The Finest Hours: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue

True Rescue #1

by Michael J. Tougias, Casey Sherman

On the night of February 18, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has ever seen, two oil tankers just off the shore of Cape Cod were torn in half by the force of the storm. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the shipwreck and a harrowing Coast Guard rescue when four men in a tiny lifeboat overcame insurmountable odds and saved more than 30 stranded sailors. This is a fast-paced, uplifting story that puts young readers in the middle of the action. It's a gripping story of heroism and survival with the same intensity as the bestselling book and movie The Perfect Storm.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, Adventure, American History, Survival, Historical

161 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Adventure is the theme that runs through most of my books, from outdoors titles (The Connecticut River from Source to Sea, Exploring the Hidden Charles) to fiction (Until I Have No Country) to nonfiction sea rescues (Overboard! A Storm Too Soon, Rescue of the Bounty).
One of my current adventures is waiting to see if Disney will begin filming a movie-length version of the Coast Guard rescue book The Finest Hours. Another adventure for me is publishing a funny family memoir with my daughter, called The Cringe Chronicles (Mortifying Misadventures with my Dad).
My friends have been asking if I'll write a sequel to There's a Porcupine in my Outhouse (2003 Outdoor Book of the Year) but I think they just want me to revise their characters so they don't look so dumb!

Reviews

[Jason FitzGerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This feels like the type of typical "local lore" story that fills small book shops across the Vacationland of Cape Cod. The authors all mean well - - because they have extraordinary history to tell. This is no exception. The tale of near-simultaneous tanker accidents in the middle of a deadly February Nor'easter is hair raising no matter who is telling it. Admittedly, I tore through it in 2 sessions and enjoyed it very much. When ordinary men do what has to be done at great peril, their heroism can be spectacular. If you've ever been to Cape Cod or the islands and have any interest of the area, this is a great piece of history to absorb.

That being said, the prose is choppy and difficult at times. Adjectives are reused and it seems to be a struggle to describe the scary conditions. I wanted to feel what it was like to be in the trough of a wave as the crest towered 60 feet above me - wind howling, sleet pelting. What was it like to grip slippery steel railing with frost bitten fingers? It's hard to tell as we are treated to more of a factual reference than an immersive narrative. Epic rescues and nightmarish drownings deserve a little better than this presentation can achieve.

3 stars.

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the true story of a 1952 Coast Guard rescue mission off the coast of Cape Cod, where two oil tankers, the Fort Mercer and the Pendleton, each broke into two sections, thirty miles apart, in the same storm. Fighting towering waves, the Coast Guard crews try various methods to get the stranded men off the ships. The story shifts between the two rescue efforts, telling the tale through eye-witness reports and interviews with survivors. The scenes of the rescues are riveting. Toward the end, the narrative shifts to the aftermath, which is not quite as captivating but needed to be told to give a complete account. Unfortunately, they could not save everyone, and the book is dedicated to both the heroic rescuers and those who lost their lives. I read this book in honor of Veteran’s Day. It was turned into a film in 2016.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four separate Coast Guard lifeboats descend on 2 oil tankers in the North Atlantic Sea which have broken in two due to poor craftsmanship during World War II. Both pieces of the tanker Pendleton and both pieces of the Fort Mercer have crew on board. Depending on the broken section, some have radio contact, some have heat and lights, others are adrift on a ragged portion of a tanker without any means of communication or comfort.
The day was February 12, 1952. There was a nor'eastern blowing snow with blizzard effects. The waves were up to 70 foot high. Four Coast Guard lifeboats were dispersed in this storm off the Cape Cod coast, from 4 separate ports, to rescue the men abroad the tankers.
It becomes apparent that the lifeboats are probably in more danger than the broken vessels. The lifeboats were 36 feet long, open bridges and expected to carry 12 passengers.
This book speaks to all 4 lifeboats and both oil tankers but hones in on the CG36500 lifeboat, Captained by Bernie Webber and their experience in the trip out to the tanker, their rescue, their losses and to the exemplary courage of the four men sent out into that storm.
A movie is to be released in 2016.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*'s.

If it wasn't for the fact I'm from the region where the story took place and know every single lighthouse, harbor, city, town, road and nearly every building mentioned in detail I'm not sure I would have liked this book at all. It's basically an audio documentary but I've read a lot in this style and this one was pretty boring.

I think you need to be a nautical buff or from southern Massachusetts or preferably both to enjoy this one.

[Amber ☾♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, what an incredibly heart wrenching story. I vaguely remember learning something about this at some point in my life but being completely immersed in every vivid detail of each event made it way more real. Reading something like this, feeling the terror and death surrounding the characters, and then realizing they are not "characters" but actual people who have lived through said events makes the experience way more...meaningful.

The only thing I can say that caused me to dock a star was some the repetitiveness of some of the writing. I've read reviews that complained about the added backgrounds of the Coast Guard or other similar events but, personally, I really appreciated their being part of this story.

It's now a goal of mine to travel to visit the CG36500 to show my respects. It's always a wonderful feeling to be reminded that having faith in humanity is not an impossible dream.

Final rating: 4.5/5 stars

[Corey Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought as an overall this book was pretty good but I definitely think that part 1 was better than part 2. In part 1 it had more action and was better. This is one of the few times that I thought the movie was better tan the book because I saw the movie and I got more out of it like how it would feel if I was in that situation, on the ship or rescuing the people from the ship, but the book didn't have enough description but I still liked it.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

by Andrea Renee Cox

What an amazing story! The Finest Hours recounts the true story of the most daring sea rescue in US Coast Guard history. This book completely blew me away with how two large tankers split in half during a huge winter storm, and the heroic rescue efforts that were made during horrible weather conditions. A must-read!

Thank you to the US Coast Guardsmen who put their lives on the line during that rescue mission, and countless others throughout the decades since. Your work does not go unnoticed, and I wish I could thank you enough for the incredible service you provide to our country.

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a well-written, easy to read (and listen to) non fiction. The narrator for the audiobook does a really good job, and even though it is non-fiction, it is just as gripping and heart-pounding as a fiction book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a passing interest in history, especially American history. This is a true story of reluctant heroes.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally love Tougias. I will be the first to admit that he is a great researcher, but only a decent writer. Usually, however, his stories are so fast paced and terrifying (since they're all true) that I just tear through the books. Theyre the sort of book that you read in one day, enthralled on the couch- or in a tent because its pouring outside :D

But this one, this one was scattered for Tougias, who normally weaves multiple storylines in much more coherently. I found the story to be jumping around, the "cast" was already huge, but he jumped around in timelines to other incidents in the area in decades past. The lack of coherency allowed my mind to wander far too easily. I also would not recommend the audiobook, if you are going to read this, definitely read dont listen.

Don't get me wrong- its an absolutely astonishing tale of heroism and daring. The rescue the Coast Guard did on this day is absolutely nothing short of amazing and breathtaking. I just felt that the authors could have done a better job describing and narrating such a fantastic story.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. Tougias does an excellent job of relating the Coast Guard rescue of two tankers which both broke in half during a huge storm. While in audio format, it is a little difficult to keep some of the men straight ( I had to backtrack a few times), it is still an engaging story. I like how Tourgias took it in into the modern era.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating piece of history this book goes into detail the events of this rescue. Where the read might be dry in parts, I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Martin Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess up front, I'm a bit biased about this book. The Finest Hours is about one of the most dangerous rescue missions in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard, and I spent 13 years of active and reserve duty in the Coast Guard. Moreover, this book focuses on the exploits of four men who were members of my part of the Coast Guard—the Boat Force, those Coasties serving in small boats who "have to go out, but don't have to come back."

On February 18, 1952, two WWII-era T2 oil tankers broke in half during a vicious nor'easter, leaving the surviving crewmembers trapped in the floating remains of the ships. While multiple Coast Guard vessels took part in rescuing all the survivors, The Finest Hours focuses mainly on the efforts of four young Coasties who battled the storm-tortured sea in a small 36-foot lifeboat to rescue 31 men trapped on the hulk of the tanker Pendleton.

Authors Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman do an admirable job of describing the torment of the Coast Guard crew as they fought the monstrous waves battering their small, open-cockpit boat, leaving the men near hypothermic as finally neared the wreckage of the Pendleton. Even more miraculous than the fact they managed to save 31 members of the Pendleton's crew is that the Coasties managed to make it back to shore in their heavily loaded lifeboat. The rescue was evidence of masterful seamanship and courage, and all four crewmen rightfully received the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the Coast Guard's highest award for valor.

As I said, I may be bias about this book. However, like many Coasties, I've spent many hours in small boats hammered by foul weather. I am thankful someone has finally recognized the courage that typifies the men and women of the United States Coast Guard.

[Yibbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The actual rescue, or what I could put together about it, was amazing. The courage and skill demonstrated by those men are incredible. They truly deserve the honors they received. For that alone, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a story of great heroism.
However, I really struggled to follow this story. (That may be partly due to listening to this as an audio-book) The cast is huge. He quotes from dozens of people as they recount various moments of the disaster and rescue. It was hard to tell which ship they were on, or when they served on that ship. Then to add to the confusion he includes details about previous and later rescues. All of that was scrambled together with many technical details about all the involved ships. I felt lost too many times to really enjoy the book.
There were a couple of prophanities.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very straightforward, no-frills telling of the Coast Guard rescue of several crewmembers of two merchant vessels that both broke in half during the same storm in 1952. It's not clear which is more astonishing: the lengths the Coasties went to in order to save lives (braving 70 foot waves in 36 foot boats) or their humility afterwards with respects to their heroic deeds. The account was well-researched with some recent interviews of survivors and a few photos, but overall a little on the bland side which is strange considering the herculean rescue efforts. Yes, a movie version was made recently.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half of the book, with the narration of the crisis, interesting and informative. The second half was filled with facts, statistics, comparisons of boats and subsequent similar or dissimilar tragedies, etc, and I had a hard time slogging through that much dry information.

Overall a book worth reading.

Content: a few profanities

[Thomas Stroemquist]

DNF @ 15 %

Couldn’t get into this one, it might be me. Have so much else I want to read now, so….

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this book to be more interesting than it was. I usually enjoy these tales of harrowing survival in hostile environments, whether it be on the slopes of Mount Everest, the wilds of Alaska, or the Arctic seas. The Finest Hours is about four Coast Guardsmen who ventured out into a New England storm in 1952 to save the crews of two tankers that cracked up in the waves.

It is a harrowing and heroic story, but it was also a fairly straightforward one. The Pendleton and the Fort Mercer were both old ships built with "dirty steel," and failed to withstand the battering of an Atlantic storm. The Coast Guard sent a pair of 36-foot lifeboats out to rescue the crewmen who were aboard the floundering vessels. With surging waves and icy water tossing them around, they only managed to save some of the sailors - others died trying to jump from one deck to another, or falling into the waves and being unable to reach rescue. It traumatized some of the survivors, who were all given medals afterwards and became media darlings in the early television age.

But there isn't much more to the story - it was basically two ships in distress and the Coast Guard doing its job. The author pads this short book with a bit of history about the Coast Guard, and follows up on what happened to the survivors afterwards, but while a worthy story, it just wasn't as memorable as Shackleton's journey or one of Jon Krakauer's books.

[Suzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pulled into the drama almost immediately! A great recounting of 3 days in the winter of 1952 when brave coast guardsmen simply "did the job" and rescued dozens from 2 ship wrecks. It was fascinating to read how they were able to pull it off, with little to no technology and in seas that rival the scene of the small fishing boat climbing a tower of water in the perfect storm. Read the book - the pictures at the end cannot do the ordeal justice. Congratulations to local writer Michael Tougias for his research an no nonsense writing style.

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the rescue and the men who did the rescueing and were rescued. Fast paced and easy to read with lots of details. This books really honors the brave men of this tragedy, not only the gold medal crew, but all the Coast Guardsmen and civilian sailors involved. Really hope the movie does the book justice!!

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this was a triller novel you might of said this is crazy but it was history. This happen to people and both rescues were just incredible. The Coast Guard. The movie is coming but read this book, I put off reading this, what a mistake.

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

In February 1952, New England was being battered by one of the worst nor'easters in years, and two oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer, both broke in two.

The two tankers were both built of "dirty steel," and were welded, not riveted. Both things made them more brittle and more at risk of precisely the disaster that befell them both. The dozens of men on each ship were at risk, especially given that both halves of each ship were at risk of capsizing. Rescuing them was not a job for amateurs, and the Coast Guard sent out two 36-foot lifeboats, each crewed by just four men.

Tougias gives us a thrilling and sometimes heartbreaking account of the rescue efforts, interleaved with the history of rescue lifeboats, and the individual histories of the men putting their lives at risk in these rescue efforts. At times this has the effect of slowing the narrative of thrilling events. On balance, though, it makes the whole story richer and more satisfying.

They couldn't save all the men on those two ships. They saved many, though, indeed more than they should have been able to fit on their comparatively tiny boats. It's a wonderful example of just how important, and heroic, the outwardly mundane United States Coast Guard really is.

It's an overall excellent book, and well worth some of your time.

Recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book with my sweetie! We both loved the excellent story-telling. It’s amazing how much you learn from books, especially true stories. We spent a great deal of time learning about the Coast Guard, the Sea, ships, and especially the heroic actions of brave men. Wonderful, inspiring book.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick listen 3.5 stars
Shipwrecks = terrifying
The coast guard and the navy and all who sail are incredibly brave.
This was a neat and intense story. I had some trouble keeping the crews in their right place.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In February 1952, three low pressure systems combined with a system from New Jersey to create a storm like never before. The system stalled over Nantucket, wreaking havoc on those unfortunate enough to be on the sea. Not one, but two ships, the 'Pendleton' and the 'Fort Mercer', had each split as a result of powerful waves and weakened hulls. The fates of the crews depended upon the actions of the Coast Guard.

The story covers the history of Chatham, dating back to the Monomoyick Native Americans. The histories of the men from the Coast Guard are explained which allows for a real feel of who these men were. From there the story unfolds with the desperation, courage, and determination of both the doomed ships' crews and the amazing Coast Guards sent to rescue them. The detail and accuracy given here is the end result of extensive research of newspapers and other periodicals, as well as interviews with rescuers and survivors, alike. The authors, realizing they were both working on the same subject, opted to coordinate their efforts.

A good decision, because they did a marvelous job! This book is straightforward as it relates the true events of the daring rescues. There is no added drama, no sensationalism here. The story doesn't need it. There's enough drama and suspense in the actual story; no need for fluff. The story is told well and stands on its own. This book praises the good men whose strengths and characters were tested on that fateful rescue mission. Admirably, it is told with honor and respect toward those who did not survive.

I recommend this book! For those who live in New England or have ties to the area, this book is a must-read. The rescues, history, and descriptions of the seas and the Chatham bar are absolutely fascinating!

[Alyson Larrabee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun to watch the movie and talk about all the things Disney changed and how the film added events that never happened and events that couldn’t possibly have happened. One thing that the film got right was the quiet, humble confidence and methodical perseverance of the main characters, the true to life heroes who didn’t accept that label: Bernie Webber, Richard Livesey, Ervin Maske, and Andy Fitzgerald. I had the exciting experience of visiting the floating museum, the real, restored CG36500, docked at Rock Harbor in Orleans, MA. It’s impossible to do justice to all the layers of this important true story and the brave men who took a 36 foot boat out in a nor’easter, February 18, 1952. Four men fought the 60 foot waves and no one thought they’d make it back to shore, but they did. They rescued 32 men from a huge oil tanker that had split in half during the storm! Read the book, see the movie, and visit the boat itself. What an experience!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before The Perfect Storm, there was similar storm in New England in the early 50s that contributed to not one, but two, tankers splitting in two. These WWII tankers had been hastily made with 'dirty steel' and were not made to withstand the 60 and 70 foot waves and bitter cold of the Nor'Easter. Against this, the US Coast Guard sent out 36 foot lifeboats in a heroic attempt to rescue the men from the broken halves of the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer. The Coast Guard boats were trying to rescue men off much larger vessels while enormous waves threatened to capsize both vessels and the cold could present the danger of frostbite at best, and death in minutes if a man fell into the ocean. It's remarkable that anyone was saved under these circumstances, but the young men (most in their early twenties) of the Coast Guard saved a number of them in what is still largest open-sea rescue involving small boats and cutters in US maritime history. Not until the rescues involved with the cruise ship Prisendam in 1980 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 would the feats here be surpassed. However the men of these ships did not think themselves heroes. Far from it. One of the principal men involved in the rescue - Bernie Webber - was especially hard hit. Despite rescuing 32 men from the Pendleton, he was haunted by "Tiny" Myers, the one man who fell and was crushed between the ships. The author notes "It was not the men who lived that called to Bernie in his dreams, it was the one man he couldn't bring home."

This was a heroic story. I thought it was good and it did not take me long to read this. But I found myself wishing that it had been done by Jon Krakauer (In Thin Air) or Sebastian Junger (Perfect Storm) - this narrative was a little dry and was a little too scholarly. If this had been done better, this could have been a blockbuster read. The story is inspiring and still worth a read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the winter of 1952 and a ferocious Nor’easter is pounding New England with howling winds and seventy-foot seas. Two oil tankers get caught in the violent storm off Cape Cod, its fury splitting the massive ships in two. Back on shore, four young Coast Guardsmen are issued a suicide mission: save the lives of the stranded seamen. Sailing a tiny lifeboat into the teeth of the killer storm, the rescue crew soon loses all navigation. With no idea where the stranded seaman are nor how to get back home, the crew stumbles upon the SS Pendleton in the darkness. More than thirty hopeful men appear at the wounded ship’s railings. Can the tiny lifeboat save them all?

my rating : five stars
What did I think of it: 2016 must be the year for me to pick up non-fiction( biographies-memoirs) because so far this year I've read 3 of them and this is one of them, I actually finished this on the 3/19/16 but I still didn't know how to put what I thought of it down ,I still don't . Its so much more than what I thought it was going to be , the history of the people who the book is about , what they all went though , the ones who made it back and the ones that didn't , the old black and white photos that make the story so much real when you look at them, this book actually made me cry in some parts and that's rarely done, but there's something about this story that once you start to read it ,it pulls at your heart, and see basely see and feel what they went though, its also a testament to how much are our U.S Coast Guards do every day ,their bravery no matter what part of the coast guards their in. Its a must read, if today I still can't write down what I want to say. Just go pick it up and read it, your see what I mean.

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book on which the movie, The Finest Hours, is based.

Off the coast of Cape Cod, during winter of 1952, a Nor'easter like few others rose up and battered the Eastern Seaboard. Two tankers, the Pendelton and the Fort Mercer were caught in this storm and both broke in two. This is the story of the Coast Guard's attempt to rescue all four halves.

While the movie focuses on just one rescue, CG36500, and Bernie Webber, the book expands on his role and those of the other stalwart Coasties who braved the 75' seas in an attempt to save the men stranded on these broken behemoths.

If you've only seen the movie you only know part of the story. If you've only read the book you've missed an exciting movie that will have you glued to whatever screen you're watching it on. Just don't expect it to stay totally true to the story.

[Roger Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story about Liberty ships, which are known to break in half in heavy seas. I’ve been at sea in a fierce Alaskan storm where the ship was hitting two waves at once, causing massive structural strain to the point where I could hear the creepy sounds of flexing steal. In a World War Two era ship like the one I was on the chance of it breaking in half was real. It’s a scary place to be. The Finest Hours tells the story of when two of these ships were violently torn apart during one stormy night and the heroic efforts of the US Coast Guard to rescue those onboard. I heard that this is going to be made into a movie. I look forward to seeing it on the big screen.