The tragic sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915 was a pivotal maritime disaster of World War I that claimed almost 1200 lives after a German U-boat torpedo struck the British ocean liner off the coast of Ireland. Part 1 of this 2 part series discusses the history of the Lusitiania as a luxury liner, political tensions as World War 1 began, and the events of the Lustiania's final voyage up until it was struck by a torpedo.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Original theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Just after midnight on March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Over 10 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the waters, killing hundreds of thousands of animals, and devastating the fragile ecosystem. This episode provides a detailed account of how this accident happened, and its ramifications.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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In 1864, the American packet ship Adriatic was on voyage from London to New York when it was captured and burned by the notorious Confederate raider CSS Tennessee. The passengers and crew were taken prisoner, but the ship fell out of memory. In 2016, Captains John Noonan and John Bricker, and their team of divers discovered the old sailing vessel, along with some of its artifacts.

John Noonan and John Bricker join me as guests to discuss the Adriatic, how they found, and the research involved to identify it.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Rich chats with Deb Whitcraft, of the New Jersey Maritime Museum, which houses the world's largest collection of artifacts and memorabilia related to the Morro Castle.

https://njmaritimemuseum.org/

This bonus Flotsam & Jetsam episode is available for everyone. To hear more, please subscribe to the Officer's Club on Patreon, or subscribe to the Into History Podcast Channel.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music by Sean Sigfried.

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The Morro Castle shipwreck of 1934 was a tragic maritime disaster involving a luxury passenger liner operated by the Ward Line. On September 8, 1934, while en route from Havana to New York, the ship caught fire off the coast of New Jersey near Asbury Park, resulting in the deaths of 137 passengers and crew. The fire, which was later suspected to be an act of arson, spread rapidly due to strong winds and flammable materials onboard, forcing many to jump into rough seas. The burning vessel eventually ran aground on the beach, becoming a chilling symbol of maritime safety failures. The disaster led to sweeping changes in U.S. maritime safety regulations.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music by ⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠.

Go AD-FREE by becoming a Patreon Officer's Club Member! Join at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In 2025, a team of eight students, scientists, and engineers from the University of Rhode Island conducted the first survey of known shipwrecks in the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. Using URI’s new, state-of-the-art remotely operated vehicle, named “Rhody”, the student-led team documented 17 shipwrecks. Having embarked from Oswego, New York, aboard the research vessel Lake Guardian, which is owned and operated by the Environmental Protection Agency, the team discovered several new shipwrecks while mapping the lakebed.

Jason Fahy and Holly Pettus from the University of Rhode Island are my guests.

Mentioned in this episode:

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠. Original theme music by ⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠.

Go AD-FREE by becoming a Patreon Officer's Club Member! Join at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Mary Rose was a warship of the Tudor era of the English monarchy, built in 1510 during the reign of King Henry VIII. The hulking ship was the king's favorite for many years, until it inexplicably sank in Portsmouth Harbour in 1545 as it sailed out to meet the invading French fleet. Over 400 years later, the Mary Rose was raised and its artifacts preserved. My guest is author and historian Richard M. Jones.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at ⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠. Original theme music by ⁠Sean Sigfried⁠.

Go AD-FREE by becoming a Patreon Officer's Club Member!

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You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at:

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Listener Appreciation Week Day 5

When the SS Central America sank off the coast of South Carolina in 1857, it went down with millions of dollars worth of gold from California. The loss of the badly needed gold caused a run on the banks, and a financial crisis called the Panic of 1857.

As a thank you to all Shipwreck and Sea Dogs listeners, I am bringing you a bonus mini-episode each day this week.

As another bonus, all merchandise is 25% OFF during Listener Appreciation Week! Go to ⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code LISTENER2025 at check out.

Please share this episode with a friend, family member, or coworker, and help Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs reach a larger audience.

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Listener Appreciation Week Day 4

Renowned French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot explored the polar regions for many years aboard his ship, the Pourquoi Pas. When fellow explorer Roald Amundsen's plane went missing in 1928, Charcot joined the search for the Norwegian. Amundsen himself was searching for the crashed Italian airship, Italia, and its captain Umberto Nobile.

As a thank you to all Shipwreck and Sea Dogs listeners, I am bringing you a bonus mini-episode each day this week.

As another bonus, all merchandise is 25% OFF during Listener Appreciation Week! Go to ⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code LISTENER2025 at check out.

Please share this episode with a friend, family member, or coworker, and help Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs reach a larger audience.

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Listener Appreciation Week, Day 3
During World War 2, the Germans captured several Dutch submarines, which included an experimental air venting device. The Germans put this to use, and used it on board some of their own U-boats. This led to the creation of a high-pressure, deepwater toilet waste system, and things did not quite go as planned.

As a thank you to all Shipwreck and Sea Dogs listeners, I am bringing you a bonus mini-episode each day this week.

As another bonus, all merchandise is 25% OFF during Listener Appreciation Week! Go to ⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠ and use code LISTENER2025 at check out.

Please share this episode with a friend, family member, or coworker, and help Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs reach a larger audience.

⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/⁠

Go AD-FREE by becoming a Patreon Officer's Club Member!

Join at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/shipwreckspod⁠

Join the Into History Network for ad-free access to this and many other fantastic history podcasts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠⁠⁠

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