The Finest Hours: The True Story Of The U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue (2007) - Plot & Excerpts
This book was loaned to me by two blue-water sailors who insisted it was a quick read. It was.Along the lines of A PERFECT STORM but much more reliant on the Coast Guard reports and, more obviously, on those of survivors, the book relates the story of a bitter nor'easter off Cape Cod on 18-19 February 1952 and its tragic effect on two poorly constructed and maintained oilers. It unfolds from shore to the sections of the boats still afloat with crews divided by the rupture, following the work of the intrepid "Coasties" who motored into the storm blindly, not at first knowing that a second ship (SS Pendleton) had come apart on their way to the first (SS Fort Mercer). The violence of the seas and the vulnerability of men and boats make for an exciting read.The narrative is straightforward and clear though, even for a short volume, there is a lot of historical filler.Going down to the sea, as Alfred Noyes would have it, might not be all its cracked up to be; looking out on Narragansett Bay can be misleading, I guess, and riding on someone else's hole in the ocean offers beauty in view, sound, atmosphere. Don't be greedy is the message of THE FINEST HOURS; it applies to lubbers like me. Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman have created another amazing story. With characters who turn into hero’s. “The Finest Hours” have 4 brave men that risk their lives to save more than 30 stranded sailors. Read on to see what it the brave men had to face. On the night of February 18, 1952 during one of the worst snow storms that New England had ever seen two oil tankers were literally caught in the middle of the storm. The storm was in full force with waves up to 70 feet high when these tankers and the sailors aboard found their ships being torn apart. Four Coast Guardsmen headed out to sea in a rescue effort. They were in a little life board called the “GG 36500” to come to the sailors rescue. Despite the dangerous odds, these four brave men risked their lives to rescue more than 30 stranded sailors from there disabled tankers. Anyone who likes to read about survival and adventure will love this book. It is a great story about heroism. I would recommend this book to everyone. There is also a movie that was made by this book called, “The Perfect Storm”. I really want to see it, and I think everyone should watch it too. It is a great true story about a horrible catastrophe.
What do You think about The Finest Hours: The True Story Of The U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue (2007)?
Riveting history of two at-sea rescues; I read this book straight through.
—lucydthach
Great local history - had never heard of the story before.
—portsofcall
It's crazy how brave people can be. Scary, scary tale.
—aayu
