The fitzgeralds never made a big fuss over the rescue mission. May 22, 2009 the only surviving crewmember is andy fitzgerald, who lives in colorado. Nov 19, 2018 andrew fitzgerald at the coast guard station at chatham light on cape cod in 2014. Coast guard braved 80foot waves and a blinding noreaster to face the.
Andrew fitzgerald, the last surviving member of a coast guard crew that took a lifeboat out into the atlantic in a raging blizzard in 1952 and rescued 32 of 33 merchant seamen clinging to the remains of a tanker that had split in two off cape. Andrew fitzgerald at the coast guard station at chatham light on. He was the last survivor of a crew that rescued 32 seamen from raging seas six miles off the coast there, on the. He died earlier this year, just before the finest hours was finished. Coast guard, waves to the crowd at disneyland during the flag retreat ceremony sunday. It wasnt until they were well into their marriage that gloria fitzgerald found out about the rescue that made her husband, andy fitzgerald, a part of coast guard history. The motto of the coast guard at that time was, you have to go out, but you dont have to come back, fitzgerald said with a wry smile as he watched the movie come together. Click the red pdf symbol to read about andy and view photos of the service. Coast guard hero bernie webber that i believed my book, the finest hours, could be turned into a movie some day, he recommended that don knotts play him on the big screen. Most coasties know the story of douglas munro, the coast guard s only medal of honor recipient, but do you know about quentin walsh. I had the great honor of getting to know andy, not only writing the book, but also working on our film, the finest hours. Chatham it wasnt until they were well into their marriage that gloria fitzgerald found out about the rescue that made her husband, andy fitzgerald, a part of coast guard history. The crew had to go out, but it was far from certain that they would return.
Jan 29, 2016 ervin maske john magaro, andy fitzgerald kyle gallner richard livesey ben foster and bernie webber chris pine are the brave men who set off on the most daring rescue in the history of the coast guard, in disneys heroic actionthriller the finest hours. Coast guard salutes the american flag during the flag retreat ceremony at disneyland. Retired coast guardsman from wrentham recalls daring sea. Nov 19, 2018 andrew fitzgerald, the last surviving member of a coast guard crew that took a lifeboat out into the atlantic in a raging blizzard in 1952 and rescued 32 of 33 merchant seamen clinging to the. Their stormy voyage would be known as the greatest small boat rescue in coast guard history, and an exemplary example of maritime leadership. A memorial service was held for andy fitzgerald, the last surviving. Behind the scenes of the finest hours the maritime executive. 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. During the height of a winter noreaster, two world war ii era tankers, ss fort mercer and ss pendleton, split in half placing the lives of their 84 crew members in jeopardy. Yet, the now78yearold whitinsville native and the three other members of the chatham coast guard station succeeded in. Jan 29, 2016 this week, brockton native andy fitzgerald and his wife attended a red carpet premier of the finest hours in hollywood, which depicts a daring u. Coast guard on february 26, 1946, and was sent to its training station at curtis bay, maryland. The rest of the story is, as the adage goes, history. Fitzgeralds crew was awarded the gold lifesaving medal, the coast guards highest honor, for its 1952 rescue of 32 men off an oil tanker, and was immortalized in the 2016 blockbuster.
Fitzgerald s crew was awarded the gold lifesaving medal, the coast guard s highest honor, for its 1952 rescue of 32 men off an oil tanker, and was immortalized in the 2016 blockbuster. Fitzgerald was a 20yearold engineman third class on u. Feb 24, 2016 andy fitzgerald, along with the three other coast guard men who were with him that evening in 1952, earned gold lifesaving medal awards. The sets were apparently good enough to impress andy fitzgerald, one of the reallife members of that coast guard rescue team. At we believe that every life has a story that deserves to be told and preserved is the online source for current local and national obituary news and a supportive community where friends and family can come together during times of loss and grieving to honor the memories of their loved ones with lasting personal tributes. Ervin maske john magaro, andy fitzgerald kyle gallner richard livesey ben foster and bernie webber chris pine are the brave men who set off on the most daring rescue in the history of the coast guard, in disneys heroic actionthriller the finest hours. Coast guard hero bernie webber that i believed my book. Rescuer still modest over cape cod feat portland press.
Michael tougias was the other coauthor of the book, which also. Ap it wasnt until they were well into their marriage that gloria fitzgerald found out about the rescue that made her husband, andy fitzgerald, a part of coast guard. Jan 30, 2016 andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard station in plain sight. It was february 18, 1952, and they were driving from the chatham lifeboat station to the fish pier across town. Oct 09, 2010 andy fitzgerald, who was part of a fourman u.
Doing the job that night resulted in the rescue of 32 crew members of the pendleton in a coast guard boat designed to hold eight. The historic rescue, known as the greatest small boat rescue in coast guard history, was documented by casey sherman in a book that was later portrayed in a disney movie, the finest hours. Cg 36500 the cape cod times published this great photo. The finest hours is based on the true story of two oil tankers, the pendleton and the fort mercer, that split in two during a storm off the coast of massachusetts in 1952. Remembering andrew fitzgerald, last surviving pendleton rescuer. Not as many movies are made about the coast guard as it deserves. The inside story of tom bradys fight for redemption, a new york times bestseller and cbs filmss patriots day. Feb 03, 2016 another rescuer, andy fitzgerald, is still alive and went to hollywood with tougias for the premiere of the finest hours. Sep 06, 20 the motto of the coast guard at that time was, you have to go out, but you dont have to come back, fitzgerald said with a wry smile as he watched the movie come together.
Andrew fitzgerald at the coast guard station at chatham light on cape cod in 2014. Andy fitzgerald was a junior engineer on the coast guard craft that rescued the tanker s. Webber, the skipper, retired from the coast guard after a 20year career. Jan 29, 2016 the remarkable true story behind the finest hours, as told by the two surviving members of the coast guard s most daring rescue.
The historic rescue, known as the greatest small boat rescue in coast guard history, was documented by casey sherman in. I was the lowest engineman there and hadnt been out of school for very long. Casey sherman is an acclaimed journalist and author of ten books, including 12. May 22, 2009 the chatham coast guard station ordered a fourman crew to take the cg36500, a 36foot wooden lifeboat, on a rescue mission. Heroic coast guard rescue off cape cod now major motion. Engineman second class andy fitzgerald, 84, of the u. Cg for coast guard, 36 for its length and 500 for a serial number, made it out to the pendleton, let alone back with all but one. At the time, fitzgerald was a 20yearold engine man stationed at the chatham lifeboat station now known as coast guard station chatham and was part of a fourman crew assigned to rescue.
Coast guard history, as told by one of the authors of the book that spawned the hollywood film the finest hours. Ervin maske, andy fitzgerald, richard livesey and bernie webber were about to. 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. All crewmen were awarded the gold lifesaving medal, the coast guard s highest honor. Starring chris pine, casey affleck, ben foster, eric bana based on the book the. Engineman andy fitzgerald, ervin maske and richard livesey.
It is often called the greatest smallboat rescue in the history of the coast guard. The pendleton rescue is known as one of the greatest rescues in coast guard history. Livesey of fall river, ervin maske of wisconsin and andy fitzgerald. Yet, the now78yearold whitinsville native and the three other members of the chatham coast guard station succeeded in saving 32 lives that night on a boat. Cumberland mans dad a star in 52 coast guard rescue. The finest hours is about one of the most dangerous rescue missions in the history of the u. Moreover, this book focuses on the exploits of four men who were members of my part of the coast guardthe boat force, those coasties serving in small boats who have. Boat restored in suttons bay stars in upcoming film. Andy fitzgerald on being part of the greatest small boat. A graduate of boston university, he is also a contributing writer for esquire. Meet the real bernie webber, miriam, richard livesey and andy fitzgerald.
Book tells story of local mans harrowing sea adventure news. Andy fitz fitzgerald recounts his story as told in michael tougias new book, the finest hours. Fitzgerald is the last surviving member of the fourman crew that used the motor life boat to rescue 32 seamen. Coxswain bernie webber, richard livesey, ervin maske and andy fitzgerald returned to port hours later very much alive and with thirtytwo survivors from the 503 oil tanker, the pendleton. The students have been reading the finest hours by michael j. In letters to recruits at the time, the commanding officer of the coast guard training station summed up the life and duty of a coast guardsman this way. Andy fitzgerald and four other coast guard members set off on the most daring rescue mission in the history of the coast guard in disneys actionthriller the finest hour. Jan 29, 2016 i f youve never felt a strong sense of connection to the u. The finest hours andy fitzgerald honored at disneyland. Rescuer still modest over cape cod feat portland press herald. Skippered by boatswains mate bernie webber and manned by andy fitzgerald, richard livesey, and ervin maske, the 36500 and its crew are coast guard legends. How a coast guard crew defied the odds and saved 32 lives.
Andy fitzgerald, 83, is the sole living member of what is known as the greatest smallboat rescue in coast guard history. All crewmen were awarded the gold lifesaving medal, the coast guards highest honor. Cumberland mans dad a star in 52 coast guard rescue the. Andy fitzgerald, the last surviving member of the coast guard crew whose daring rescue is being told in disneys the finest hours. Andy fitzgerald, along with the three other coast guard men who were with him that evening in 1952, earned gold lifesaving medal awards.
Fitzgerald was one of four coast guardsmen who left chatham in a 36foot wooden boat, at night in a blizzard, and in the teeth of 60foot waves, to rescue the. I f youve never felt a strong sense of connection to the u. Behind the scenes of the finest hours left to right. Gouthro and fellow coast guardsman andy fitzgerald, the last surviving member of the rescue crew, were key sources for the movie and for michael tougias and casey sherman, coauthors of the book. When he told his story, fitzgerald would start, it was a dark and stormy night. United states coast guard leaders and missions, 1790 to the present. Coast guard crew that saved 32 men from the oil tanker during a winter noreaster in 1952, talked with students at pembroke high school. I was the lowest class engine man there, and i didnt get to go out too much, he recalled.
This middlegrade 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. Andrew fitzgerald foreground and his shipmates on the cg36500 during the. Coast guard, and i spent years of active and reserve duty in the coast guard. Did the coast guard men realize just how dangerous the mission was. Todays trackline steers us clear of any rocks and shoals, and true to bm1 bernie webbers heroics, these are truly the finest hours to serve in the united states coast guard. Bm1 bernard webber, en3 andrew fitzgerald, sn richard livesey and sn irving maske. Hollywood spotlights aurora mans unsung heroism with the finest. Many coasties were in attendance including a rear admiral. Chatham andrew fitzy fitzgerald, the last surviving member of the coast guard crew that famously rescued 32 men from a sinking oil tanker during a 1952 noreaster, passed away at age of 86 on thursday. Jan 10, 2016 that the little boat, with the utilitarian name cg36500 cg for coast guard, 36 for its length and 500 for a serial number, made it out to the pendleton, let alone back with all but one of the 33. This particular noreaster would be one for the history books. The 60th anniversary of the pendleton rescue coast guard. Their finest hours coast guardsmen went above and beyond. Harrowing action bolsters heroic true story in the finest.
Andrew fitzgerald, shown here during a visit to coast guard station chatham. The finest hours brings to life the most daring rescue in the. May 22, 2009 skippered by boatswains mate bernie webber and manned by andy fitzgerald, richard livesey, and ervin maske, the 36500 and its crew are coast guard legends. Coast guard hero bernie webber that i believed my book, the finest hours, could be turned into a movie some day, he recommended. Andrew fitzgerald, the last of the fourman crew of the coast guard motor lifeboat cg36500, which rescued the crew of the ss pendleton, has died at the age of 87 on february 18, 1952, the 36. Coast guard rescue team engineer andy fitzgerald acted by kyle gallner still is living and played an extra in the film. Coast guard veteran andy fitzgerald of aurora, right, stands with kyle. The daring coast guard rescue brings a young readers imagination 1952 to a front row seat to the greatest small boat rescue in coast guard history. Andrew fitzgerald, who saved men from a stormsundered ship. Rich furyinvisionap this article is more than 4 years old. Fitzgerald was one of four coast guardsmen who left chatham in a 36foot wooden boat, at night in a blizzard, and in the teeth of 60foot waves, to rescue the crew of the ss pendleton, an oil. 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. And the finest hours is loaded with the sort of courage and heroism that makes you want to stand up and cheer.
Why does one particular coast guard rescue mission still matter after sixtyfour years. Jan 31, 2016 andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard station in plain sight. Another rescuer, andy fitzgerald, is still alive and went to hollywood with tougias for the premiere of the finest hours. Jan 24, 2016 chatham andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard station in plain sight. Andrew fitzgerald obituary west warwick, rhode island. You can read much more about the fort mercer and pendleton rescues in several wellresearched and recently published books, including, the pendleton disaster off cape cod the greatest small boat rescue in coast guard history and the finest hours. Ap it wasnt until they were well into their marriage that gloria fitzgerald found out about the rescue that made her husband, andy fitzgerald, a part of coast guard history. Fitzgerald was honored for being part of a fourperson. The finest hours relives a perilous, forgotten rescue the. Andrew fitzgerald, the last surviving member of a coast guard crew that took a lifeboat out into the atlantic in a raging blizzard in 1952 and rescued 32 of 33 merchant seamen clinging to the. A deepdive into the facts about what really happened on the harrowing night that produced the most daring rescue in u. With chris pine, casey affleck, ben foster, eric bana. Chatham andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard station in plain sight. On february 18, 1952, the boat was called out for a rescue in the middle of a noreaster storm.
The cape cod times published this great photo gallery of students from nauset regional middle school touring the cg36500. Coast guard motor lifeboat 36500, stationed in chatham, on cape cod, mass. He was honored may 9 at a memorial service in wellfleet attended by friends, family and coast guard dignitaries. The coast guard has a saying, said casey sherman, coauthor with michael tougias of the finest hours, a new book about the rescue. Andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard. Chatham the last surviving member of the coast guard crew aboard the.
Myers lost his life when he jumped from the rope ladder that had been lowered by the pendleton crew in order to descend into the coast guard lifeboat. Brockton native only living member of crew depicted in the. New book chronicles 1952 coast guard rescues off chatham. Bernie webber leads the charge, but the movie suggests hes an unlikely hero. A few years ago, a man in church asked the former engineman if hed been in the service. Andy fitzgerald, a 20yearold engineman in the chatham, mass. The finest hours, based on the book by the same name by michael. Andy fitzgerald had a purpose in hanging around the coast guard station in plain sight.
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