Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 33 In 2009, the Asbury Park Historical Society dedicated a monument on the south side of Convention Hall to remember both the victims from the disaster and to honor "the many courageous Jersey Shore residents who risked their own lives or provided assis- tance to rescue Morro Castle survivors from rough seas and recover the victims who washed ashore or who were pulled from the sea." The Morro Castle incident is one of the most well-known maritime tragedies to happen along the east coast. On September 8, 1934, while traveling from Havana, Cuba to New York, a fire broke out on the ocean liner off Long Beach Island. As passengers and crew tried to escape the burning hull, chaos ensued with 30-knot winds and rough seas further compounding the situation. Many passengers were unintentionally killed due to their lack of knowledge about how to properly wear life preservers, and bodies washed ashore from Spring Lake to Point Pleasant Beach. Despite rescue efforts from both citizens on shore and other vessels, 137 of the 549 people onboard the Morro Castle lost their lives. The burnt and empty hull finally beached itself directly parallel to Convention Hall in Asbury Park and became a tourist attraction, until it was refloat- ed off the beach and towed to New York where it was dismantled and salvaged the following March. The Morro Castle Monument Asbury Park Boardwalk, outside Convention Hall and the Paramount Theatre The burnt hull of the Morro Castle washed ashore in Asbury Park on September 8, 1934. courtesy of New Jersey Maritime Museum The Morro Castle memorial outside Asbury Park's Convention Hall and Paramount Theatre. The New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven has an entire room dedicated to artifacts, documents, photos, and FBI files from the Morro Castle, and two lifejackets recovered from the ocean liner are a part of the Point Pleasant Historical Society and Museum's collection in Point Pleasant Beach. continued on page 34 A recovered lifejacket from the Morro Castle at the Point Pleasant Historical Society and Museum in Point Pleasant Beach. Jill Ocone Jill Ocone

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