Summary
The ore freighter Eugene J. Buffington grounded on Boulder Reef, about 18 miles west of Beaver Island, at 7:10 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, 1942. Its crew of 42 was removed, and salvage crews later brought the damaged vessel to Harbor Springs for repairs.
Evidence and limits
The numeric date is taken from the held Courier report’s later reference to the grounding as June 21 and is consistent with the July Herald’s “about three weeks ago” wording. The Courier article calls the vessel 5,728 tons and 580 feet; the later Herald calls it about 600 feet. The event records the grounding and salvage, not a total loss, casualty count, or exact coordinates.
Open questions
- What was the final result of the salvage and Harbor Springs repair attempt?
- Which official casualty report identifies the reef position, vessel dimensions, and owner?
- Can the 42 crew members and Captain George Chambers be identified in a held crew or Coast Guard record?
See also
Sources
- Charlevoix Courier, 1942, “Ore Carrier Run on Boulder Reef.”The report says the vessel crashed onto Boulder Reef at 7:10 Sunday evening, that the crew of 42 were removed, and that salvage operations began; a later article in the same held aggregate identifies the grounding as June 21.
- Charlevoix County Herald, July 24, 1942, “Ship Salvaged Another Junked.”The later report says the Buffington ran onto a reef off Beaver Island about three weeks earlier, nearly broke in two, and was brought to Harbor Springs for repairs.