1952 Philip R. Clarke
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 867
Keel laid Dec 18, 1950; launched Nov 26, 1951
647’ LOA, 629’3” LBP, 70’ beam, 36’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, oil-fired boilers, steam turbine engine, 7000 SHP
Enrolled at
629.4 x 70.2 x 31.3, 11623 GT, 8690 NT US 263699 to:
Pittsburgh Steamship Division, United States Steel Corporation, Cleveland OH (home port New York NY)
Entered service May 15, 1952 clearing Lorain OH light for Duluth MN
Fleet renamed U. S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet 1967 (home port to Wilmington DE)
Lengthened 1974 at Superior WI by Fraser Shipyards
Remeasured to 749.4 and 13796 GT, 10827 NT
Fleet made a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation 1981, renamed USS Great Lakes Fleet Inc., Duluth MN (home port to Duluth MN)
Converted to self-unloader 1982 at Superior WI by Fraser Shipyards
Remeasured to 12341 GT, 9372 NT
Fleet sold 2003 to Canadian National Railway Co., Montreal QC and renamed Great Lakes Fleet. Operated by Keystone Shipping Co., Bala Cynwyd PA to continue to be able to trade between U.S. ports.
IMO 5277062
In service 2011 for Great Lakes Fleet
5203
Hello. I hope you can help me.
Growing up outside of Milwaukee in the 1960’s. My neighbor across the street was Captain Robert “Bob” Petrovski. He traveled during the summers on the Great Lakes but returned home for the winter. He would oversee the boats that were wintering over at Jones Island in Milwaukee. On many occasions I would accompany him and spent time on several of the boats. I remember the Cason Callaway, Phillip R Clarke, and the Edmund Fitzgerald. This would have been in the 1965 to 1970 time frame.
I was hoping to find out more information about Captain Bob. I saw in an obituary that he captained the Clarke before his retirement. I would like to learn more about his career and ships he captained.
Can you please also recommend how I might be able to find records of which ships winter layovers in Milwaukee during those years? I recall other ships but would recognize names if I saw them.
Thank you very much.