In Memoriam: RMS Titanic

Echos Through Time

There are few tragedies that have affected our lives like the Titanic. For whatever reason, people are drawn to the drama, the beauty, and the tragedy.

Memory of the Titanic faded shortly after she sank. Overshadowed by two world wars and a great depression, she disappeared from the public eye, as surely as she disappeared from the surface of the ocean. Once the world settled down, it remained for one man, Walter Lord, to re-kindle interest in her. Mr. Lord's interest came from his trips on the Olympic with his family. This part the great liner's history starts with the publication of A Night to Remember, the book that introduced me to the Titanic.

1955: Walter Lord publishes A Night to Remember.
1958: A Night to Remember is released as a movie by the Rank Organization. Starring Kenneth Moore, it remains one of the most accurate portrayals of the disaster to date.
1981: Jack Grimm unsuccessfully attempts to locate the Titanic. During one of the last days of this mission, Grimm claims he spotted one of Titanic's propellers. Subsequent expeditions prove this to be false, as all three propellers are still attached to their shafts.
1985: IFREMER/Woods Hole expedition to locate the Titanic discovers the wreck and brings back photographic evidence of its condition.
1986: Woods Hole expedition conducts extensive photographic exploration of the wreck. Towed submersible used to photograph much of the exterior. Manned dives with robot sub photograph significant sections of interior and exterior.
1987: IFREMER/Titanic Ventures/RMS Titanic, Inc. expedition performs site mapping, artifact recovery, and photographic exploration and documentation.
1991: IMAX Corporation/P. P. Shirsov Institute films the Titanic in wide screen IMAX format. Biological studies and metallurgical sampling of the hull plating was performed. This expedition was noted for the carefree abandon with which the submersibles maneuvered around the wreck, running into things, and generally disturbing the scenery.
1993: IFREMER/RMS Titanic, Inc. performed site mapping, artifact recovery, and photographic exploration of the interior and exterior. Coal was recovered from the debris field on this mission.
1995: P. P. Shirsov Institute/James Cameron conducted filming for a fictional motion picture slated for release in late 1997.
1996: IFREMER/RMS Titanic, Inc. performed site mapping, artifact recovery, and photographic exploration of the interior and exterior. An attempt was made to retrieve a 10 ton piece of the hull. The attempt failed when the support ropes gave way.