Duluth TV anchor Dennis Anderson was preparing for the 10:00 news when he received a call asking about a 729-foot freighter that had gone down in Lake Superior. He realized he was going to have to cut into "Monday Night Football" and tell viewers that 29 men had died. Meanwhile, John Crowley was at a Duluth bar with some Coast Guard shipmates when they were all called back to their cutter — immediately. Hear Anderson's and Crowley's accounts of that terrible night, and learn why the official investigation into the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald became highly controversial.

Edmund Fitzgerald: 50 Years Under is produced by the Duluth News Tribune, a newspaper that covered the Fitz during its heyday and has remained close to this story ever since. Find features that go into even greater detail, with photos and video, at duluthnewstribune.com/edmundfitzgerald.

Written and narrated by Jay Gabler, with audio engineering by Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. The audio of this episode was edited by Wyatt Buckner.

Our editors on this project are Katie Rohman and Barrett Chase, and our executive editor is Rick Lubbers. Original score composed by William Bruegemann. Newspaper archive excerpts and other historical documents were read by Teri Cadeau, Barrett Chase and Dan Williamson.

Thanks to our guests on this episode: Dennis Anderson, John U. Bacon, John Crowley, Tanner Johnson, Kaylee Matuszak, Paul Sabourin, Frederick Stonehouse and Terrence Tysall. Thanks also to Maria Lockwood of the Superior Telegram for participating in our interview of Dennis Anderson. Read more stories about the Edmund Fitzgerald, and learn more about this podcast, at duluthnewstribune.com.