The Cedarville and its crew will be remembered in a ceremony this afternoon in Rogers City.

At 2 p.m. a bell at the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum will be rung 35 times, once for each member of the crew that ended up in the Straits of Mackinac May 7, 1965. The Cedarville was struck in the fog by a Norwegian freighter Topdalsfjord and within a half hour she had rolled and sank, taking 10 of her crew with her.

After the bell has been rung 35 times today, it will be rung once more to remember all sailors who have perished on the Great Lakes.

At the time of her demise the Cedarville was hauling limestone from Rogers City to Gary, Ind. She was part of U.S. Steel’s Bradley Transportation Division and had as her crew many men from Northeast Michigan.

Ceremonies like today’s are important for they honor the service of and highlight the danger to Great Lakes sailors. Lake transportation remains today an important part of the region’s economy and while navigational technology has advanced extensively since 1965, it still is no match to Mother Nature’s fury.

Stop and pause today to remember the crew of the Cedarville.