The Real Story Behind the Movie 'The Finest Hours'

The Finest Hours:

        'The Finest Hours' is an American historical drama action thriller movie that hit the theatres in 2016. Chris Pine (An American Actor) played the lead role who represented the Real-Life Hero "Bernard Challen Webber" (An U.S.Coast Guardsman). This movie narrates a real-time story of Maritime History that happened in late 1952, the SS Pendleton a Type T2-SE-A1-tanker that broke into two in high seas and followed by a Stunning and brave rescue by the U.S. Coast guard and saving 32 lives.

SS Pendleton History: 

    SS Pendleton was a 503-foot, 10448 GRT Type T2-SE-A1 tanker built in 1944 in Portland for the War Shipping Administration. During the second world war, she was a member of Convoy ON 249. In 1948, she was sold to National Bulk Carriers of Wilmington, a shipping company that owned and operated Oil tankers. Her propulsion was turbo-electric and can propel at a speed of 16 Knots (30 km/hr). As per the records, in July 1951, Pendleton ran aground in the Hudson Bay, New York latter she floated the next day. She had multiple hull fractures and the same was not renewed and the vessel continues to sail with the same hull fractures.

What Just happened on February 18, 1952?

    On February 12,1952 SS Pendleton departed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Boston. She was carrying a cargo of 122,000 barrels of kerosene and heating oils with 45 crew onboard. On February 17, the Pendleton arrived off the Coast of Boston at late night the weather conditions were extreme and Officers experienced low visibility. The Captain of the Ship John Fitzgerald opted to standoff and instead slowly head into Massachusetts Bay, but the wind and sea conditions worsened.

    At about 5.50 am on February 18, the ship's crew heard a series of explosive cracking noises and then the sharp sound of bending metal and then the vessel snapped into two leaving the bow (forward part of the ship) section completely without power. The Captain and seven other crewmen aboard who were on the bow lost their lives.

    But the stern section maintained power and limited operational abilities. With the Caption gone, the Chief Engineer Raymond Sybert Took charge of the other 32 Survivors continued to drift in the extremely high seas nearly six miles off Cape Cod. Since the bow is completely lost the vessel was without the Radio and no S.O.S (distress signal) would be issued. The only thing that still worked was a little portable radio receiver. 

Chatham Lifeboat station's Response:

    

        At 3pm the Coast Gaurd at Chatham Lifeboat station spotted the ship's stern section and orders were made to head for the rescue. BM1 Bernie Webber was ordered for the mission with a 36-foot CG-36500 MLB (Motor Lifeboat). Some crew members chose not to be part of the mission since it seems to be scarier or a suicide mission. Three men volunteered to go with Bernard Webber to help the Pendelton Survivors, Petty Officer 2nd Class Andy Fitzgerald, Seamen Richard Livesey and Seamen Ervin Maske.

(Other crew members from the Chatham Lifeboat Station had already left in another boat in response to the Mayday from another tanker Fort Mercer that had broken into half on the same day) 

  

Historic Rescue Misson:

            The CG-36500 MLB (Motor lifeboats) with the four crew, including Webber, started towards the Oil tanker SS Pendleton. The MLB was built for stability and can hold about 12 passengers, they sailed into the rough seas hitting a massive wave as it crossed Chatham's offshore sandbar. The MLB was hurled into the air, fell on its side and righted itself as another wave struck, shattering the wheelhouse windshield, flattening Bernie Webber and destroying the boat's mounted compass.

(Motor Lifeboat used for the Rescue)

    Bernie Webber with his crew navigated the boat through darkness and turbulence. After about an hour, they found the stern of SS Pendleton with shattered walls, shredded wires of a half-ship. The waves were too high and the lifeboat crew had no idea how to reach and rescue the survivors.

    As the lifeboat rounded the stern they were able to spot the name of the ship using the Searchlight and at the same time, they found the survivors in Orange life jackets. A Jacob's ladder (A seamen's device of ropes and wood slats) was thrown over the rail and unrolled down the hull. As the survivors started to disembark from the ship using the widely swinging ladder, Webber tried to maintain the boat in position and others tried to help the survivors to get into the boat.

    The descending men from the ship clung to the rope ladder as it swayed perilously out and slammed back into the hull. With every roll of the stern, Bernie Webber tried to manoeuvre his boat close to let seamans leap aboard. It was not always possible, many fell into the freezing sea but struggled to the surface and grabbed a safety line rigged around the lifeboat’s shell. It was the heroes on the lifeboat who pulled up the men in freezing waters onto the deck and bundled them into the boat safely.

    The lifeboat capacity seems to be 12 and the number of survivor's onboard the ship was 33. Bernie Webber decided to accommodate all the survivors in his boat and finally, 31 survivors were packed in. Two survivors were still onboard SS Pendleton, Chief Engineer Raymond Sybert and Seamen George Myers (Ship's Cook).

        George Myers climbed down the ladder and at last, he either slipped or mistimed the jump and fell into the sea. He was hit by the waves and thrown back into the waters. The crew watched helplessly as he drifted away and was swallowed by darkness and the Ocean.

(A picture from the movie 'The Finest Hours')

        Finally, the last member Raymond Sybert was safely rescued and a total of 32 survivors were on board the Motor Lifeboat. About one hour later, the overloaded CG-36500 churned into Chatham Harbor with all survivors. 

        Later Bernie Webber, Andy Fitzgerald, Richard Livesey and Ervin Maske became local legends and were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroism. This was climbed to be the greatest small boat rescue in Coast guard history.

Click the link to view the movie trailer 👉 ' The Finest Hours '

Reference:

https://www.historyvshollywood.com/

https://www.chelseaclock.com/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/