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Features
LILLIAN
 The Lillian was built in 1920 by the Bethlehem Ship Building Company
and was owned and operated byA.H. Bull Steam Ship Company. She had a
328 foot length and a 46 foot beam, displaced 3,482 tons and was
powered by 292 nhp triple expansion engines.
On February 26, 1939,while hauling a cargo of sugar into New York,
the Lillian ran into a heavy fogbank. At 6:53 PM, still enveloped
in fog, Captain Frank Buyer saw another ship, the Wiegand, steaming
directly toward him. Although both ships tried evasive maneuvers, it
was too late. The Lillian rammed the Lloyd Line freighter on her
starboard bow, giving her a twelve foot gash. This hole was above
the water line and caused no immediate danger to the Wiegand. The
Lillian, however, suffered greatly and almost immediately started to
sink. Before abandoning ship, William Helmbold, the radio operator,
locked his key to send a continuous SOS signal. This action not
only helped the Coast Guard
 home in on the sinking vessel and rescue
her 17 crew members but caused havoc on the radio waves for nearly
eight hours. It seemed the Lillian was not ready to quickly settle
into her watery grave. The vessel remained afloat with her radio
automatically sending SOS signals. The Coast Guard finally had to
shoot down her aerial to clear the radio waves. Ironically, after
staying afloat for 18 hours after her collision , the Lillian
finally sank when the salvage ship, Relief, had just come within
sight.
The Lillian rests in150 feet of water, 38 miles out of Debs
Inlet. According to John Lachenmayer, this wreck is laid out similar
to the Iberia only deeper. Her hull supports a wide array of life,
including cod, ling and lobsters, while being in deep enough water
to bring in sharks and, on occasion, giant tuna.
For further information about a dive charter to the Lillian contact us (908) 359-1250.
Photo 1: Lillian Wreck. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
Photo 2: Capt. John Lachenmayer with porthole from the Lillian Wreck. Courtesy Dan Berg Wreck Valley Collection.
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