Bradley commemoration is memorialized in Michigan History
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
Rogers City remembered the 50th anniversary sinking of the S.S. Carl D. Bradley more than two months ago. The latest edition of ?Michigan History Magazine? memorializes that historic event.
Steve Witucki?s painting of the ship graces the glossy cover of the January/February 2009 edition with the lone headline, ?Rogers City Remembers the Carl D. Bradley.?
From pages 32 through 41 is an article written by Great Lakes maritime explorer/diver Valerie van Heest. The story is accompanied by several colorful photos, including a clear view of family members sitting in the audience at Rogers City High School.
Frank Mays, the last living survivor, also is pictured in front of Witucki?s paintings on the sidewall of the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum on West Third Street.
Editor Dr. Roger L. Rosentreter was unenthusiastic about the idea of doing another article on the Bradley, 10 years after the magazine remembered the ship?s sinking to commemorate the 40th anniversary.
?VALERIE PERSISTED and I finally agreed to a story about how the people of Rogers City?remembered the boat?s sinking 50 years ago,? he stated in the editor?s notes on page 3.
?It is one of the hardest stories I?ve ever written, because, in order to write about it, I had to, in a sense, feel that emotion,? said van Heest.
The toughest moment of the evening was approaching Cecelia (Krawczak) Dembny and her family to propose taking their photo on stage to, in a way, recreate hi
Cecelia and four of her children were pictured on the inside spread of Life magazine, clearly traumatized by the sinking, it tore at the heartstrings of the nation.
?I walked into this packed auditorium,? said van Heest. ?My eyes scanned. There was no way I would recognize them.?
VAN HEEST RECEIVED some assistance and someone pointed them out in the crowd. ?Tears started coming from my eyes when I approached them,? she said. ?How do you approach somebody? this was the most horrible incident in their entire lives and I wanted to talk about it. It was very emotional seeing them.?
The family agreed and posed around an orange life ring decorated with flowers. Copies are expected to be available soon in the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum gift shop