1 Disasters
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SS MANHATTAN GROUNDING
January 1941
The United States Liner S.S. MANAHATTAN firmly aground 300 yards off the beach at Lake Worth Inlet. Also visible is the
after deck of the USCGC MOJAVE with her crew preparing to pass a 12-inch hawser.
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| Richard Kelsey Photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
SS PENDLETON
February 19, 1952
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| Richard Kelsey Photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
SS PENDLETON
February 19, 1952
The above photos were taken the day after the PENDLETON broke in two. On February 18th 1952 the SS PENDLETON off the backside
of Cape Cod broke in half. She was a T2 type tanker that had a history of the hull cracking on them over the years. The T2
tanker FORT MERCER also broke in half during the same storm and also off Cape Cod.
The crew of the 36500 was BM1 Bernie Webber, EN3 Andrew Fitzgerald, SN Richard Livesey and SN Irving Maske. Irving Maske
was NOT stationed at Chatham but was awaiting transit to the Stonehorse Lightship. All were on the Chatham Station messdeck
when the call came in and volunteered to go with BM1 Webber on the rescue.
The 36500 got underway and crossed over the Chatham Bar and the windshield was broken by a large wave and the compass
was ripped from it's mount. They still headed out to find the PENDLETON not knowing if anyone was onboard.
The lifeboat found the stern section of the SS PENDLETON and found 33 people still onboard. The rescue was breath taking
and the last person onboard the PENDLETON was George (Tiny) Myers whose weight was over 300 lbs. "Tiny" had helped
the other 32 men down the Jacobs ladder for rescue on the 36500.
When it became his time "Tiny" missed the lifeboat from the Jacobs ladder and later was lost after an attempt
to retrieve him again while he was hanging on to the propeller of the PENDLETON.
The entire crew of the 36500 received Gold Lifesaving medals for their efforts.
Bernie Webber wrote a book "Chatham, The Lifeboatmen" which describes the entire rescue.
Thanks to MKCS Bill Collette uscg (RET) for this great narrative.
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| Richard Kelsey Photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
CG-36500
February 18 1952
CG-36500 returned to Chatham Fish Pier with 32 survivors of the PENDELTON after the rescue. EN3 Andrew Fitzgerald on the
bow with 3 of the survivors
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| Richard Kensley Photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
CG-36500
February 18, 1952
An exhausted SN Irving Maske (foreground) and BM1 Bernard Webber Coxswain.
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For information regarding the CG-36500, click here
REMAINS OF THE SS PENDLETON
1978/1979
Although the ship broke up in 1952 it was not until 1978 or 1979 that the Army Corps Of Engineers blew up the remains
to enable 26 ft of water over the wreckage.
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| Courtesy of Bill Collette |
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| USCG photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
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| USCG photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
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| USCG photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
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| USCG photo courtesy of Bill Collette |
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| Courtesy of Bill Collette |
USCGC HORNBEAM
Assisted in the recovery of passengers.
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 26, 1956
ANDREA DORIA sinks into watery grave off Nantucket Island: The stricken Italian luxury liner ANDREA DORIA floats with
her funnel still over water in this dramatic aerial view taken shortly before the vessel went down in 225-feet of water early
July 26, 1956. The ANDREA DORIA collided with the Swedish line STOCKHOLM in heavy fog at 11:10 p.m., July 25, leaving a gaping
hole in the ANDREA DORIA'S side. Nearby rescue ships succeeded in saving 1,662 passengers and crewmen aboard. (USCG)
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
Tragic trip to the bottom off Nantucket Island: The huge Italian liner, ANDREA DORIA, her starboard side ripped open
after colliding with the Swedish ship, STOCKHOLM, shortly before midnight July 25, 1956, nears the end of her tragic voyage
before settling to the bottom in 225 feet of water 45 miles south of Nantucket Island July 26. She sank a little more than
an hour after 1,662 passengers and crewmen had been rescued. Forty-six persons perished in the disaster. The STOCKHOLM and
other rescue ships, including the ILE de FRANCE, took the survivors to New York. (USCG)
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
ANDREA DORIA rests on the bottom off Nantucket Island: The 29-million dollar Italian liner, ANDREA DORIA, her lifeboats
strewn over a foamy part of the placid Atlantic waters, 45 miles south of Nantucket Island, is shown in this Aerial view on
her way to the bottom in 225 feet of water, July 26, 1956. The Italian luxury liner collided in a heavy fog with the Swedish
passenger ship, STOCKHOLM, shortly before midnight July 25. One-thousand-six-hundred and sixty-two out of the 1,708 passengers
and crewmen aboard were rescued. The damaged STOCKHOLM and other rescue ships - who had raced to the scene - took the survivors
to New York. (USCG)
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
Ocean swallows the ANDREA DORIA off Nantucket Island: Lifeboats, debris and a giant foamy vortex mark the site in the
Atlantic Ocean, 45 miles south of Nantucket Island, where 29-million dollar Italian liner, ANDREA DORIA, went down in 225
feet of water July 26, 1956, after colliding with the Swedish ship STOCKHOLM, shortly before midnight July 25. She sank a
little more than an hour after 1,662 passengers and crewmen had been rescued. Forty-six persons perished. The STOCKHOLM
and other rescue ships, including the outward-bound ILE de FRANCE, took the survivors to New York. (USCG)
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| Courtesy of Bill Collette |
ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
A helicopter hovers close to survey damage to the bow of the Swedish liner STOCKHOLM as the battered vessel limps into
New York Harbor July 27, 1956. The ship collided with the Italian liner, ANDREA DORIA 45 miles south of Nantucket Island,
Mass. two days earlier in the worst disaster of its kind in history.
Forty-six are dead or missing and the 29-million dollar ANDREA DORIA lies at the bottom the ocean near the collision site
beyond salvage according to comercial salvage experts. One-thousand-six-hundred and sixty-two passengers and crewmen were
rescued by Coast Guard, Navy and merchant vessels. (USCG)
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
Coast Guard Harbor Tug MAHONING escorts the battered Swedish liner STOCKHOLM into New ork Harbor July 27, 1956, two days
after history's first collision between two great luxury liners which sent the Italian ANDREA DORIA to the ocean floor 45
miles south of Nantucket Island, Mass. Before the 29-million dollar vessel sank to a watery grave 1,662 passengers and crewmen
were rescued by Coast Guard, Navy and merchant vessels. The stockholm picked up 313 DORIA passengers and 216 crewmen; 46
are dead or missing from the disaster. (USCG)
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ANDREA DORIA & STOCKHOLM
JULY 25, 1956
Close-up of the bashed-in ice-crusher bow of the SS STOCKHOLM which collided with the SS ANDREA DORIA 45 miles south of
Nantucket Island, Mass. July 25, 1956. Mattresses, clothing and other debris have been mashed into the ship's twisted metal.
(USCG)
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| Courtesy of Bill Collette |
SS ILE de FRANCE
This is a photo of the ship entering New York Harbor. It was taken PRIOR to her rescue of many passengers.
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