The Great Lakes’ Most Historic Ship Arrives (Showing Off Refit!)

The Lee A Tregurtha, a vessel whose historical highlights include battling Nazi U-Boats, escorting an invasion fleet to France, dodging Kamikazes at Okinawa and witnessing the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Harbor that ended World War 2, all before being cut apart, expanded, rebuilt and put back together multiple times while going on to outlive the entire US WW2 naval fleet, has now been refurbished to near mint condition. After a 2 month drydocking for a multi-million dollar refit which included steel replacement on her lower hull, cargo holds and unloading system, plus painting and inspection, she is now once again sailing! And at 82 years old she looks almost like new! Of course the life of a working freighter on the lakes is not easy, she did get one scratch going through the Soo locks
The old warhorse, still bearing her old combat awards proudly on her pilothouse, arrived in Duluth loud and proud for the crowd gathered to see her. Surprised she came back this early! Last season it took until October or November for her to return to Duluth after laying up for winter here. Now she’s back only a week or two after her last appearance! Hopefully this is a good sign that she might be a more regular visitor here this season!

[@janetryan9779]

What a magnificent vessel! She looks great freshly refurbished. Thank you for also providing that very interesting history regarding her.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Shee looks amazing! No problem! I do have a video in January that I got more in depth about her history and what exactly she did. Not an insignificant ship in WW2! Her story is not told enough, deserves to be a household name!

[@carolewoolley7017]

All these classic ladies should have a chest full of medals. The stories these ships could tell, gliding for many decades across our inland seas. May they perservere for many more.

[@lagodifuoco313]

We just went to Duluth Harbor two weeks ago. We saw the Barker leaving and the Paul R Tregurtha come in. As well as several other big ships. We toured the Irvin and drove around the loading docks. I'm now obsessed with the ships and Duluth as a whole. I can't get enough.

[@jamesnelson6980]

Great video, Jonathan! Thank you for sharing, good luck and calm seas to the LEE A. this season.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Fair winds and calm seas!

[@gregmctevia5087]

Love her new paint job. Fantastic piece.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

She looks gorgeous!

[@robertlockwood3425]

Hats off to the crews of this historic vessel!

[@richardjohnson2965]

I’d love to be on that bridge looking out as she arrives Duluth ( or any Great Lakes port for that matter.). Magnificent!

[@bettygilmore611]

Great looking. the crew must be proud to sail her. Love the sun on her fresh paint.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

I’ve heard from a few people who have been passengers on her, her crew loves the ship, take good care of her!

[@user-AZ-phil]

Thanks for her history. It makes watching her glide through the canal and under the bridge even more impressive.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

No problem! I love telling the ships’ stories, this one especially because it’s so significant but for some reason not many people know it!

[@steveverhoef5667]

Okay the person that filmed this rocks! Thank you!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thank you!

[@Bobbyo60]

Looking fine…

[@RitzBitz96]

I think I'd feel pretty bummed out if I was responsible for the first scratch on that shiny new paint! 😂

[@jase4270]

There are thousands of scratches on the hull especially on the port side.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@jase4270 she just got painted and had new steel put on her over winter, all shiny and new!

[@galewinds7696]

That's why when you buy a new pickup, you drive thru the woods and get it scratched really good and get that behind you quickly. 😅😢😅

[@bigjohn9536]

that's what happen when you let your wife drive the boat

[@jacquespollet7999]

Ces " lakers " sont votre histoire et vous pouvez en être vraiment fier ...( un ship lover from France )

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Yes we love them and are very proud of them!

[@carolewoolley7017]

😮Valued and loved, respected for the hard work she does that benefits us all. Beautiful craftsmanship in creating a manmade vessel to battle god made nature. Bless these old ships, their captains and crews.

[@joankralik6794]

She is an American treasure! Hopefully upon her retirement, not anytime soon of course, there will have to be a place of honor for her. Like the Iowa or others who have something to teach us about the times & places she was a part of. Thank you Lee A, safe travels.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

100% agreed with everything!

[@boataxe4605]

My vote for most historic Great Lakes ship is the Arthur Andersen.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Oh don’t get me wrong, Anderson has an amazing history as well, and her actions when the Fitzgerald sank are legendary. But Lee Tregurtha not only witnessed but played a pretty critical role in several of WW2’s most crucial moments and conflicts, arguably influencing all of history on a global scale. As much as I absolutely love the Anderson and her well deserved fame for what they did, I don’t think she can beat that! They’re both highly deserving of museum ship status!

[@rottenroads1982]

There is the Lee A. Tregurtha, and then there is the Paul R. Tregurtha. Two Tregurtha’s, Two sizes.

[@Skippers58]

Was a deckhand on her for a few trips when she was named the Walter . Sterling. Was a straight decker back then.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Very cool! That would be an amazing experience. That would be before they lengthened her the second time correct? I think they added that and the unloading equipment at the same time if I read correctly. I’ve heard her unloading boom is temperamental from a few different people, unless that was fixed this year lol

[@Skippers58]

@@jonathanellsworth21 yes before they lengthened her. I was on it in 1960 or 1961. I worked on the boats mainly in summers during college. Worked mainly for Oglebay Norton.. was a great job, really enjoyed it!

[@richardcline1337]

The Lee A Tregurtha is complete proof that even though a ship is old she still has a lot of life left in her. She looks great! I just wish those damned kids would have shut up so we could her her engines as she passed by.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

She looks amazing, they’ve truly put a lot into her the last few years, which is awesome.

[@keithkuckler2551]

Was this originally a "lIberty" ship? Wondeful to realize what shipbuilders can do.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

She was the USS Chiwawa, Kennebec/ Chiwawa Class Oiler. Saw some very heavy action during the war. And yes she has received some HEAVY modifications over the years!

[@greatlakesadventures2024]

The 2nd oldest ship on the lakes, tied with Alpena for being built in 1942

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Yep! Sailed on her maiden voyage on Christmas Eve, 1942. On that same voyage she was attacked by U-boats and narrowly escaped after four ships in her convoy were sunk. Amazing how her whole career almost never got out of the starting gate