Continued from Friday July 29th.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is taking inventory on more than 30,000 coastal wrecks, including many from the 1942 Battle of the Atlantic and the rest of the war. They want to identify those that pose the biggest threats.
Those vessels not completely destroyed in attacks have intact fuel tanks, and many, like the Steed, sank with holds filled with crude oil, diesel fuel and explosives.
They have narrowed the worst threat list to 233 wrecks and hope to have a final list by the end of the year.
Four of the worst wrecks are located within 50 miles of Baltimore, including"
** John Morgan, a Liberty ship built in 1943 by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards in Baltimore. On its maiden voyage, June 1943, it collided with another vessel off Cape Henry and sank with a cargo of fighter planes, tanks, arms and ammunition. Sixty-seven crew members and guards died.
More to Come. --Cooter
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