John S Dempster Jr FS-355
- Type:
- artificial reef, freighter, purse seiner
- Built:
- 1944, J.K. Welding, Yonkers NY, as FS-355 (US Army)
- Specs:
- ( 166 x 32 ft ) 542 tons
- Sunk:
- Thursday, Jan 21, 2021 - DelJerseyLand Artificial Reef
- GPS:
- 38°31.340' -74°30.671'
- Depth:
- 125 ft
John S Dempster Jr. is sister to Shearwater and Reedville, see those vessels for details, links in the sidebar. All three vessels were originally small Army transports, converted to Menhaden fishing by Omega Protein company. FS-355 was USCG-manned, and retained by USA as PVT Carl V. Sheridan (see below) until sold in 1972.
The aging Shearwater and Reedville were retired when Omega got two new modern vessels in 2017, but Dempster was kept as a reserve. Finally, almost 80 years old, the Dempster was sent to her reward as well. Another sister, Tangier Island, was reefed off Georgia in 2020. As of 2023, one old sister remains - Smuggler's Point, FS-400, launched in 1944!
Carl V Sheridan (January 5, 1925 - November 26, 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II. Sheridan joined the Army from his birth city of Baltimore, Maryland in May 1943, and by November 26, 1944, was serving as a private first class in Company K, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On that day, at the Frenzenberg Castle in Weisweiler, Germany, Sheridan exposed himself to intense fire in order to blast a hole through the doors of the enemy-held castle with his bazooka. He successfully created a gap in the doors, but was killed after charging through it. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on May 30, 1945. Sheridan, aged 19 at his death, was buried in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Pikesville, Maryland.
IMO: 7437472
Artificial Reef Sites, Artificial Reefs, Bunker Boats, Delaware Artificial Reef Sites, Delaware Artificial Reefs, DelJerseyLand Artificial Reef Inshore, Military Reefs, Omega Boats, Seiners,
Depth: 120-140 ft [download]
More: DelJerseyLand Artificial Reefs ...
Omega Protein with fishing partner Ocean Harvesters have a long history of collaborating with government agencies and non-profit organizations to offer retired vessels to artificial reef programs. The vessels that have been submerged act as a habitat for marine life, promoting biodiversity and creating recreational fishing and diving opportunities. The former vessels that have been sunk include the F/V Reedville off of the coast of Delaware in 2020, the F/V Barataria Bay off the coast of Mississippi in 2015, the F/V Great Wicomico in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009, and the F/V von Rosenberg off the coast of Mississippi in 2000.
More: Omega Protein Artificial Reefs ...
More: Purse Seiners & Gill-netters ...
Scientific Name:
Brevoortia tyrannus
Atlantic Menhaden:
A Profile
Family:
Clupeidae
Size:
12"-15"
1 lb.
Common Names:
menhaden, bunker, mossbunker, pogy, fatback, alewife, bugfish, skipjack
Although this herring is generally considered unfit for human consumption, the menhaden fishery is one of the most important and productive fisheries on the Atlantic coast. For years, it has provided coastal communities with a stable source of employment and the nation with a major source of protein on a renewable and environmentally sound basis.
More: Atlantic Menhaden ...
Questions or Inquiries?
Just want to say Hello? Sign the .