In this collection of memories, 112 Chesapeake City residents and former residents give their accounts of the day in 1942 when a ship collided and destroyed their road-level lift bridge. The accident was a major event in their lives, an event which left a lasting impression in their minds. They all have different stories to tell. They all heard things differently, saw things differently, and remembered things differently. All who shared their impressions with me did so with fervor. Their eyes sparkled; they spoke loudly; they became animated with their recollections. And, of course, they all knew where they were when the ship knocked the bridge down.