The Finest Hours

📚 The Finest Hours by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman

In February 1952, a fierce nor’easter tears two oil tankers—the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer—in half off the Massachusetts coast. With sailors trapped aboard the broken ships, Coast Guard crews head into towering waves and freezing conditions to attempt a rescue.

Among them are four men in a small wooden lifeboat, risking their lives to reach dozens of stranded sailors before the sea claims them.

Told with vivid detail and urgency, The Finest Hours is a gripping true story of courage, seamanship, and determination. A great pick for readers who enjoy maritime history and extraordinary rescues against the odds. (orleanshistoricalsociety.org, dinfos.dma.mil)