The Michigan Maritime Museum will be hosting guest presenter Wayne
Lusardi Wednesday, April 16 th from 6:30pm-7:30pm as he shares his experiences recovering a
World War II Tuskegee airplane that crashed into Lake Huron in 1944 during his presentation,
Lake Huron Red Tails: Recovering a World War II Tuskegee Airplane.


Since 2015, Michigan’s State Maritime Archaeologist Wayne Lusardi has been leading
expeditions to archaeologically document the airplane wreck in Lake Huron.  In 1944 a Bell P39
Airacobra flown by Tuskegee airman Lieutenant Frank Moody crashed into the lake during a
training mission. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was lost until divers discovered the
wrecked airplane in 2014. Utilizing the skills and experiences of various organizations including
law enforcement agencies, the State of Michigan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and members of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers and Diving
with a Purpose, Lusardi organized and led a team that was able to document most of the scattered
pieces of the wrecked aircraft. Following documentation, Lusardi has been actively working with
a variety of partners to recover, conserve and exhibit the aircraft in Detroit.


“This is a truly inspiring project from both an historical and scientific perspective,” says Director
of Education & Programs Ashley Deming. “To also be able to showcase Moody’s story as well
as all of the people that have come together to celebrate his and other Tuskegee Airmen
contributions to history is a privilege.”


Wayne Lusardi is Michigan’s State Maritime Archaeologist. He has been at Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary since 2002. Wayne researches and documents the nearly 1500
shipwrecks located in the state. He is involved in all aspects of fieldwork, survey, research,
education and outreach. Wayne has an extensive background in underwater and terrestrial
archaeology, artifact conservation, and material culture studies. Wayne was previously employed
as an archaeological conservator for the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia and
excavated the USS Monitor’s turret after its recovery in 2002. He also spent four years on the
Blackbeard shipwreck project in North Carolina. He received his MA degree in Maritime History
and Nautical Archaeology from East Carolina University in 1998, and a BS in Anthropology
from Illinois State University.


This lecture is part of the Museum’s year-long programmatic series Whispers Across the Water
that showcases and celebrates the invaluable contributions of minority communities to Great
Lakes maritime history and heritage. Through a dynamic collection of programs and events, this
series amplifies the often-overlooked narratives of Indigenous peoples, African Americans,
women, and other minority groups who have molded the region’s maritime legacy. This lecture
series will continue monthly through November.

This lecture series is made possible thanks to the Nielsen-Wells Grant Fund and Mike & Susan
Smith.


Tickets are free for Museum members and $10 for non-members. Doors open at 6 PM. For more
information about the Museum’s events, please visit:
https://www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org/events/.


Event Details
Lecture Series- Lake Huron Red Tails: Recovering a World War II Tuskegee Airplane
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: 260 Dyckman Avenue, South Haven, MI 49090
Cost: Free to members/$10 non-members.