Bernard Challen Webber (May 9, 1928 – January 24, 2009) was a
United States Coast Guardsman.
["Bernard C. Webber, USCG, 1928-2009", Coast Guard Heroes, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office][ He was a petty officer assigned to Coast Guard Station Chatham, Massachusetts, where one of his duties was that of ]coxswain
The coxswain ( , or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from ''cock'', referring to the cockboat, a type of ship's boa ...
of '' Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500''. Webber and his crew of three rescued the crew of the stricken T2 tanker
The T2 tanker, or T2, was a class of oil tanker constructed and produced in large quantities in the United States during World War II. Only the T3 tankers were larger "navy oilers" of the period. Some 533 T2s were built between 1940 and the end of ...
, which had broken in half during a storm on February 18, 1952 off Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. Webber maneuvered the 36-foot lifeboat under ''Pendleton''s stern as the tanker's crew, trapped in the stern section, abandoned the wreck of their ship on a Jacob's ladder
Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28).
The significance of th ...
into the Coast Guard motor lifeboat.
Career
Webber and his crew of three – Engineman
Engineman (abbreviated as EN) is a United States Navy occupational rating. Engineman was the former name for the current U.S. Coast Guard rating of Machinery Technician.
History
Enginemen operate, service and repair internal combustion engine ...
Third Class Andrew Fitzgerald, Seaman Richard Livesey, and Seaman Ervin Maske – saved 32 of the 33 crewmen who were on the stern section of SS ''Pendleton'' when the ship broke in two. There were no survivors among the ship's crew in the bow section, which was found the next day by another rescue vessel. All four Coast Guardsmen were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal
The Gold Lifesaving Medal and Silver Lifesaving Medal are U.S. decorations issued by the United States Coast Guard. The awards were established by Act of Congress, 20 June 1874; later authorized by . These decorations are two of the oldest med ...
for their heroic actions.[Kroll, p 25]
Webber served in the Merchant Marine during World War II, then joined the Coast Guard in 1946. At the time of the ''Pendleton'' rescue Webber was serving as a boatswain's mate first class at Coast Guard Station Chatham. He rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer
Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Pakistan Air Force, the Israel Defense Forces, the South African National Defence Force, the Lebanese Armed Forces and, since 2012, th ...
(Boatswain specialty) during a 20-year military career that included a tour during the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
as a part of Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy, Republic of Vietnam Navy and Royal Australian Navy operation begun in 1965 to stop the flow of troops, war material, and supplies by sea, coast, and rivers, from North Vietnam into parts of Sout ...
.
Personal life
Webber was born in Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and an affluent suburb of Boston. The population was 28,630 at the 2020 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and architect Buckminster Fuller. ...
, the son of Anne (Knight) and Reverend A. Bernard Webber.[Webster, W. Russell; "A Tribute: Bernie Webber, CWO (Ret.)", U.S. Coast Guard History Program, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office] He was married to Miriam Penttinen. Webber died on January 24, 2009.[http://wow.uscgaux.info/Uploads_wowII/070-05-08/Inlet_News_May_2014_Part_2.pdf ]
Legacy
The first-in-class , was named in his honor.[Lagan, Christopher, "First Sentinel Class cutter named for CG hero Webber", Coast Guard Compass, Official CG Blog] She was commissioned on 14 April 2012 at her home port of Miami, Florida.
A history of the rescue of the men of ''Pendleton'' and ''Mercer'', including Bernard Webber's heroic role in the rescue of the men from the stern of ''Pendleton'', was presented in the 2009 book ''The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue'', by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. This book was later reissued in a "young adult" edition and adapted into a 2016 feature film, '' The Finest Hours'' by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, formerly known as Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. until 2007, is an American film distribution studio within the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. It ha ...
, depicting the ''Pendleton'' rescue with Chris Pine
Chris Pine (born August 26, 1980) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' reboot film series (2009–present), Steve Trevor in the DC Extended Universe films ''Wonder Woman'' (2017) and '' Wo ...
portraying Webber.[Lamothe, Dan; "The real-life story behind Disney's forthcoming Coast Guard rescue movie, 'The Finest Hours'", Washington Post]
Webber's memoir was published in 2015, titled ''Lightships, Lighthouses, and Lifeboat Stations: A Memoir and History'' ().[Webber, (2015)]
References
Additional reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Webber, Bernard C.
1928 births
2009 deaths
United States Coast Guard officers
United States Coast Guard personnel of the Vietnam War
People from Milton, Massachusetts
Recipients of the Gold Lifesaving Medal
United States Merchant Mariners of World War II
Military personnel from Massachusetts