Wisconsin
Underwater Archeology Association
2007 Fieldwork Project
Milwaukee Fireboat #23 - August F. Janssen
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The Milwaukee Fireboat #23 was located in 50 ft of water off Milwaukee in 2005 by local charter captain Jerry Guyer. She lies very near the present day site of the wreck of the Prinz Willem. Fireboat #23 was built at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1896 by the yard of Ribeoldt & Wolter as the August F. Janssen. She was built at a cost of $32,800 and slid down the ways on November 14, 1896. She measured 100.5 x 24.7 x 10.2 ft. and 133 gross tons. Her official number was 130711 and she was named after Assistant Fire Chief August F. Janssen, who had been killed at the Davidson Theater fire of 1894. She was put into service on April 1, 1897 and saw duty in several riverfront fires.
In 1901, her name was changed to No. 23 M.F.D and she became a fixture at her moorings near the Cherry Street Bridge and at the Menomine River Dock. During her long career, she saved many buildings, grain elevators and commercial vessels. She served alongside her sister fireboat No. 17 M.F.D, which was very similar in appearance as well as fireboats Cataract, No 15 and No. 29. The fireboats were numbered for the engine company that manned them, not chronologically, thus the No. 23 M.F.D was manned by Engine Company 23. A list of Milwaukee's fireboats follows:
| In Service | Name | Pump | Length | Width | Retired | Cost |
| 10/1889 | Cataract | 5000 gpm | 106' | 24' | 1903 | $30,750 |
| 12/1/1893 | James Foley (#17) | 4500 gpm | 100' | 25' | 1930 | |
| 5/15/1897 | August Janssen (#23) | 4500 gpm | 101' | 25' | 1923 | $62,000 |
| 11/1/1903 | MFD #15 | 9000 gpm | 115' | 24' | Nov-52 | $97,075.00 |
| 6/2/1906 | MFD #29 | 5000 gpm | 96' | Jun-48 | $71,500.00 | |
| 10/2/1922 | Torrent | 12000 gpm | 110' | 28' | Dec-49 | $64,000.00 |
| Jul-49 | Deluge (FB-1) | 12000 gpm | 96' | 23' | 1984 | $320,000.00 |
| 8/26/1963 | Roamer (FB-2) | 1000 gpm | 27' | 1984 | $52,500.00 | |
| Oct-84 | Fireboat 1 (amphib) | 2500 gpm | Dec-93 | $350,000.00 | ||
| Dec-93 | Phoenix | 1000 gpm | 32' | 11' |
The No. 23 was showing her age by the 1920s and was stripped of her major equipment in December of 1922. Her machinery and pumps were sold for junk and she was scuttled in Lake Michigan on July 27, 1923.
The No. 23 M.F.D as she now appears courtesy of Tammy Thomsen of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin:
Images copyright Tamara Thomsen
Map of No. 23 M.F.D location courtesy of Jerry Guyer
2007 Fieldwork will focus on positively identifying the remains as those of No. 23 M.F.D. There is a possibility that the remains may be those of No. 17 M.F.D., which was also scuttled off Milwaukee and was very similar in size and appearance:
Fieldwork will also focus on creating a site map using underwater archeological survey techniques. Fieldwork will be coordinated by the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association and will be conducted over several different periods throughout the summer of 2007. All interested persons are welcome to participate in the project. Many opportunities are available for participation in both dive and surface support as well as research and report preparation. For more information, please contact Brendon Baillod at brendon@ship-wreck.com or Brad Friend at wreckwalker@wi.rr.com.
Participation in the project is open to the public. Volunteers are welcome to submit a volunteer registration by filling in the following questionnaire. All questionnaire data will be kept private and all volunteers will be added to the announcement list and will receive notifications of all training and work dates as well as non-dive related volunteer opportunities. Dive volunteers are required to have a valid open water certification from a recognized training agency such as PADI, NAUI, etc., recent Great Lakes dive experience at project depth and suitable dive equipment. Dive volunteers are also strongly encouraged to participate in the WUAA Project Orientation Training which will be held in Milwaukee in June. The exact date and location will be announced in the coming weeks. The training will include in-depth training on underwater archeology survey techniques and will include both land based and underwater practice.