Menhaden Vessel Doswell S. Edwards ~6 December 1952

On this day in 1952 the 85 ft. menhaden vessel Doswell S. Edwards sank while under tow to the Beaufort harbor. The Edwards was fishing off of Salter Path when it started taking on water. The pumps were immediately put into action but eventually failed. The vessel beached on Bogue Banks and dumped part of it's load of fish. Another menhaden boat, the W.A. Mace, and a Coast Guard Cutter were standing by. After two hours the Mace took the Edwards in tow. They had almost made it inside the Beaufort bar before the Edwards sank in 20 ft of water. The 23 crew members onboard abandoned ship in the purse boats and were picked up by the Mace. The boat went down in ten minutes just after 6:30 p.m.. The Doswell S. Edwards may have looked similar to this menhaden vessel, Walter Adams. They were both built around 1900.