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to Preserving Our Maritime Heritage
Founded by Clive Cussler
Marylander Tries to Preserve Memory of USS Cyclops
Close-up of USS Cyclops, 542-feet long
Credit: Photo courtesy Marvin Barrash
The recent discovery of the long lost U.S. Navy tugboat USS Conestoga (see Numa.net, Jan., 2018) fueled the hopes of Marvin Barrash, Kent Island, Maryland. The tugboat had been lost without a trace for over 100 years—just like Marvin’s mystery ship USS Cyclops. His interest remains keen having had a great uncle, Lawrence Merkel, go down with the ship along with 308 other men.
“A discomforting episode for the Navy,” is how Barrash explains the loss. “It was big news when the ship’s disappearance first appeared in the newspapers on April 15, 1918,” he says, “and it didn’t take long for the whole existence of the ship to be swept under a rug. It’s as if it just kind of fell off the face of the earth.”
Book–USS Cyclops by Marvin Barrash
Credit: Photo courtesy Marvin Barrash
Harris, a Baltimore County, Maryland, Congressman says, “As a Navy veteran, I feel that I have a duty to honor the men of the USS Cyclops, many from Baltimore who never returned home, and the families they left behind.” With Harris backing him, Barrash hopes the Navy will consider some sort of memorial. He has suggested that a monument to the ship and the 309 men who perished be displayed at a military place of reverence.
Author Marvin Barrash
Credit: Photo courtesy Rebecca Dorsey
Built in Philadelphia and based in Norfolk, Virginia, the steel hulled collier was designed to refuel ships at sea, a risky cable and bucket procedure. It took on other assignments as well, including its last itinerary: to load 10,000 tons of manganese ore in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and deliver it to the steel yards in Baltimore. Denser and heavier than coal, this was an unfamiliar cargo for Capt. George Worley and his crew. So was running on one engine. While in Brazil, the captain reported the engine trouble, but was told the replacement part should be ordered from the Cramp Shipbuilding Company (builder of the collier) and arrangements would be made for repairs upon arrival in Baltimore. The Cyclops departed with only the port engine operational. Assuming all was satisfactory, the captain and crew proceeded with the journey, never to be seen or heard from again.
USS Cyclops transfers coal at sea
Credit: Photo courtesy Marvin Barrash
Clive Cussler, author, adventurer and peerless shipwreck sleuth, convinced NUMA to fund an attempt to locate the vessel. He met with Hawes, obtained the coordinates from the salvage ship Kittiwake, and set up a search pattern. His theory was that the Cyclops, running in rough seas with only one engine, failed in an attempt to make it to the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay. The NUMA team covered a wide area, including up to 40 miles northeast of the Bay’s entrance, but came up empty handed. Hawes died a few weeks after the search and no more attempts were made to solve the mystery. Cussler says modern technology is allowing search teams to view the bottom of the sea with more clarity now and believes the Cyclops will eventually be found
Marvin Barrash hopes it will be soon.
Author: Ellsworth Boyd
Ellsworth Boyd, Professor Emeritus, College of Education, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, pursues an avocation of diving and writing. He has published articles and photo’s in every major dive magazine in the US., Canada, and half a dozen foreign countries. An authority on shipwrecks, Ellsworth has received thousands of letters and e-mails from divers throughout the world who responded to his Wreck Facts column in Sport Diver Magazine. When he’s not writing, or diving, Ellsworth appears as a featured speaker at maritime symposiums in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, New York and Philadelphia. “Romance & Mystery: Sunken Treasures of the Lost Galleons,” is one of his most popular talks. A pioneer in the sport, Ellsworth was inducted into the International Legends of Diving in 2013.
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Just read your article on the USS Cyclops and it was fascinating. I am amazed that a ship that big could just vanish without a trace. I am hoping that someone someday will find her and give Marvin Barrash and the families of the crew some closure as to what happened to their loved ones.
Lt.Swindel: Many thanks for your kind words. The Cyclops is indeed a fascinating story. I have referred you to Marvin Barrash,whose great uncle was aboard the vessel. Marvin has written an excellent book (you might try to purchase a copy) all about the Cyclops. Good luck. Best regards, Ellsworth Boyd
Now this might work its hard to tell if this is the cyclops or not, but it does bear a resemblance to the cyclops. as it looks like it has the unique collier rails/equipment on the back http://i64.tinypic.com/hvdmir.png
Sorry,it’s not the Cyclops. I contacted the expert, Marvin Barrash. He says, “Based on comparison’s of the wreck’s hull profile, upper line, there is no resemblance at all to the Cyclops. I wish it were.”
Marvin Barrash is the author of “U.S.S. Cyclops.”
In the past I have sailed to Bermuda , and on one of the days as we were returning home from Bermuda back to the Chesapeake Bay , we saw a freighter, I have seen lots of freighters , but this one seem to appear out of nowhere off the port bow and not far away we passed this freighter as we were going in opposite directions we saw this freighter the whole rest of the day although slowly getting smaller we could still see it until it was evening twilight and was getting dark . This was over 20 years ago , about three weeks ago , I was watching the History channel and they were talking about the Bermuda Triangle there was a short piece on this ship Cyclops, I never heard of the Cyclops before this show when they showed a picture of this ship it looked like the freighter I saw on one of the trips to Bermuda , this was over 20 years ago I can still remember that day if it wasn’t that ship then it sure looked like it , I don’t want to say anything else but we saw something that day and resembled this freighter.
Very interesting Jerry. There are many fascinating stories coming out of that Bermuda Triangle area. Marvin Barrish has a recent video out that’s all about the Cyclops. I’m not sure which channel it was on. The Cyclops remains a mystery ship. Thanks for your input. Best regards, Ellsworth
My Grandmother was married to one of those men on the
USS Cyclops and I have paperwork from the Government that talks about the Cyclops & my Grandmother husband and it was sign by the President.
I hope some day they will find this ship and let families know what happened to their loved ones my grandmother has died but the pain of losing a love one must have been so painful.
God Rest their souls
RIP all aboard USS Cyclops
Catherine: I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother’s loss. I suggest you send all of your information to: Marvin Barrish at: [email protected]
If anyone can ever locate the Cyclops, it will be Marvin. Get a copy of his newest book, with more information about the ship.
Best regards, Ellsworth
Interesting connection…..
USS Cyclops had two sister ships:
– USS Proteus, disappeared without trace carrying bauxite ore (used for aluminium)
– USS Nereus, disappeared without trace carrying bauxite ore (used for aluminium)
– USS Cyclops, disappeared without trace carrying manganese ore (used for…you guessed it….aluminium)
Simon: Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed the article. What you sent is very interesting. The beat goes on. Marvin Barrish is writing another book about the Cyclops, including more information about those who were lost.
My Great Uncle is Navy officer (Captain) Charles Holmes of Presbury St. Baltimore MD.
(We always call him Captain. )
Everytime I see his dining room furniture, i think of him!
I have spoken to WORLD WAR I Museum in Kansas.
Of all places there should be at least a huge picture of the USS CYCLOPS…….there is not!
They have no idea of what I am talking about. WHY???
Those who died deserve to be recognized!!! Yes they do!
If anyone can get this accomplished with WWI Museum, please, please let me know
Thank you for anything you can get accomplished.
Lleta: This is very interesting. I hope you can locate Capt. Holmes home. I suggest you contact Marvin Barrish who is the expert on the Cyclops. And purchase his book if you don’t have it.
His email is: [email protected]
Let me know if get in contact with Marvin. He is a very nice guy and will give you lots of good info on the Cyclops.
Wowww Great Read! My grandmother is the niece of Seaman Andrew Askin. She’s 98 yrs old and I can’t wait to share this information with her on tomorrow. There should be a Memorial for USS Cyclops. Thank you Marvin Barrash and I look forward to getting more information from you and or your book.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked my article. I’m happy that your grandmother i still around. Tell her I’m sorry she lost her nephew in the Cyclops tragedy. Yes, contact Marvin Barrish for any further information. He is quite an authority on the Cyclops (and has written several books about it). More people should know the story and a major memorial should be built.
Has there been any leads on finding the wreck or its sisters? Other than being near the Chesapeake Bay…
The Closest nearby wreck was the Ethel C. 37 25.813N 74 40.594W