Name: The Finest Hours
ISBN: 9781501127175

Casey Sherman

Michael J. Tougias

Documents the 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.

The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue

The Finest Hours

The true story of an incredible disaster and heroic rescue at sea told by two masterful storytellers In the winter of 1952, New England was battered by the most brutal nor'easter in years. As the weather wreaked havoc on land, the freezing Atlantic became a wind-whipped zone of peril. In the early hours of Monday, February 18, while the storm raged, two oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer, found themselves in the same horrifying predicament. Built with "dirty steel," and not prepared to withstand such ferocious seas, both tankers split in two, leaving the dozens of men on board utterly at the Atlantic's mercy. The Finest Hours is the gripping, true story of the valiant attempt to rescue the souls huddling inside the broken halves of the two ships. Coast Guard cutters raced to the aid of those on the Fort Mercer, and when it became apparent that the halves of the Pendleton were in danger of capsizing, the Guard sent out two thirty-six-foot lifeboats as well. These wooden boats, manned by only four seamen, were dwarfed by the enormous seventy-foot seas. As the tiny rescue vessels set out from the coast of Cape Cod, the men aboard were all fully aware that they were embarking on what could easily become a suicide mission. The spellbinding tale is overflowing with breathtaking scenes that sear themselves into the mind's eye, as boats capsize, bows and sterns crash into one another, and men hurl themselves into the raging sea in their terrifying battle for survival. Not all of the eighty-four men caught at sea in the midst of that brutal storm survived, but considering the odds, it's a miracle -- and a testament to their bravery -- that any came home to tell their tales at all. Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman have seamlessly woven together their extensive research and firsthand interviews to create an unforgettable tale of heroism, triumph, and tragedy, one that truly tells of the Coast Guard's finest hours.

Kaitlyn Krna

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.

There is no added drama or sensationalism in the book. The story doesn't need it. 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 read this book in two days and was captivated by the story. I would highly recommend it.

The 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.

Julie Nicole Waldvogel

I absolutely loved this book! It tells the stories of courage and hope like none other. Recommended!

The Finest Hours The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue

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