Mystery Wreck

I recently received this image and note.  Maybe someone can identify this moment [many years ago] in an evolutionary process.

“I was born on Staten Island and have had this untitled, undated, and uncredited photo for years. I believe it’s taken from the water on the Arthur Kill of an unconverted Moran steam tug. wondering if you might be able to shed some light on who she might be. At first I thought it might be the Ned Moran, but it seems Ned lost her stack rather than wheel house?
If you have any thoughts or leads to her name/history I would be very appreciative.”

In response to my suggestion that the letter might be a D, he wrote “My thoughts on it being a M stack marker was based on the top and bottom serifs but you are correct that these could also be a D. But on the right side of stack the mid section of the letter seems to be unattached or detached rather than a continuous piece of steel connected to the foreground part of the letter.”       Since then, I’m convinced it’s indeed an M.

Some of the photos I’ve taken in this location can be found here.   The documentary Gary Kane and I filmed there nine years ago now is referred to in this post.

Many thanks to Chris for sending along this question and photo, which I’ll call unidentified of a vessel that’s unsalvageable.