The Loss of the Wisconsin

In 1929 the large passenger/freight steamship S.S. Wisconsin foundered in heavy seas 5 miles off off Kenosha, Wisconsin. A distress wireless message was received by the Kenosha Coast Guard station asking for immediate assistance as the 450' ship was beginning to sink. The Coast Guard tried, but was unable to penetrate the huge seas with their lifeboat.

Clifford Chambers gathered a crew together and took the Chambers Bros.through the huge combers to the location where the Wisconsin had sunk. He maneuvered the tug to allow his crew to rescue many swimmers and survivors, taking them down to the boiler to revive them from the elements. His tug full, he returned to shore to discharge his hypothermic cargo. He then made two more round trips through the waves rescuing more survivors and retrieving many bodies.

In all, Cliff and the Chambers Bros. saved more than 30 from certain death. Many others perished and were washed ashore in the week that followed.

-Steve Ceskowski