were experiencing a terrorizing storm. I don’t think watching the ship break in two was the answer to anybody’s prayers.

[@fenrislegacy]

​@@notbraindead7298 Hear this out. The same storm that sunk Daniel J. Morell nearly sunk her sister ship, Edward Y. Townsend. After the storm, they found a massive crack on the deck and she was later deemed un-seaworthy. In October 1968, while being towed to a Spanish scrapyard, she broke in two during a storm, sinking in the vicinity of the wreck of the Titanic.

[@simflyr1957]

Dennis was from 15 miles from me in Ashtabula, OH. I knew him through our local dive shop. He was AMAZING! I have a picture of Dennis on the bow of the Morrell and its autographed. I had the privilege of diving the bow of the Morrell and could look into the crew quarters. Rest in peace old friend!

[@danbasta3677]

Yes, very sad, as I did read that Dennis really didn't want to talk about his experience with the sinking of this ship and was the sole survivor of it, and I read of his passing as he suffered from cancer before he passed away. A very brave and courageous man. A good man, I should say. And I'm from Beaver County Western Pennsylvania, not real to far away from you in Ashtabula County Ohio.

[@jessicacrislip5001]

@@danbasta3677 cancer took my grandpa hale pretty quickly . But he spent his last days at my moms house being cared for by his family and hospice . I can’t tell you how amazing of a man he was I’m very lucky to of had him in my life . And being able to come back on KZbin to see and hear his voice

[@davidpallin772]

Our family lost a relative on the Daniel Morrell. His name was Phillip Kapets age 51, from Ironwood, Michigan. We are all grateful Dennis survived.

[@jonbonesmahomes7472]

So happy about him surviving and then i realize he already died 😢 RIP man RIP to his crew friends

[@LindaRaeSchenk]

I read this book and it was one of the best books I had ever read. I was not even interested in the Great Lake ships. I bought it for a friend and read it before giving it to him as a gift. I urge you to read the book. I can't imagine what Mr. Hale went through that cold dark night. You will not be able to put the book down it was that fascinating to read.

[@MSUSpartanFootball]

I met Dennis at the 25th anniversary Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service at Whitefish Point. He was a guest speaker at the luncheon following the service. This is the first I heard of his passing. His book "Sole Survivor" is one of few books I could not put down after I started reading. RIP, Dennis.

[@bentaft5269]

Did you happen to learn anything that wasn't mentioned in the book? I find this tragedy very interesting (and am a bit disappointed I hadn't heard about it until yesterday).

[@robertwagner8728]

MSUSpartanFootball well THIS is the first I e heard it? When did he pass away???

[@ronaldschwigel2286]

RIP to all our sailors lost in our great lakes , the tragedies of wild seas and storms of november.

[@echo-qe4gw]

I was in the U. S. Coast Guard at Harsens Island, MI in 1966. I can remember all the commotion going on on our radios about the Daniel J. Morrell being overdue. Later we heard that one of our helicopters had rescued one survivor from the Daniel J Morrell.

[@Stalkergames916]

echo5363 dang your never the same after that

[@ronaldschwigel2286]

GOD BLESS OUR US COAST GUARD, HEROES OF THE LAKES AND SEAS.

[@jamesmcnaughton5092]

That didn't really happen, I think your making up that whole story

[@wmw3629]

@@jamesmcnaughton5092 Ridiculous and pathetic

[@jamesmcnaughton5092]

@@wmw3629 stop being so rude

[@RFKFANTS67]

Hell of a nice man. Rip Dennis

[@rebeccapardue8438]

Rest in Peace Dennis Hale. He and I corresponded for a little while. I had written a short story/poem about the sinking of the Daniel J Morrell and I finally got in touch with Dennis. I got his address and sent him a copy of my story. In return, he sent me a cd of himself telling his story. He was really surprised at the accuracy of the story I had written, surprised that I was from North Carolina lol. What do I know about Great Lakes freighters lol. He said I wrote about things he had forgotten. Anyway, Dennis was a really great guy to talk to. Thank you Dennis. Appreciate you. Rest in Peace to the crew of the Daniel J Morrell. ✌ Mike Pardue

[@jonbonesmahomes7472]

Thanks for sharing ❤

[@purebloodheretic4682]

Seeing an Immense Ship like the Morell Brake in Half before your Eyes must have been Incredibly Surreal! 👍

[@70stunes71]

I've been in bad storms aboard US aircraft carriers chopping into the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar 50 Footers coming up into the hangar Bay and heavy winds make a great believer out of you in the power of weather and it's Act upon the Seas. I left as a teenager and came back a man. As a Michigan guy I take great interest and these Great Lakes stories of the ships. These men face treacherous weather in the great lakes also. God rest all the souls of those lost. If you are a sailing man for very long you have ran into some really crazy weather

[@daveshultz7765]

Many people have heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald but few, including myself, had never heard of this sinking. I actually saw a post on Facebook so I had to come to KZbin and found your video. Very good interview!

[@GiordanDiodato]

there's a lot of ships that sank on the Great Lakes. The Fitz just happened to be the largest to have sunk there.

[@syzl___]

@@GiordanDiodato it also has the best song written about it

[@CriticalMaster95]

I've heard of this sinking before. I have a particular interest in researching Great Lakes shipwrecks.

[@karlos543]

@@CriticalMaster95 err well done

[@danbasta3677]

I have heard of the Daniel J. Morell before as I am a fan of ships and shipwrecks. Especially the disaster of the Edmund Fitzgerald from November 10th 1975. Those guys who are sailors on these Great Lakes are true heros for all the things they have to endure when on those waters that go from calm and serene to choppy and dangerous in one minutes time.

[@robertwagner8728]

My wife and I saw him speak about ten years ago in Sheboygan I think. Very matter of fact, just like here. He mentioned the Morrell was only making that run because the ship that was supposed to go had mechanical problems. I asked him the name of it after and he told me but I don’t remember it now. I tried to find the song about the Roger Blough that they played and finally found it tonight on KZbin. Sailing Down to Gary. Give it a listen.

[@RollingEasy]

Christmas 2017. I was just talking with an old seaman friend of mine about what can we expect when our 'time comes' and I was telling him a little about Dennis Hale and where he went too while in that raft. Especially the part about his shipmates telling him that it was 'not his time yet' and that he had to go on and to survive etc. It gives you a bit of comfort knowing that while the circumstances might be dreadful, the passing away might be comfortable in an odd sort of way. I've experienced something similar... R.I.P. Able Seaman Dennis Hale. I'm glad you managed to make the 'Reaper and those Witches' wait just that bit longer for your good company.

[@erichonecker1010]

I read his book sole survivor. It was really good.

[@BobDodge]

R.I.P. Dennis Hale

[@ehaden6597]

can't imagine the nightmares he had.

[@rpotter6147]

Thank You Dennis. I was a fishing guide on Great Bear Lake back in the 80's and got caught out on the big lake when a big blow came up on our 16-foot boat. It was a couple of hours fighting those waves until we got behind some shelter. When we were between the waves all we could see was water and sky. When we were on top of a wave we could see from here to kingdom come. The hardest part was trying not to look scared because I was shitting bricks. You have to take these waves at an angle or they will swamp you. The bow was kicking up water every second or third wave and the wind was blowing it right in my face. The two guests where laughing but that stopped when I pulled the drain plug and started bailing while still maintaining control. I know exactly what the line {when the waves turn the minutes to hours} means.

[@jamessmith-rt6xl]

R Potter Ok.

[@jamessmith-rt6xl]

R Potter 9koo

[@jamessmith-rt6xl]

R Potter pop

[@olivei2484]

That line minutes to hours and these stories give me the chills.

[@williamstrength8268]

My Brother and I got caught up in one of those storms, and we were raised around big water, and my Brothers laughter soon turned somber when that storm came up. It DOESN'T matter how much training you've had, Mother Nature ALWAYS wins. Our only saving grace was to see an island pop up and we headed straight for it, which was only a few minutes away during calm seas, but like the song says, " where does the LOVE of GOD go when the minutes turned into hours". We weathered out the storm under an old mattress we found, but had chigger bites that lasted for weeks. When we woke the next day, it looked like NOTHING had ever happened from the night before, the Sun was bright, birds singing, and we hauled ass back to the launch zone and home. I'll never forget that night, but my brother has since passed, so not much reminiscing about that night anymore, in fact, this is the first time in nearly 15 years since his passing. RIP LITTLE BROTHER, I LOVE AND MISS YOU!!.

[@frickpoo6644]

we will miss you Dennis Hale. i'd see you all the time in rock creek. rip

[@machstem2536]

I read this story years ago, it is amazing.

[@markeast1574]

What an Interesting story much respect for him and the men who parished

[@IndianOutlaw1870]

Perished

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

A great survivors story, good to hear him talking about it. Rip

[@adidas20zero]

God bless him. Having survive something like that I can't imagine the dreams he may have. Such a nightmare. The beautiful great lakes are a graveyard.

[@notbraindead7298]

I can’t imagine what would go thru a man’s mind during a deathly violent storm watching the only thing that stands between you and a frigid watery graveyard (a huge ship) starts to break in half.

[@adidas20zero]

@@notbraindead7298 In complete darkness at that!!!

[@notbraindead7298]

@@adidas20zero Nightmares!!!! - The kind that cause you to wake up screaming.

[@kimmorrill7060]

Im a distant relative of Daniel J. Morrell, RIP Dennis.

[@waterbird91]

The music in the background is interfering w/ this interview. This video does not need that noise in the background.

[@racheldianeames3729]

RIP Dennis the sole survivor of a famous great lakes shipwreck

[@reptar5.048]

Oh Barry you sound so sympathetic

[@kevm3101]

Dennis was a relative of mine in ASHTABULA OHIO,a very tring and brutal expriance for him and very stressful for the family

[@bentaft5269]

Hi Kev, I haven't read his book but I'm curious, did Dennis talk much about the sinking with you and other family? And did he mention what the sound of the hull breaking was like? I imagine it must have been ungodly.

[@simflyr1957]

I knew Dennis through the Harbor Dive Center and dived the bow of the Morrell. Dennis was SO amazing... RIP old friend

[@joshuabennett5891]

Crazy... never heard of this story.

[@cindyhidalgo4977]

I am so interested in the visions he had! When he was told it wasn't his time. Is that in his book. I believe that is why he lived.

[@wgdavidson9669]

"The same steel the Titanic was made out of." That would have been a red flag for me.

[@traildog_adventures]

wg davidson something else. Daniel J Morrell was from Johnstown Pa, the sole resident of the town who was a member of The South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club. The same club who owned the dam that destroyed Johnstown. Daniel Morrell died in 1887, the Great Flood was May 1889.

[@dondajulah4168]

@@traildog_adventures Man, that is pretty damn ironic.

[@sirankleknocker3122]

wg davidson titanic would have still survived if they were going slower, due to the iceberg probably ripping open less than 4 watertight compartments.

[@Vichedges]

"Red flag" how? When the ship sank in 1966 they didn't know that. They didn't know anything about the steel of titanic back then and the Daniel J had been sailing for 60 years at that point.

[@P_RO_]

@@Vichedges The cold brittleness was long known about. It was discovered during WW2 in Liberty ships doing convoy runs in the cold N. Atlantic seas. It was initially thought these were cracking because of their welded construction (a different but related problem). Being wartime it was kept secret with only Allied ship designers in the know. Those who sailed on these ships didn't know so they wrongly attributed everything to the welded construction alone. After the war the information was declassified but few took notice because it wasn't thought to be a problem in normal civilian ships which were better designed and where the problem had never been seen. Of course new ships had better steel. It was the Morrell wreck which spotlighted the problem and gave it the greater publicity and attention the problem deserved. Though not well covered in this video, the loss of the Daniel J Morrell was one of the most bizarre shipwrecks of all times and it showed several other design weaknesses common to most Lakers which eventually brought forth improved safety standards on these ships. But even today, sailing on a Laker is one of the most dangerous jobs of any Mariners anywhere.

[@stantaylor3350]

There is or maybe I should say there was a family musical group known as White water, from the Crystal Falls/ Ammasa area of Michigan's U.P. they had a song called White Squall. It tells of an old Dog watching over & young pup on a Great Lakes freighter. " It was just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do but to watch those deadly waters rise as we rolled north to the Soo, wondering when they'll turn again & pitch us to the rails & offer one more younger for the gale. Now that kid was so damned eager & everything brand new I didn't have to tell him twice or find him work to do, at evening on the mess deck he was always first to sing & show us pictures of the girl he'd met in spring. Now i've told those kids a 100 times don't take the lakes for granted,theyll go from calm to a hundred knots so fast they seem enchanted but tonight some red eyed Wierton girl lies staring at the wall because her lovers gone into a white Squall" . " I could see him lying on the hatches staring at the sky & from where I stood I thought I could see a tear fall from his eye. I didn't have the heart to tell him he should be on a line, even on a night like this so calm & kind". The last verse the storm strikes & he can feel her heeling over so terrible & slow & he can see the railing dipping under the water & the kid sliding off the hatch desperately trying to grab the rail, " But like a mighty Dog she shook herself & rolled up once again & on the other side I heard him call my name". In the final chorus he sings " I've told those kids a thousand times," rather than a hundred times as earlier, " don't take the lakes for granted they'll go from calm to a hundred knots so fast they seem enchanted but tonight some red eyed Wierton girl lays staring at the wall cause her lovers gone into a white Squall".

[@prof.hectorholbrook4692]

Amazing story. I salute him.

[@ricksadler797]

God bless

[@Clearanceman2]

peacoat is wool. Wool still works for warmth even when wet.

[@imvandenh]

Clearanceman2 yeah? Does it keep all the cold water crashing over you off your skin as well?

[@JustAThought155]

Gosh! No clothes, gagging, and screaming all aided in keeping him alive in a frigid storm shipwreck. Note to self: practice these three things if caught in a winter storm during a shipwreck or never board a ship especially during the winter? I'll take the latter! Sorry!

[@machstem2536]

November 29, it was f-ing freezing

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

Dennis seemed like a fine man. Why is it that the Morrell disaster and other Great Lakes disasters are so overshadowed by the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald?

[@jamesbraun9842]

Probably because it was the last major disaster and a song was written about it

[@windstorm1000]

A survivor takes away allure of a sinking. The fitz had no survivors and the mystery of the wreckcaptures people.

[@A1Adaydreaming]

Because Gordon Lightfoot never wrote a song called "The Wreck of the Daniel Morrell". That's why.

[@maryanngreatbatch931]

If it weren't for the song we wouldn't know about the Edmond either. Glad these stories are coming out. They all deserve respect

[@danbasta3677]

@@A1Adaydreaming True, however Gordon Meridith Lightfoot is a real, true blessing of a man to have to this very day, as the words and music he writes are very inspirational and thought provoking along with music that touches your heart and soul.

[@kelliebrooks9094]

I think storms are strong enuf to break tjese ships with out weight in them twisting in ways they were not built to endure...a coast guard man was saying howthe waves come thru hit theshore an comeback from many angles so u have endless waves hitting from 3 directions...with nothing to slow them

[@Roc-Righteous]

Seemed like a nice man

[@The101Point1]

Seems like the worst time to go out is in November

[@brucepeek3923]

Terrible quality audio needs to be processed or improved in some other way best Bruce Peek

[@georgeadams8230]

Great interview but the music?

[@lorainewilliams592]

My parents had a place in Hale Michigan. Is it named after you?

[@boataxe4605]

The music is twice as loud as the dialogue.

[@aliensporebomb]

I noticed that but I also notice this was recorded in mono so the music is on left channel and voice is on right. I could try to download and edit the video and replace the left track with the dialog so it's double dialog (dual mono). Not sure about the ethics of doing that since the producer of the video might have other ideas about some upstart messing with their video.

[@riverraisin1]

@@aliensporebomb I took one earbud out and it got rid of the music. Of course if you pull the wrong one out there will be no voice and all music. 😅

[@JimCampbell777]

I was born 14 days later.

[@jimsonbrown9768]

Jim C .???? So? The birth rate for any one day is in the hundreds of thousands. What's your point?

[@jamesmcnaughton5092]

Jim C, I was born 5years 3 months and 12 days later we have a lot in common

[@riverraisin1]

I guarantee your birth had nothing to do with this disaster.

[@purebloodheretic4682]

We're there any men in the Stern that kept going for 5 miles?? You'd think if there were they would have had a Better chance? But Obviously Not!

[@jimsonbrown9768]

Why does the Edmund Fitzgerald get most of the attention? Oh....because some Canadian singer wrote a song about it.

[@sourkream5727]

Jimson brown she also had no survivors

[@tomwolak3362]

Yup.Had lightfoot not wrote that song it would just be another forgotten ship and lost crew.

[@mariefc8504]

Yes, Gordon Lightfoot wrote a famous song. He did it because he wondered why there was hardly any news coverage at all about the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the men who died that night. All souls lost at sea are a haunting tragedy, it just happened this particular song became a huge hit.

[@williamdougie6213]

Some Canadian song writer? If not for Gordon Lightfoot I wouldn't even know about the Edmund Fitzgerald and thats what brought me to this video I wonder how many people wouldn't know about the Daniel J. Morrell if not for G. Lightfoot and the Fitzgerald.

[@stantaylor3350]

I learned about this & cedarville, & Bradley all on WNMU TV Marquette Michigan PBS Northern Michigan University they do a series called The Gales of November. They did a documentary on the John Osborn called The Osborn incident. They made that in 1984 I think. A half hr documentary. The vid goes real bright to real dark several times & they explained that the bottom time was only 15 min on each dive. The rest of the time was spent on resurfacing. Come up so many feet, then hang out for 15 min, & repeat until reaching the surface. In the original they showed a skeletal hand withe a wedding band on the third finger. They said that was confusing because no body on the manifest was married. In subsequent showings, they edited that part out.

[@pip12111]

That ship should have been retired before 1966.

[@Scioneer]

Those ships generally have long service lives due to the freshwater not being as harsh on the metal.

[@tomwolak3362]

Like the fitz GREED kept her on the water.

[@IndianOutlaw1870]

@Frans Huyzers Rhinebarges don't suffer the stresses of Great Lakes ore carriers, which are beaten and tossed by severe storms year after year. The Great Lakes are hell.

[@Kris-qy7hh]

At least he’s with the others 😄

[@brucemolett9843]

The music is very distracting

[@northstarstatepolitics1652]

Wasn't the Morell on a Scrap Tow?? or was that her sister ship

[@imvandenh]

TGSGAMER360 You are thinking of the sister ship to the SS Carl Bradley I think. The Bradley sank in Lake Michigan during a storm in the 50s for similar reason as the Morrell. Brittle steel in cold weather breaking due to hogging stress while unloaded.

[@mikegass2272]

That would be the Townsend. Broke apart while during towed to Spain to be scrapped.

[@dansweet2499]

I know they scrapped the Arthur B Homer sister ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald belonged to Bethlehem Steel Co

[@ErintheLiLBucK]

@@dansweet2499 actually, it is the Arthur M. Anderson that is the Fitz sister ship, and it still sails to this day.

[@eat_a_dick_trudeau]

@@ErintheLiLBucK nope. SS Arthur M. Anderson came out of the drydock of the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio in 1952.[1] She had a length of 647 feet (197 m), a 70-foot (21 m) beam, a 36-foot (11 m) depth,[1] and a gross tonnage of roughly 20,000 tons.[citation needed] She was second of eight of the AAA class of lake freighters; the others being, in order, SS Philip R. Clarke, SS Cason J. Callaway, SS Reserve, SS J.L. Mauthe, SS Armco, SS Edward B. Greene, and SS William Clay Ford. Arthur M. Anderson, along with Philip R. Clarke and Cason J. Callaway, were built for the Pittsburgh Steamship Division of U.S. Steel. Edmund Fitzgerald: hull 301, Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge. Started 8/7/57 Arthur B. Homer: hull 303, Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge. Started 3/18/59.

[@MrMountainMan]

Wow glad the interviewer did his homework. 1:17 "and you were what 38 hours in the water?" "No I was in the water at most 20 minutes." 🤔

[@forbiddenmichigan991]

We were not referring to the time he was physically in the water....The question was referring to the time he was in the water including in the life boat before rescued....Sorry about your misunderstanding!!!

[@ladyluck5248]

Since November has taken so many lives it’s only greed as to why the lanes aren’t shut down now. Terrible

[@riverraisin1]

Cash is king

[@nukeputin2242]

Nov, 29th....same amount of guys went Down on the Edmond, one guy for Each Day

[@sharoneuleenlammersgivenna7986]

Someone find that luring piece of see dabrea I need to talk to him.

[@CK_2252]

What are you talking about?

[@sharoneuleenlammersgivenna7986]

@@CK_2252 it dont matter if he's dead.

[@sharoneuleenlammersgivenna7986]

@@CK_2252 Curtis. Ramairz

[@sharoneuleenlammersgivenna7986]

Can't rest with the lies told

[@camh6328]

Uh??

[@henribataille8376]

Zéro

[@Chaos8282]

Had some weight to him which isn't meant as a put down. Fat insulates and probably was a big factor along with his pea coat. Wool will keep you warm even soaking wet.

[@nukeputin2242]

Never mind that, what about the sound?? Can ya imagine the sound of that, how loud it would be,,Especially when the Edmond went Down ,& water soo Black from all the Tacanite!! Just the Noise from all the steel would be Terrifying ,!!