Haunted Bay City, Michigan

Nicole Beauchamp

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2020
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781439671078
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

At the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron lies historic Bay City, a gorgeous town with a dark past. In its early days, a six-block strip known as Hell's Half Mile was an epicenter of debauchery and brutality. This tumultuous history has left a deep paranormal imprint on the area. A sinister Victorian lady terrorizes those who visit the upper level of the Bay City Antiques Center. The ghost of a disfigured little girl roams Sage Library. And the former caretaker of the USS Edson lovingly tends the ship after death as he did in life. Local author and paranormal investigator Nicole Beauchamp takes you on a bone-chilling journey through Bay City's most haunted locales.

1

THE GRAY GHOST

When crossing the Independence Bridge, you cannot help but be captivated by the impressive blue-gray ship that has found its home on the Saginaw River. Year after year, people come to the USS Edson (DD-946) for a multitude of reasons—to honor its arduous journey across the world, to pay respects to current and retired military personnel, to learn about how sailors worked at sea, to participate in special community events and even to partake in paranormal investigations with the hopes of contacting seamen from beyond the grave. However, this Forrest Sherman–class destroyer almost didn’t make it to Bay City. The former Defoe Shipyard, which used to build ships just like the Edson, was intended to be the home of the USS Charles F. Adams. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the USS Charles F. Adams was in such poor condition that it would cost upward of $1 million to renovate it to a museum-grade attraction. Between the ship being in such poor shape and political disagreements on its intended use, it was eventually sold to a scrap company in 2020. The Edson, being in substantially better physical condition, was much more cost effective at $750,000 to purchase and transport from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to Bay City via the St. Lawrence Seaway on May 7, 2013.

The USS Edson’s legacy was born on December 3, 1956, in Bath, Maine, at the Bath Iron Works Shipyard. Due to the tradition of naming naval destroyers after American naval leaders and heroes, the ship became a symbol of honor for Major General Merritt Austin Edson, a U.S. marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his services in the Pacific theater. On January 4, 1958, the Edson’s official launching ceremony was hosted by Ethel Robbins Edson, General Edson’s widow. The Edson eventually arrived at its home port of Long Beach, California, after sailing through the Caribbean, Panama Canal and Lima, Peru. For the next twenty years, the Edson served in the Pacific Fleet, where it earned the nickname “The Destroyer” and was recognized as a “Top Gun” ship. Five of its Western Pacific deployments led it into the Vietnamese war zone. One incident took place off the coast of Vietnam in 1968, when Edson was struck by enemy gunfire. It was reported to enemy troops that it was sunk with no survivors due to the attack. What the enemy troops did not know, however, was that Edson had sailed into the Subic Bay of the Philippines and was promptly repaired. Once Edson was in working order again, it reappeared off the coast of Vietnam. The enemy troops stood in shock at the sight and believed that they were seeing a phantom ship. It was at this point the destroyer was nicknamed “The Gray Ghost,” a title it holds to this day. The Edson’s last decade of service included sailing to its new homeport of Newport, Rhode Island. It was eventually decommissioned by Commander Gideon W. Almy III, USN, on December 15, 1988, and later transported to New York City to serve as a portion of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum for a multitude of years. The U.S. Navy reacquired the ship with the intention to scrap it. The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum’s president, Michael Kegley, who had served twenty-eight years in the navy as a chief petty officer, refused to allow that to happen. After all, this ship had survived harrowing battles at sea and lived on as a monument of American strength and perseverance. Not only that, but it is only one of two surviving Forrest Sherman–class destroyers present in the world today.

Official portrait, Major General M. Edson, USMC (Ret’d). Hdqtrs. No. A-48479. DEFENSE DEPT. PHOTO (Marine Corps). Staff Sergeant Gordon W. Matheson. Courtesy of Samantha Mayo, USMC Archives, History Division.

The director of the New York City Intrepid Museum, Gary Spampanato, had a son named Paul who was the ship’s primary caretaker and manager for over a decade. He had many duties aboard the ship, including painting, chipping rust off the decks and offering below-deck tours. What started out as a simple volunteering gig for Paul turned into his full-blown passion over time. Paul, who had worked on aircrafts in the service, originally joined the Intrepid Museum as the director of ships force. With this title, he managed tour guide staff and maintenance of both the USS Edson and a submarine by the name of Growler. Over time, Paul became so infatuated and meticulous with the Edson that it became the sole focus of his volunteer efforts. His entire life became dedicated to ensuring that the ship was in immaculate condition. While aboard the Edson, he always wore his khaki uniform of a chief petty officer. His father, Gary, recalled Paul being so fascinated with the ship that it was his only focal point: “There was only one subject for him, the USS Edson.” Paul even informed his father that being on the Edson made him so happy, he preferred to die aboard. Eerily, on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1999, Paul met his fate after having a heart attack aboard the warship. The only other death reported on the Edson was during its days in combat when a sailor was crushed by a falling box in the cargo hold. A year after Paul’s death, a ceremony was held on the Edson in which he was posthumously recognized with the Casper J. Knight Jr. Award from the Historic Naval Ships Association, which acknowledged his hard work and dedication to the Gray Ghost.

USS Edson (DD-946) undergoes repair in AFDM-5 in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, June 1967. Official U.S. Navy photo by R.D. Moeser, JOC, courtesy of National Archives, catalog no. USN 1142189.

Bill Randall, a six-year navy veteran, recalls walking through the Bay City Mall one day and stumbling upon Michael Kegley dressed in his officer uniform and holding a donation jar to raise money for the ship. Having worked aboard a naval destroyer as a machine repairman and second-class petty officer during his time in the service, Bill felt inspired to volunteer at the Edson. Kegley informed Bill that he was looking for tour guides, and Bill excitedly jumped at the opportunity to help out. He began his volunteer position with the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum in 2013. Bill recalled an unsettling experience while he was down in what is referred to as the 9/11 Room, a room that was used to aid emergency responders during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Two sailors came to visit the ship, and Bill took them on a private tour in some areas of the ship that the general public isn’t allowed. After the sailors left for the evening, Bill began closing up shop. As he walked through the ship, he flicked off the light switches to each room as he exited. He started at the port side door of forward berthing from the 9/11 Room and came up to the starboard side door. Upon exiting, he had realized that the port side door was closed and sealed shut. “Metal on metal doors make a lot of noise, and I never heard anything. At the time, I was only about twenty feet away. If someone was there, I should have and would have heard them.” That was his first incident. As a former skeptic, he called down to the office and asked who was just on the ship to make sure he was not locking anyone in and was told that he was alone.

During a sweltering Saturday night in mid-August, a public ghost hunt was hosted that Bill Randall participated in. Some of the guests asked him about the farthest access point on the ship below decks. As someone very familiar with this particular style of ship, he led the paranormal investigators in complete darkness to the boatswain’s locker. This portion of the ship was utilized by boatswain’s mates (individuals who were responsible for caring for the outside of the ship) as a closet for storing paint, grease, tools and so forth. Seven investigators were present that night, including Bill. At the time, there was no electrical power in the forward portion of the ship, so the group navigated by flashlight. One of the ladies in the group, a paranormal investigator visiting from England, felt the temperature in the locker begin to drop, despite it being so hot and humid on the ship. Another investigator suggested that her team members turn on a paranormal investigation device called a spirit box, which channels spirit voices via radio frequency. After the team turned on the spirit box, the room became colder and colder, until the English lady was shivering. She cautiously asked, “Is anyone here with us?” and a faint voice responded, “Yes.” “Thanks for your response,” the English lady chimed in, “but could you please tell us your name?” A distinctly male voice came through on the box and said, “My name is Paul.” “Paul, when did you pass away?” The same male voice responded with a muffled number ending in nine. It was at this time that one of the young women with the group was up on the second level of the boatswain’s locker and felt an arm around her waist holding her tightly so she didn’t fall through the opening in the floor. She kept this a secret and afterward revealed her experience to the group. She remembers feeling that this spirit was protective of her and concerned for her safety.

Bill Randall in the 9/11 Room, where he had his first paranormal encounter. Courtesy of Bill Randall.

“Release Date: May 5, 1967—The USS Edson (DD-946) breaks away after refueling from USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam.” Official U.S. Navy photo by R.D. Moeser, JOC, courtesy of National Archives, catalog. no L45-83.01.04.

The next morning, Bill came in to volunteer and decided to share his experiences with some of the other volunteers working that day. They collectively decided to search Google for real answers on who Paul was. It was at that point that they discovered the story of the late Paul Spampanato who lived aboard the Edson as a caretaker and tour guide. They discovered an article that was published in 2012 by the Bay City Times that detailed Paul’s story. In shock, they called the Intrepid museum and spoke to Paul’s former coworkers, gathering every detail they possibly could.

If you visit the Edson, do not be surprised if you spot a man wearing a khaki uniform wandering about the ship—that is just Paul making sure his precious ship is still in tip-top shape. Sightings of Paul are mostly witnessed in the wardroom, forward berthing and the ship’s many winding passageways. One day, both President Michael Kegley and volunteer Jack Pennell were watching a surveillance camera that was aimed at the forward main deck on the port side of the ship and saw a man in khakis walking away from the camera. This person looked identical to the photo of Paul that was printed in the Bay City Times article. They surprisingly revealed that as he walked away, his body disappeared into thin air. The incident alarmed the duo, and ever since that day, Paul’s presence continues to grow stronger. Visitors throughout the years have captured photos of Paul strolling the decks even when the ship was closed with no access point for the public. These experiences have made Bill Randall a believer in the afterlife. Bill believes Paul tends to be a bit of a prankster, as many visitors claim they have been tapped on the shoulder, had their hair pulled and lost possessions, despite knowing exactly where they left them. Another volunteer named Charlene was squatting down while painting a lower portion of the ship when suddenly, she was spanked by an invisible force. In a state of surprise, she whisked around to find that no one was there—at least, no one that was living.

Tim Shaw, a well-known psychic medium and lecturer, had his own experience with an entity presumed to be Paul when he was invited to the Edson for a paranormal event. Prior to the investigation, Tim, along with the event’s attendees, was given a tour of the area aboard the ship where paranormal activity was most common. After several hours had passed of experimenting with several different spirit communication devices, the group decided to take a break. Everyone decided to head to the 9/11 Room to either rest or began reviewing any evidence. As Tim was resting, he began to feel as if eyes were on him. Never one to turn down a potential paranormal encounter, he slowly turned around and saw the darkened form of a man’s body, complete with a featureless white head that resembled an over-pixelated digital image in the hatchway directly behind him. “It smoothly began to turn away from us as if it were moving on ball bearings,” he said.

Tim immediately jumped up and ran after it, surprising the attendees around him.

I cleared the hatchway with a single hop but landed on my weak leg and bounced back and forth along the walls as I was hurrying. I saw the same figure, moving in the same fashion, turning to the left. I made it to the intersection and found nothing. There was a stairway to the upper deck, and if it had taken that route, I would have surely saw something of the phantom’s exit. However, just beyond the stairway was an unlit crew berth, which I immediately entered. Scanning the darkened space with my flashlight, I checked under bunks and any furniture that would hide something of that size from my view. Nothing was found.

When Tim returned to the group, he informed everyone of what he had seen. No one knew what to make of the experience until he spoke to Bill Randall, who told Tim that he also felt as if someone was watching him in that area. Paul was discovered deceased in the same area where Tim spotted the figure. Tim recalled, “This was one of the few peak personal experiences that I will remember for a very long time.” In addition to Paul, volunteers have also encountered a ghost dog.

Bill Randall and Michael Kegley have both encountered a canine spirit. They state that they can hear a dog barking directly next to them but that they have never been able to see the dog. Bill remembered one incident when he stepped through the door on the bridge and had a ferocious-sounding dog snarl at him. It remains a mystery if Paul had a pet dog that accompanied him aboard the Edson. Visitors have frequently asked volunteers if there is a dog on board only to discover that there is not.

Since the Edson has been featured on episodes of both the Twilight Zone and Ghost Asylum, it has drawn psychics and paranormal enthusiasts to the ship from across the country and the world. Half a dozen mediums who have visited the ship have attested that eight spirits are aboard, including Paul. Adam Wcislek, known as the Black Swamp Medium and member of Spirit World Paranormal Investigations (SWPI), regularly investigates the ship and has had many strange encounters over the years.

While he has claimed to pick up on Paul’s spirit, he has also picked up on other seafarers who are still reporting for duty. When initially going into these historic locations with such rich backstories, Adam prefers not to be present during a tour so that it does not influence his readings. One of his team members from SWPI decided to join him on his first visit to the ship and joined the history tour so that he could verify if Adam’s readings held any merit. This man was extremely skeptical of Adam’s proclaimed abilities and wanted to find out for himself if Adam could really detect the dead. Once the tour had concluded, Adam and his mate headed down to the engine and fire rooms deep within the bowels of the ship. Adam noted that the first step in his process is to get a feel for the energy within the location and find out if it is positive or negative. While below decks, Ad...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Introduction: The Summer City with a Haunting History
• 1. The Gray Ghost
• 2. For Sale, Buyer Beware
• 3. Specters and Storybooks
• 4. The Rite Man of the Masonic
• 5. Shearer Terror
• 6. Geaux to the Light
• 7. Spirit Guides and Positive Vibes
• 8. A Hair-Raising Experience
• 9. Scandal, Spooks and Slaughter
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• About the Author