Vessel
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- maritimeshippingshipwrecksheritage
Summary
The Eugene J. Buffington was a large ore freighter carrying 13,000 tons of iron ore from Lake Superior toward Gary, Indiana, when it grounded on Boulder Reef west of Beaver Island in June 1942. The vessel was salvaged and taken to Harbor Springs for repairs rather than treated here as a total loss.
Evidence and limits
The held Courier report gives 5,728 tons and names Captain George Chambers; the July Herald describes the vessel as about 600 feet long, while the Courier calls it 580 feet. The conflicting length descriptions are left unstructured. The sources do not establish an official number, owner, construction history, exact grounding coordinates, or final repair outcome.
Open questions
- Which enrollment or Great Lakes registry record identifies the vessel and confirms its dimensions and ownership?
- Did the vessel return to service after the Harbor Springs repairs?
- Can Coast Guard or chart records fix the grounding position on Boulder Reef?
See also
Sources
- Charlevoix Courier, 1942, “Ore Carrier Run on Boulder Reef.”The report calls the Eugene J. Buffington a 5,728-ton ore freighter carrying 13,000 tons of iron ore, says it grounded on Boulder Reef 18 miles west of Beaver Island, and names Captain George Chambers.
- Charlevoix County Herald, July 24, 1942, “Ship Salvaged Another Junked.”The later report says the freighter ran onto a reef off Beaver Island about three weeks earlier, nearly broke in two, and was repaired at Harbor Springs before a proposed trip to Chicago.