Why did T2 tankers split in half?

Why did T2 tankers split in half?

As was found during the war, the United States Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation in 1952 stated that in cold weather the ships were prone to metal fatigue cracking, so were “belted” with steel straps. This occurred after two T2s, Pendleton and Fort Mercer, split in two off Cape Cod within hours of each other.

What is the true story behind the finest hours?

The new film, which stars Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, is based on the true story of one of the most dangerous and daring rescue attempts in Coast Guard history: Boatswain’s Mate First Class Bernie Webber (Pine) sets out with a small team to rescue the crew of the Pendleton T2 oil tanker, which split in half off the …

What happened to the Fort Mercer?

Caught in a nor’easter off the Massachusetts coast in February 1952, the T2 tanker Fort Mercer suffered a hull fracture that split the ship in two and created a harrowing situation both for her crew and for their Coast Guard rescuers.

Where is the CG36500 now?

CG36500 was left to deteriorate until Bill Quinn and the Orleans Historical Society intervened, acquired ownership, and executed a comprehensive restoration. The vessel was eventually restored by OHS volunteers to her present mission; a floating museum dedicated to the memory of the Life Savers of Cape Cod.

Is the SS Pendleton still there?

The remains of the Pendleton lie in around 40 feet of water off Pollock Rip Shoal in cold water and tough currents. The remains are heavily decayed and in unrecognizable pieces due to being blown up by the Army in 1979.

What happened to the bow of the Pendleton?

18, 1952, the Pendleton was headed south in blinding snow and violent seas 10 miles off the coast of Chatham, Mass. Suddenly the crewmen heard explosive cracking noises. The vessel lurched heavily and then broke in two. The Pendleton’s bow section lost power and drifted south with the captain and seven crewmen aboard.

Is Bernie Webber still alive?

Deceased (1928–2009)
Bernard C. Webber/Living or Deceased

How many died on the SS Pendleton?

Nine of Pendleton’s 41 crew were lost: eight (including Captain John Fitzgerald) who were on the bow section (which hadn’t been part of the rescue), and the ship’s cook from the stern section, who had selflessly assisted the rest of the crew off the vessel before himself.

Where was the movie The Finest Hours filmed?

The movie was filmed in Chatham, Cohasset, Duxbury, Marshfield, Norwell and Quincy in 2014. The film crew built an 800,000 gallon water tank, measuring 110 x 80 feet, at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, where much of the storm effects were replicated.

Did Bernie and Miriam Webber have children?

He was a petty officer assigned to Coast Guard Station Chatham, Massachusetts, where one of his duties was that of coxswain of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500….

Where was the finest hours filmed?

Principal photography began on September 8, 2014, in Quincy, Massachusetts. On October 27, the film was being shot at Fore River Shipyard in Quincy aboard USS Salem. They were also set to film at various South Shore locations and then move to Chatham, Massachusetts, in December.

How many men died on the SS Pendleton?

Why did the Pendleton tanker split in half?

Fact: The Pendleton split in half because of a crack in its hull that couldn’t hold against the raging sea. The tanker had sustained a three-way fracture the previous year, and despite a failure to repair it, the boat still passed inspection in January 1952, the month before the storm.

Who was the captain of the tanker that broke in half?

But the crew didn’t realize the tanker had split in half until a young seaman named Chris Bridges ascended to the catwalk and realized that it just ended a few feet in front of him. It would later be confirmed that Captain John J. Fitzgerald and seven crewmen had gone down with the bow.

When was the SS Pendleton split in half?

On Feb. 18, 1952, the Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts, got word that the SS Pendleton, a World War II-era oil tanker, had been split in half at sea. Incredibly, it was the second tanker ripped apart that day, and the most experienced seamen at the station had already been dispatched to help with the first distress call.

Why did the boat split in half in the finest hours?

Here’s what really unfolded on that blustery February day. Warning: Spoilers for The Finest Hours follow. Fact: The Pendleton split in half because of a crack in its hull that couldn’t hold against the raging sea.