SS Carl D. Bradley - Legacy and Memorial

Legacy and Memorial

Of the 35 crewmen, 33 died in the sinking, and 23 were from Rogers City, Michigan, a town with one stoplight and 3,873 residents. Twenty-three women were widowed and fifty-three children became fatherless. Two Bradley wives had children on the way. The largest mass funeral service was held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church for nine of the recovered Bradley victims. Friends and relatives would nearly double the town's population during the funerals and memorial services. There was a funeral on every street. The town's mayor issued an official proclamation declaring that every November 18 would be dedicated to the memory of the men lost on the Bradley. The Mariner's Church of Detroit, Michigan offered special prayers for the Bradley sailors. Ships at sea dropped anchor at noon for memorial services for those lost on the Bradley.

The Detroit News established the "Carl D. Bradley Ship Disaster Fund" and contributed $1000 to set it up. Donations came from across the country, ranging from Michigan Limestone's $10,000 contribution, to collections aboard commercial ships, to individual donations.

On August 9, 1997, a memorial in Roger City's Lakeside Park was dedicated to the forty-three men who lost their lives on the Bradley and the Cedarville.

The bell from the Bradley was returned to Rogers City in 2007. It was restored and unveiled in a ceremony held on the weekend of the 49th anniversary of the Bradley sinking. On November 17, 2008, a 50th Anniversary Memorial was held at the Great Lakes Lore Museum in Rogers City when the Bradley's bell was tolled to commemorate the crew. The documentary movie November Requiem premiered at the Rogers City Theater during the ceremonies. It used author Andrew Kantar's book, Black November, as a major source and focused on the repercussions on the small community of Rogers City after the Bradley sank. The documentary was featured on PBS in November 2008. In 2010, it won two Emmy awards for best historical documentary and best original music score.