Bernard C. Webber, USCG
1928-2009
Bernard C. Webber, coxswain of motor lifeboat
CG-36500, from Station Chatham, Massachusetts, and his crew of three
rescued the crew of the stricken tanker Pendleton, which had broken
in half during a horrific storm on 18 February 1952 off the coast of Massachusetts.
Webber maneuvered the 36-footer under the Pendleton's stern with
expert skill as the tanker's crew, trapped in the stern section, abandoned
the wreck of their ship on a Jacobs ladder into the Coast Guard lifeboat.
Webber and his crew of three, EN3 Andrew Fitzgerald; SN Richard Livesey; and SN Irving Maske, saved 32 of the 33 Pendleton's crewmen who were on the stern section of the ship. All four Coast Guardsmen were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroic actions. Their successful rescue operation has been noted as one of the greatest in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Webber joined the Coast Guard in 1946 and rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer during a distinguished 20 year military career that included a tour in Vietnam. He was also a veteran of the Merchant Marine during World War II. He crossed the bar in 2009.
Further Information:
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Gold Lifesaving Medal Citation for Bernard Webber, Andrew Fitzgerald, Richard Livesey & Irving Maske. The medals were awarded 7 May 1952.
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Speech by MCPOCG Charles W. Bowen at the Chatham Reunion about the Pendleton rescue and Bernard Webber.
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ALCOAST announcing the passing of Bernard Webber.
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Commandant Admiral Thad Allen's blog posting regarding the passing of Bernard Webber.
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Bernard C. Webber's obituary, written by Captain W. Russell Webster, USCG (Ret.)
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ALCOAST announcing that the Coast Guard's first 153-foot Fast Response Cutter was named BERNARD C WEBBER in his honor.
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