The 51st Anniversary of a tragedy

July 25, 1956, a Wednesday, just as today--July 25, 2007--the S. S. Andrea Doria and the M. S. Stockholm collided in the fog shrouded waters off Nantucket Island. Tragically, lives were lost at the moment of impact. Many more lives were saved in the hours afterward by heroic efforts of the crews of several rescue vessels, the most famous being the S. S. Ile de France.

I would respectfully ask all who love the ocean and the great vessels and their crews who sail upon the sea to stop for a moment and reflect upon this great loss. And, be thankful, please, for those who, when summoned at a time of great urgency, are willing to be of help for the innocents who are so involved in such a tragedy.

A sad reminder rkacruiser....sadly I remember the day well and the newscoverage too. I had seen the Andrea Doria not more than a couple of weeks before when my Dad took me to my favorite place when visiting NY...Liner Row. She was an elegant beauty and it was heartwrenching to see her last moments. The story of the heroics of that tragic event is one that all who love ships and the sea should never forget.

There is an amazing website I found once dedicated to this tragedy...it's worth searching for as it contains a very complete story of that day and night told by those who were there.

Thank you for posting this remembrance.

Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

For those who might be interested, this is an amazing website, started and maintained by a survivor who was only 3 yrs old when his Mother dropped him over the side of the Andrea Doria....well worth spending some time perusing

http://www.andreadoria.org/

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

I remember it vividly (the newspaper radio and television reports) as a youngster. I especially remember the story of the miracle girl who was plucked out of her bed and was discovered in the Stockholm's bow.

I remember the live coverage on the Today show. This was one of the first news events which television was able to cover as it unfolded. Given today's tools, the coverage was crude and fragmentary, but it was so much more than we expected at that time.

Doc

My parents sailed the Andrea Doria to Europe on may 19, 1955 and always raved about the beautiful ship. My mother also told me all the stories of the collision, as she followed the reports very closely of course. Even though I was not born until 1957, her memories of the ship made it as though I was right there with them. My mom always had a special spot in her heart for the ship. One story she told me was about a client she had, mom worked at a beauty parlor, who was on the Andrea Doria when it was hit. This woman came into the salon the day after she safely arrived home. Her body and hair had been drenched in the fuel and oil from the ship and her body was all scratched as she had to shimmy down thick ropes in order to be rescued. That story always stayed with me. This lady was a friend as well as a client of my mom's.

We put my grandarents and 2 aunts and uncles on the "Doria" the end of June 1956 out of NYC. They sailed for Italy. On the westbound sailing, it sank. I was just going through some memoribila a few months ago and came across my partner's grandmother's journal. She went to Europe that summer, as well. They were sailing home on the "United States". They left for the US on the 24th. There is a bulletin from the captain to the passengers reporting of the tragedy. My grandparents were supposed to come home on the "Doria" mid September, but they put them on the "Columbo". After that year, we enjoyed several trips on the "Columbo" "DaVinci" "Raffaelo" and "Michaelangelo" . In fact, it was all of these that made me a "cruise junkie". Boy....how things have changed over the years!

I'm a lover and collector of the old original ocean liners (vs the box on a hull we have today).

I had written to the Italian Line in early 1956 asking for photos, postcards, schedules, and anything else they'd send me for free. They sent a large envelope full of stuff. I still have it.

The "miracle girl" on the Doria, and "scooped" up by the Stockholm, was Linda Morgan. Last I knew, she was living in central Texas and doesn't do interviews.

I have some dishes, some broken and some pieces, that were brought up by a diver to the wreck, some 40 years after it sunk.

Anyone know who Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller are? They are famous songwriters who wrote a song in 1953 titled "Hound Dog" that was recorded by Big Mama Thornton. Elvis Presley, of course, recorded the song in 1956.

Mike Stoller was on the Andrea Doria that fateful night and was rescued. As he stepped ashore in New York, his writing partner, Jerry Lieber, greated him with, "Hey. 'Hound Dog' is a hit".

"Big Mama?", asked Mike.

"No, Elvis Presley", said Jerry.

Mike's reply was priceless. "Who is Elvis Presley?"

I've stated in other posts that my parents allowed me at 15 and 16 to take a train to New Yrk City where I'd take a taxi to the piers. For 50 cents, you were allowed to go on board until sailing time.

It was sometime in lare summer when I was there to see the great Ile de France. As she sailed, I walked to the end of the long pier and watch her being turned around in the Hudson by tugboats to sail away.

As she was almost out of sight, I turned to go back to the taxi stand below. I noticed a tarp covering something at the end of the pier. I checked and no one was around so I pulled up the end of the tarp to see what was underneath. It was a lifeboat, turned upside down, with the name Andrea Doria on it!

If I had had a screwdriver and the courage to take that nameplate off, well, I'd have had something real nice for my collection.

Many big ships have sunk through the years. The various captains and ship's officers I've talked to have all stated the same thing. Losing a ship is one thing, but having a ship capsize on you is worse. The Doria, of course, capsized before sinking.

Speaking of the Ile de France, I can imagine being on an Andrea Doria lifeboat at sea and then seeing that big ship with all her lights aglow, stoppng and taking on survivors.

And, speaking of capsizing, the most beautiful ship ever built (in my opinion) also capsized. It was the Normandie, another French Line ship.