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Flying Enterprise

32K views 114 replies 29 participants last post by  LngChief78 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi I've just joined the forum.

Apart from my interest in anything to do with ships, one of my reasons for joining was a recent comment I heard from a lecture given by a well known historian (currently in the news) about the Flying Enterprise. The epic story was a major news story in 1952.

On 21 December 1951, under the command of Henrik Kurt Carlsen, she left Hamburg, Germany bound for the USA. Among her cargo was 1,270 long tons (1,290 t) of pig iron and 486 long tons (494 t) of coffee, 447 long tons (454 t) rags, 39 long tons (40 t) peat moss, twelve Volkswagen cars, antiques and antique musical instruments, typewriters, 447 long tons (454 t) of naphthalene as well as ten passengers. There is speculation that the cargo also included gold and zirconium.

That's the official story.

She was hit by a storm on Christmas night in the Western Approaches of the Atlantic. She was a Liberty Ship, built very quickly during WWII. She suffered structural damage and began listing. She sank on 10th January 1952.

Now you can get the story from Wikipedia Here

What caught my attention recently was the comment from the historian and he was talking about Fake News and how it is not new. As the news of Captain Carlson was shown all over the media at the time he remembered his mother's comment that 'The Government are hiding something here' .

I've been looking at the story of Captain Carlson and the Flying Enterprise and sure enough all is not what it seems.

Here are a few bullet points:
The Captain's reluctance to abandon ship.

The sudden appearance of US Navy warships surrounding the stricken ship. They sent nearby merchant ships that had answered the distress call away.

The fact that Falmouth was chosen as a port to try to tow her to when Cork was much closer. Half the distance.

The crew of the British Tug Turmoil was visited by the FBI when they reached harbour. Why did Kenneth Dancy (died in 2013) leap from the Turmoil onto the listing Flying Enterprise?

A statement from a diving company who had dived on the ship in 2002 saying that the wreck has been tampered with. Attempts to find out who has dived on the wreck has drawn a blank.

Questions about the ship's cargo is met with suspicion and silence even today.

The importance of the ships do***ents seemed to hold more importance than the safety of the crew.

Now the cover story is that she was carrying Zirconium which was to be used in the world's first Nuclear Submarine USS Nautilus.

But even this story does not stack up to close scrutiny. The main sources of Zirconium in order of quantity are Australia, Brazil, India, Ukraine, South Africa and the United States. Notice that Germany is not an exporter of Zirconium whereas the USA has its own supply. Plus I've never marked wartorn Germany as being an exporter (486 long tons apparently) of Coffee to the US.

She was coming from Hamburg to the US, this was just six years after WWII.

I suspect she was carrying something that the Powers That Be didn't want the world to see.
 
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#67 · (Edited)
As for the cargo, again, the media and the authors (hurrah for the author's) love to speculate that something was being transported that was not on the Manifest. The ' Lusitania ' sinking is the prime example of this one. Or, it was gold, or nuclear material etc etc

Where would we all be if life was as it seems and all things were mundane. Better to spice it all up.[/QUOTE]

Alan just the one observation, I have sailed on a vessel which carried cargo which was not on the Manifest from Germany and one vessel I know of carried Nuclear Material again from Germany, it was all done for Security reasons of course, so I would not poo poo the idea all together.
 
#68 ·
As for the cargo, again, the media and the authors (hurrah for the author's) love to speculate that something was being transported that was not on the Manifest. The ' Lusitania ' sinking is the prime example of this one. Or, it was gold, or nuclear material etc etc

Where would we all be if life was as it seems and all things were mundane. Better to spice it all up.
Alan just the one observation, I have sailed on a vessel which carried cargo which was not on the Manifest from Germany and one vessel I know of carried Nuclear Material again from Germany, it was all done for Security reasons of course, so I would not poo poo the idea all together.[/QUOTE]

Agree - life is strange, and strange things happen at sea!
 
#69 ·
End of March 1968 I was 2/E on the C3 SS Pecos. Operated by Oriental Exporters/Ogden Marine, post war two she was operated by Matson for decades; who eventually traded her in for a new built ship. When 'Nam came along she was pulled out of James River Reserve Fleet and put to work again.

Moored at OAT - Oakland Army Terminal - a whole slew of uniformed US Navy Officers and enlisted men came aboard. We were directed to shift to the (Mare Island?) area where US Navy atomic subs docked. Once tied up all of we crew were relieved by Navy Officers and ratings and herded together in one place. Unlicensed in the crews mess, officers in the saloon. The dead lights were closed and armed guards kept an eye on the crew. The US Navy Commander, that herded we officers together, told us considering we were gentlemen we would not be guarded.

ALL of the officers were young Maine Maritime Academy graduates. The whole bunch of them had been on CS Long Lines, that had gone into lay-up. I was the only one up from the forecastle. First part of February I flew out to Tokyo to meet her after a 3/E fell and broke his leg. This was the port time between voyages.

Our Master, an old man of 28, watched the Commander go away. After awhile he said "I don't know about you guys but I am going up on the bridge to see what is going on." We all followed along. Up in the wheelhouse, we stood back from the ports so we would not be seen. There was nothing to see they were loading wooden crates. So we gave it up and went below.

After our cargo was loaded we were sprung from our captivity to take the ship back to OAT. During the shift the Navy built a HEAVY TIMBER wall completely around that cargo. At OAT more Navy palletized cargo was loaded in that hatch tight against the Secret Cargo.

Discharging at Newport in 'Nam, when we got down to the Secret Cargo, we shifted over to Cat Lai -- anchored in the stream. A whole slew of USCG officers and enlisted, all wearing white boiler suits, and white hardhats, came aboard to supervise unloading. Just by chance one crate was dropped and broke open spilling its cargo on the deck. Anti-Personnel Mine Aluminum things a few inches long designed to hold a rifle round.

Seems Charlie had been using these for years. Except Charlie made them out of bamboo with a nail in the bottom. Charlie filed down the base of live cartridges to make them thinner. US thinned the cartridge bases before loading the propellant.

Greg Hayden
 
#70 · (Edited)
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and unfortunately over time the rationale for decisions or actions are often forgotten in favour of more dramatic comments and theories.
if I may add a couple of observations;
1. Falmouth is the main casualty receiving port in the SW waters, part of this being the availability of safe areas to beach and secure damaged ships without clogging channels and ports. In addition Falmouth has all the necessary repair facilities to render repair. Hence to sail to Cork or Dingle would still present problems in repairing the vessel on arrival, especially those needing dry docking. hence the insurers and owners and salvage experts would usually plumb for Falmouth.
2. The presence of a naval vessel is not unusual. In particular when an emergency occurs it is usually the navy that take charge and direct rescue operations, their communications and ability to control shipping and aviation assets are key. The naval vessel would always remain nearby to control and monitor. Part of this would include the dispersal and control of other shipping, hence ordering vessels to keep clear. there are a thousand reasons that the government were interested in the ship, many simply the protection of government assets, such as engineering technology, maybe she was carrying rocket parts for the then developing space race, NASA's origins started with captured V" rockets and equipment, or other important but not 'super top secret' equipment. unfortunately time allows rumours to percolate and develop, unfortunately without the opportunity to dispel them.
Here in Falmouth we have some wonderful mementos of the rescue, I often walk past the steps to the then Shipping Agents office and imagine Capt Carlsen and Mr Dancy standing on those very steps amongst the world press, I believe Capt Carlsen wore a borrowed uniform that didn't quite fit.
 
#72 ·
In reference to your comment regarding the Naval vessel FG, I was referring to a vessel which appeared some time afterwards rather than on the scene at the time of the sinking to Marshall other vessels away.
Like yourself I have always known Falmouth as the 'Safe Harbour' for vessels in Distress in that region because of the facilities you have outlined.
 
#71 · (Edited)
Here is a model that I built of Flying Enterprise some time ago (no longer in my possession). For the past few months, I have been producing an online monthly download (The Shelterdeck), usually about 15 pages in length, pertaining to merchant shipping and ship models. There is a nominal charge (about the price of a cup of coffee). The next one, due out next week contains a GA plan of the Flying Enterprise, amongst other things! These downloads take about seven hours each to write, and I began the latest about a month ago, so it is just a coincidence that this thread started. Please PM me for further details, or visit my blog - click on Miniature Merchant Ships, below.
Bob
 

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#73 ·
Hello Chadurn, I totally understand, my comments were in the general vein about naval presence at scenes, not directed at any particular suggestion.
I always found this incident fascinating, it had all the elements of a good seafaring yarn. I think that the then world media interest probably encouraged the actions of Capt Carlsen and Mr Darcy and as such catapulted them onto the world stage, thus ensuring both acted in the finest tradition of seafarers.
 
#74 · (Edited)
#74

Help!

I would be astonished if either Carlsen or Dancy gave two buggers about anything that the "world media" might have been thinking at the time!

Their only encouragement - and all that they needed - was doing that which they knew to be right at the time. May God forbid that any mariner might ever need journalism to encourage him in that regard.

PS to confuse Ken Dancy with Mr Darcy - the mind boggles!
 
#78 · (Edited)
The downside of rock 'n roll was that it heralded the end of ballroom dancing, as such. I'm old enough (just) to have grown up in the age where going to a dance meant ballroom dancing - and that dancing itself could reasonably be construed as the vertical equivalent of a horizontal desire - and a civilised opportunity for conversation with the opposite sex, whether awkard, seductive or (frequently) disastrous.

The energy necessary for rock'n roll changed all that and introduced the horrors of the discotheque, women dancing round their handbags and even dancing (for want of a better word) without any partner at all.

PS

My apologies!!

This should be in the thread about Chuck Berry. A Freudian slip re Ken Dancy? Moderators - please can you transfer it to where it ought to be? Repated apologies and thanks.
 
#81 ·
Fair point made to my comments, however they were suggestions, but be mindful that Carlsen did undertake at least a couple of interviews over the ships radio to the press who were based at Falmouth, were updated by all manner of radio traffic and they were supplied newspapers from Turmoil. Now that is not normal practice and could - I repeat the word- could have played on the mind to stay onboard longer than might otherwise have been the case. In my opinion their (Carlsen & Dancy) efforts to save Flying Enterprise were beyond what was normally expected, with such a list, splitting plates along with uncontrollable flooding the vessel was doomed, and they would have known it.
 
#83 ·
I repeat the word- could have played on the mind to stay onboard longer than might otherwise have been the case. In my opinion their (Carlsen & Dancy) efforts to save Flying Enterprise were beyond what was normally expected, with such a list, splitting plates along with uncontrollable flooding the vessel was doomed, and they would have known it.
The ship was under tow and quite close to Falmouth. A matter of hours the ship was a good chance of saving the ship. Had the ship into Falmouth Roads, TURMOIL , DEXTEROUS and ABIELLE would be alongside and the salvage pump would be in action. The flooding was through the crack in No. 3 hold. Whayyt scuppered the ship was the weather.. whole gale two full days before approaching Falmouth.

Whatever the press made of it, the weather was controlling the event.
 
#82 · (Edited)
We are all doomed, eventually, and we know it.

Carlsen & Dancy made a cracking good shot at making the most of the existing cir***stances.

I very much doubt that either one of them had much (if any) interest in reading a newspaper before they got ashore.

Motivated by money? Of course they were. But not by journalism, or any aspect thereof.
 
#84 ·
On the Antiques Roadshow this evening, two items produced for valuation were the lifejacket worn by Dancy at the moment when he and Carlsen finally abandoned ship, plus a lifebelt bearing the words "Flying Entrprise - New York". Both items seemed to be the real thing, with a proper account given for their acquisition.

The owner seemed to be astonished when the valuer gave his opinion of the auction value of the two items at between £10k and £15k. I was astonished, too. The condition of both items was far beyond any practical use. It seemed unlikely that the owner would sell; but I very much doubt that the estimated value would be as high.
 
#85 ·
I believe it would be very difficult to put an accurate price on the items without evidence of comparable sales, Barrie. Some collectors, however, are willing to pay exorbitant prices for all sorts of things - eh, Elvis?
I recall reading way back, that the Chainlocker in Falmouth had a lifejacket on the wall, labelled as being Captain Carson's... Sometime later, Ken Dancy saw a TV shot where, due to a distinctive tear, he was able to identify it as the one he left the ship wearing. True, or otherwise? I have no idea!

Taff
 
#86 · (Edited)
The articles on the Antiques Roadshow where the ones that were reputedly from the Chainlocker in Falmouth, the lifejacket being Captain Carlsen's and the Lifering being the one used by Dancy when he left the ship. They current owner's parents or grandparents used to run the Chainlocker and when they left the pub these items where sold on. The Current owner bought them from an antique shop.
 
#88 ·
A photograph was produced showing Carlsen, Dancy and Dan Parker of the Turmoil. The figure wearing a beret (on the left of the photograph) was identified as Dancy, with Carlsen bare-headed (in the middle of the trio) and Parker wearing a uniform cap (on the right of the picture).

I distinctly recall seeing (or perhaps reading) an interview given by Carlsen many years later in which he said (with humour) that his owners (Isbrandtsen) had subsequently ordered him to "Get rid of that damned beret."

Query:- In the photograph, was it Carlsen or was it Dancy who was wering the beret?
 
#92 ·
David, thanks for the historical info. We get the roadshow here in OZ, but mostly back issues, so it might be in another forty years we'll see the Enterprise episode!

Barrie, in most of the early film segments, Carlson wore a beret, but then later he was shown with a cap in some.

Ronnie, I doubt that the story was correct. The ship that almost collided with us had the company name centred along the hull - Isbrandsten. Carlson was pretty unassuming, so I wouldn't think he'd have allowed the company to substitute his name. There were hundreds of false stories about the Enterprise put out.

David/Barrie, again... just recalled - in one film segment (Pathe?) Carlson was seen putting his beret on Dancy's head.

Taff
 
#93 ·
Thank you, Taff!

My late neighbour was an advertising agent who claimed to have invented the slogan, "If you want to get ahead, get a hat".

Now, it would seem, it all fits!

I agree that Carlsen was unassuming. He assumed nothing - which is one of the factors which makes this an exemplary heroic story.
 
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