The Finest

Hours
Study Guide
Part 1: Chapters 1-4: Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. nor’easter:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________

2. boatswain:________________________________________
_______________________________________________

3. maritime:_________________________________________
_______________________________________________

4. tanker:__________________________________________
_______________________________________________

5. catwalk:__________________________________________
_______________________________________________

6. muster:__________________________________________
________________________________________________

7. apparition:________________________________________
________________________________________________

8. subpar:__________________________________________
________________________________________________

9. vicinity:__________________________________________
________________________________________________

1
10. stern:___________________________________________
_______________________________________________

11. bow:____________________________________________
_______________________________________________

12. demeanor:________________________________________
_______________________________________________

2
 Vocabulary Practice

1.___nor’easter A. Area

2.___boatswain B. A naval officer in charge of hull

maintenance
3.___tanker C. To cause to come together

4.___catwalk D. Outward manner

5.___muster E. Relating to the sea

6.___apparition F. A narrow walkway

7.___subpar G. Front part of a ship

8.___vicinity H. Below standard

9.___stern I. A cargo ship fitted with tanks

10.___bow J. The rear portion of a ship

11.___demeanor K. Ghostly figure/unexpected sight

12.___maritime L. A storm along the East Coast of

North America named for the
Direction of the winds

3
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

nor’easter boatswain maritime tanker catwalk muster

apparition subpar vicinity stern bow demeanor

1. Stay out of the ___________ where the tornado struck.

2. There was plenty of oil on board the_____________.
3. Try to ___________ enough men to help with the disaster.
4. His efforts were really ___________. He didn’t do a very good job.
5. JoAnn became scared when she saw an__________ in the old
house.
6. Her ___________ was very somber after hearing the bad news.
7. Be careful when crossing the __________. It’s really high!
8. A big ___________struck the coast of Maine.
9. Talk to the ____________. She’s in charge of the maintenance of
the hull.
10. The motor was located in the _________ of the motorboat.
11. Jack and Rose pretended to be flying by standing in the ______ of
the Titanic.
12. The state’s _________ industry is an important part of the
economy.

4
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What thoughts were on Bernie Webber’s mind at the opening of the

book?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

2. What kind of life was Bernie’s father hoping that he would have?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

3. What career did Bernie settle on?

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

4. Describe Bernie’s first challenge with the ​USS Livermoore.

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

​ efore it split in two.

5. Describe the voyage of the ​Pendleton b
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

6. What happened to Charles Bridges when he tried to find out what had
happened to the ​Pendleton​?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

5
 ​ fter the men
7. Describe what was happening aboard the ​Pendleton a
realized that the ship had split in two.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

8. Who was Carroll Kilgore?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

9. Describe how chief engineer Sybert took control of the situation.

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

​ ore fortunate, in some ways, than the

10. Why was the ​Pendleton m
​Titanic​?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

11. How did Captain Paetzel come to the realization that his ship had
cracked in half?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

12. How far could voice communication reach at the time this story took
place?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

13. Explain how Len finally ended up serving in the Coast Guard.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

6
14. How far was the ​Eastwind f​ rom the M ​ hen the distress call went
​ ercer w
out?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

15. What was the Boston Globe report?

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

16. How many were on the bow, and how many were on the stern when the
​Fort Mercer ​split apart?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

17. What was difficult about ordering the lifeboats out to look for the
​Mercer?​
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

18. What were some of the problems faced by the men heading out in the
lifeboats in the middle of the storm?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

19. Who was George Wagner, and what amazing discovery did he make?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

7
Part 1: Chapters 5-8 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. mooring:_________________________________________
________________________________________________

2. amphibious:_______________________________________
________________________________________________

3. vantage:__________________________________________
________________________________________________

4. tenure:___________________________________________
_______________________________________________

5. horrendous:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________

6. detriment:________________________________________
_______________________________________________

7. dory:____________________________________________
_______________________________________________

8. contemplate:______________________________________
_______________________________________________

9. poignant:_________________________________________
________________________________________________

8
10. jalopy:___________________________________________
________________________________________________

11. labyrinth:_________________________________________
________________________________________________

12. wallow:__________________________________________
________________________________________________

9
Part 1: Chapters 5-8

​Vocabulary Practice

1.___mooring A. able to function on both land and

water

2.___amphibius B. a maze

3.___vantage C. to hold

4.___tenure D. injury or damage

5.___horrendous E. painfully affecting the feelings

6.___detriment F. a broken down automobile

7.___dory G. dreadful

8.___contemplate H. to consider

9.___poignant I. an object to which a boat can be tied

10.___jalopy J. position giving a strategic advantage

11.___labyrinth K. to indulge or smother oneself

12.___wallow L. flat-bottomed boat with high sides

10
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

mooring amphibius vantage tenure horrendous detriment

dory contemplate poignant jalopy labyrinth wallow

1. From their ____________point high on the hill, the soldiers could

see everything.
2. The giant waves were ______________.
3. I must take some time to ____________ how I will proceed.
4. Brenda wouldn’t ride in the old broken down ____________.
5. Tie the boat to the _______________.
6. The pigs like to ___________ in the mud.
7. Not paying your fair share of the bill will only work to the
___________ of the entire group.
8. The death of the sailors was very ______________ to their
families.
9. Tanks are ____________vehicles that can travel on both land and
water.
10. Take the _________ and float out toward the ship.
11. Don’t get lost in the _________________.
12. Madeline has been teaching for more than three years. She has
__________.

11
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

​ ad been spotted?
1. What had Bernie been doing before the ​Pendleton h
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

2. Describe how Richard Livesey came to be in the Coast Guard.

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

3. What happened to Webber, Livesey, and Gouthro as they were

finishing up their work retying the moorings?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

4. What was the drive up to the arm of Cape Cod like?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

5. Why did the hill not provide a good vantage point?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

6. What prompted Andy Fitzgerald to join the Coast Guard?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

12
7. What were Bernie’s concerns with taking the ​36500​ out across the
Chatham bar?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

8. Who were the men who decided to go with Bernie to attempt the
rescue?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

9. For what reasons did some feel that these four men might not be up to
the job of rescuing sailors in the middle of a maelstrom?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

10. What was the problem with Bernie’s wife, Miriam?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

11. What was Miriam’s job before she married Bernie?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

12. How big was the 36500 in terms of length, width, height, and weight?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

13. The author talks about Andy Fitzgerald feeling trepidation. What
does the word, trepidation, mean?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

13
 14. Why would Bernie Webber not have been criticized for turning
back?
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

15. What shipwreck plagued Bernie’s thoughts as he was heading out to

sea to try to save the men aboard the ​Pendleton?​
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

16. Describe the effort Bernie and his crew made to save the ship from
question #15.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

17. What vital piece of equipment does Bernie discover is missing at the
end of Chapter 6?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

18. What was the subject of the newspaper article described at the
beginning of Chapter 7?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

19. Why does Lou Howes tell Ed Semprini not to bother sitting down for
dinner?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

14
20. Describe how various members of the community helped with the
effort to rescue the seamen.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

21. What had the community of Chatham done over the years to help
improve the chances of surviving problems at sea?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

22. Who were the “mooncussers” and what did they do?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

23. What was the name of the boat sent to rescue the ​Fort Mercer​?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

24. Why was Len relieved when his captain did not question who
brought the pigeon on board?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

25. Why did Captain Nabb of the ​Yakutat m ​ ake the decision to edge
​ nd wait for calmer seas?
away from the ​Mercer a
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

26. What trouble was Ralph Ormsby having at the same time the ​Yakutat
​had made it to the ​Mercer​?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

15
27. What does the following phrase mean? “​The bow was listing to
port….”
​_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

28. What happened to alert Bangs and his crew that there were actually
still survivors onboard the bow of the ​Pendleton?​
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

29. What is thought to have become of the other seven men known to
have been on board the bow of the ​Pendleton​?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

30. What forced the men in the ​Mercer ​to move from the chart room to
the forecastle room?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

31. What happened to radio operator, John O’Reilly?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

32. What life and death decision did the men on board the ​Mercer ​have
to make?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

33. Why did Nabb decide to back the cutter away and wait for dawn?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

16
34. Name the four men left on board the ​Mercer ​at the time Captain
Nabb decided to pull away and wait until morning.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

17
Part 1: Chapters 9-12 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. de facto: _______________________________________
______________________________________________

2. monstrous:______________________________________
______________________________________________

3. trough:________________________________________
______________________________________________

4. ominous:_______________________________________
______________________________________________

5. mesmerize:______________________________________
______________________________________________

6. coxswain:_______________________________________
______________________________________________

7. pandamonium:___________________________________
______________________________________________

8. throttle:________________________________________
______________________________________________

9. coherent:_______________________________________
______________________________________________

18
Part 1: Chapters 9-12

​Vocabulary Practice

1.___de facto A. fascinate

2.___monstrous B. foreshadowing evil

3.___trough C. in reality

4.___ominous D. to be logically together/conscious

5.___mesmerize E. a wild uproar

6.___coxswain F. a shallow channel between two waves

7.___pandemonium G. gigantic or overwhelming

8.___throttle H. a sailor who has charge of a ship’s boat

9.___coherent I. a lever controlling how fast a boat or other

vehicle moves

19
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

de facto monstrous trough ominous mesmerize coxswain

pandemonium throttle coherent

1. The ships had to fight _____________ waves to reduce the men.

2. The captain of the ship had an _____________ feeling about going
out on the open ocean.
3. There was a large _________ between the two waves.
4. There was absolute____________ in the house as the children ran
around chasing each other.
5. After a long night of trying to rescue sailors, the coast guard men were
barely____________.
6. “Increase the _________. We need to go faster,” said the captain.
7. Watching the waves move back and forth was going to __________
the little girl.
8. The __________steered the ship’s little boat through dangerous
waters.
9. This was a _________ recognition of the government.

20
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What did the men on board the ​Pendleton ​still have?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

​ nd why?
2. Who became the de facto captain on the ​Mercer a
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

3. What does Wallace quirey wish he still had with him and why?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

4. Who was Tiny Myers and what made him special to his crewmates?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

5. Why did some of the men argue against using the lifeboats?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

6. Describe the extent of the storm on the land as reported by the

newspapers.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

21
 7. What one flaw did the ​CG 36500 h ​ ave that the men had to contend
with while trying to rescue sailors?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

8. How did Bernie know that he and his crew had made it successfully
over the Chatham Bar?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

9. What did they see when Andy Fitzgerald switched on the search light?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

10. Why did Bernie think that they were too late-that they had come all
this way for nothing when he first saw the ship?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

11. Why did Tiny try to give Fred his wallet?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

12. Describe how the men left the crippled tanker and climbed on board
the ​CG 36500.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

13. What major decision did Bernie have to make mid-way of the rescue?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

22
14. What happened to Myers as he attempted to climb down the Jacob’s
ladder?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

15. What did Bernie tell the men to do if they happened to strike land?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

16. Why did Bernie stop listening to anything being said on the radio?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

17. What was the blinking red light that Bernie slowly started to make
out?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

18. What was the feeling of the townspeople as Bernie approached the
Fish Pier?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

19. Describe the feelings of the rescued men as they got closer to Fish
Pier.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

20. What thoughts were going through Bernie’s mind as he pulled into
port?
______________________________________________

23
 ______________________________________________
21. What did the townspeople do to care for the survivors once they
reached land?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

22. How did Miriam find out about Bernie’s night on the sea?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

23. Describe how Ed Semprini got interviews from the rescued men.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

24. What did Bernie do once he reached the bunkhouse?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

24
Part 2: Chapters 13-16 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. cutter:__________________________________________
_______________________________________________
2. hypothermia:______________________________________
_______________________________________________
3. protrude:________________________________________
_______________________________________________
4. incendiary:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________
5. adjacent:_________________________________________
_______________________________________________
6. gang plank:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________
7. simultaneous:______________________________________
________________________________________________
8. stakes:___________________________________________
________________________________________________
9. forecastle:________________________________________
________________________________________________

25
 ​Vocabulary Practice

1.___cutter A. nearby or next to

2.___hypothermia B. to stick out

3.___hoist C. to lift up

4.___protrude D. a ship’s boat for passengers

5.___incendiary E. money used for betting in a poker

game
6.___adjacent F. happening at the same time

7.___gang plank G. the forward part of a ship where the

crew is housed
8.___ simultaneous H. subnormal temperature of the body

9.___stakes I. something that starts a fire

10.___forecastle J. a moveable bridge used to board or

leave a ship

26
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

cutter hypothermia hoist protrude incendiary

adjacent gang plank simultaneously stakes forecastle

1. The men moved from the chart room to the ____________.

2. The crane will _______ the heavy beam into place.
3. The ________ was filled with more men than anyone thought it
could hold.
4. After being out in the cold and damp for hours, it was thought that
the woman would have_______________.
5. The car was parked ______________ to the building.
6. Be careful when walking across the ___________ to the ship.
7. Two tankers split apart nearly ____________________.
8. The bow of the ship seemed to just ___________ above the water.
9. Storing the fireworks next to the lighter supply seemed like an
____________ situation.
10. Don’t spend all of your money, or you won’t have any _______
for the poker game.

27
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What was happening to the sailors on board the ​Mercer j​ ust as

Bernie was coming into port with the men he had rescued off from the
Pendleton?​
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

2. Why was the skipper afraid of the men trying to jump too soon?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

3. How long was it estimated that the crew of the ​Yakutat ​would have
before hypothermia set in?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

​ t the last
4. What was the argument that broke out aboard the ​Mercer a
minute?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

5. Describe how the men managed to pull Captain Paetzel to safety.

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

6. What happened to the boat as the men were rescuing Turner?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

28
7. Why would Captain Nabb not risk another boat and crew to get the
remaining two survivors?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

8. Describe how Captain Nabb and his men next attempted to rescue
the remaining survivors? What two scenarios does the author
mention?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

9. Describe the gun that was used and the type of shot that had to be
made in order to get a line to the sinking ship.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

10. Describe how Fahrner and Guldin managed to escape to the safety of
the rescue vessel?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

11. What happened just after Fahrner and Guldin were rescued?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

12. Why did the ​Yakutat ​stay out to sea until another boat came to
relieve it?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

29
13. Why was the ​Unimak l​ ater given the go-ahead to sink the remainder
of the ​Mercer​?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

​ ent about sinking the remaining part of

14. Describe how the ​Unimak w
the ​Mercer.
​_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

15. What was the mood on board the ​Mercer ​like at the start of Chapter
14?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

16. What advantages did the men on board the stern of the ​Mercer
​have?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

17. What one item did they not have in the stern of the ​Mercer​?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

18. What was on Len’s mind as he attempted to get the ​Eastwind c​ loser
to the stern of the ​Mercer​?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
19. What was Captain Peterson’s first decision when he reached the
stern of the ​Mercer?​
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

30
20. Describe how the first three men were brought on board the
​Eastwind.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

21. Describe how the crew of the ​Acushnet m ​ anaged to get on board and
out to sea to help with the rescue efforts.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

22. What type of maneuver did Captain Joseph want to try to get men
off the ​Mercer?​
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

23. Why did the survivors hesitate to jump from the ​Mercer t​ o the deck
of the ​Acushnet?​
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

24. What happened when the third man leaped?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

25. What was the reason one survivor gave Sid for his having slipped
during the rescue?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

31
26. Where did Captain Joseph take the survivors and why?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

27. How did Captain Joseph’s family welcome him back?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

28. What happened to the fractured half of the ​Fort Mercer?​

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

29. What did Bernie wake up to find around his bunk?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

30. Why were some of the higher-ups angry with Bernie?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

31. What did Admiral Bradbury have to say about the rescue?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

32. How did Margaret Fitzgerald find out that her husband had died?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

33. How was the sailor, Aquinol Oliviera greeted when he returned to
land?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

32
34. What rumors were going around about what had been left on the
tables in the stern?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

35. How did the ​Pendleton’s r​ ed jib make it into the Ryder family?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

36. What were the men looking for when they boarded what was left of
the ​Pendleton​?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

37. What grisly discovery did the men make when they approached the
forecastle?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

38. What happened to Captain Fitzgerald and the other men in the bow?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

33
Part 3: Chapters 17-Epilogue: Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. ascension:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________
2. prestigious:______________________________________
_______________________________________________
3. ultimatum:_______________________________________
_______________________________________________
4. scathing:_________________________________________
_______________________________________________
5. arduous:_________________________________________
_______________________________________________
6. whitewash:________________________________________
________________________________________________
7. dilapidated:_______________________________________
________________________________________________
8. galvanize:_________________________________________
________________________________________________
9. refurbish:_________________________________________
________________________________________________
10. berth:_________________________________________
________________________________________________

34
 ​Vocabulary Practice

1.___ascension A. a bed for sleeping on a ship

2.___prestigious B. broken down

3.___ultimatum C. severely critical

4.___scathing D. moving upward

5.___arduous E. a final proposition or demand

6.___whitewash F. to renovate and redecorate

7.___dilapidated G. involving great effort

8.___galvanize H. a deliberate concealment of

someone's mistakes
9.___refurbish I. to strengthen someone’s
determination
10.___berth J. having high status

35
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

ascension prestigious ultimatum scathing arduous

whitewash dilapidated galvanize refurbish berth

1. They worked hard to ___________ the boat after it had been out of
commission for more than twenty years.
2. The sailor headed for his _______ after a long day on deck.
3. The award he received was very ____________.
4. The newspaper reporter wrote a _____________criticism of how
the investigation had been handled.
5. The task of rescuing so many men during such a bad storm was very
_____________.
6. Hearing how desperate the situation is might help to
____________ your determination to help.
7. The old building had not had any attention in many years and
appeared very ____________.
8. They all watched the ___________ of the airplane as it climbed
higher into the sky.
9. Jack delivered an ____________ stating that the boys must come
down from the treehouse immediately or face the consequences.
10. You know you are guilty! Don’t try to ___________ what you
did.

36
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. Why were people so glad to hear a news story with a happy ending?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

2. When Bernie was about to be awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal,

what was his reaction when his crew was only going to be awarded
the Silver Lifesaving Medal?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

3. Why did coast guard officials give in to Bernie’s demand?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

4. How did Margaret Fitzgerald keep the memory of her husband alive
for her children?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

​ fter the Blizzard of

5. What happened to the wreck of the ​Pendleton a
1978?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

37
 6. Why were the survivors so angry when they spoke at coast guard
hearings?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

7. Why was getting off the ship an arduous task?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

8. What did the Marine Board of Investigation conclude was the cause of
the accident?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

9. What determination did the board make about the flares?

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

10. What role did the board determine that the weather played in the
accident?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

11. Explain this sentence, “To many of the survivors, the report appeared
to be a governmental whitewash.”
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

12. What did the board have to say about the rescue and the men who
saved so many others?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

38
13. What did the ​CG 36500 ​look like in November of 1981?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

14. Why did the ​CG 36500 ​not get destroyed along with other similar
ships?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

15. How did Bill Quinn discover the ​CG 36500?​

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

16. Summarize how Quinn went about getting the old boat fixed up.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

17. Why were members of the Gold Medal Crew against a 50th reunion?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

18. Briefly describe the celebration that was held.

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

19. Despite larger future rescues by the Coast Guard, what still makes
these rescues important in the history of the Coast Guard?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

39
 ANSWER KEY
Answers will vary. These answers are simply meant as guidlines.
Part 1: Chapters: 1-4: Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.
1. Nor’easter: ___​A storm along the East Coast of North America
named for the direction of the winds.​__________________
2. boatswain: ____​A naval officer in charge of hull maintenance.​_
_____________________________________________
3. maritime: ____​Relating to the sea.​____________________
_____________________________________________
4. tanker:____​A cargo ship fitted with tanks.​_______________
_____________________________________________
5. catwalk:____​A narrow walkway.​______________________
_____________________________________________
6. muster:____​To cause to come together.​_________________
_____________________________________________
7. apparition:____​Ghostly figure/unexpected sight.​___________
_____________________________________________
8. subpar:____​Below standard.​_________________________
_____________________________________________
9. vicinity:____​Area.​________________________________
_____________________________________________
10. stern:____​The rear portion of a ship.​_________________
_____________________________________________
11. bow:_____​Front part of a ship.​______________________
_____________________________________________
12. demeanor:_____​Outward manner.​____________________
_____________________________________________

40
 ​Vocabulary Practice

1._​L​__nor’easter A. Area

2._​B​__boatswain B. A naval officer in charge of

hull maintenance
3._​I​__tanker C. To cause to come together

4._​F​__catwalk D. Outward manner

5._​C​__muster E. Relating to the sea

6._​K​__apparition F. A narrow walkway

7._​H​__subpar G. Front part of a ship

8._​A​__vicinity H. Below standard

9._​J​__stern I. A cargo ship fitted with

tanks

10._​G​__bow J. The rear portion of a ship

11._​D​__demeanor K. Ghostly
figure/unexpected
sight
12._​E​__maritime L. A storm along the East
Coast
of North America named for
the direction of the winds

41
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

nor’easter boatswain maritime tanker catwalk muster

apparition subpar vicinity stern bow demeanor

1. Stay out of the __​vicinity​__ where the tornado struck.

2. There was plenty of oil on board the __​tanker​___.
3. Try to __​muster​___ enough men to help with the disaster.
4. His efforts were really __​subpar​___. He didn’t do a very good job.
5. JoAnn became scared when she saw an ___​apparition​__ in the old
house.
6. Her __​demeanor​___ was very somber after hearing the bad news.
7. Be careful when crossing the ___​catwalk​__. It’s really high!
8. A big __​nor’easter​__ struck the coast of Maine.
9. Talk to the ___​boatswin​__. She’s in charge of the maintenance of
the hull.
10. The motor was located in the ___​stern​__ of the motorboat.
11. Jack and Rose pretended to be flying by standing in the __​bow​_ of
the Titanic.
12. The state’s __​maritime​__ industry is an important part of the
economy.

42
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What thoughts were on Bernie Webber’s mind at the opening of the

book?
__​He was thinking about his wife in bed with the flu. What if there
was an emergency? Would the doctor reach her?​_____________
2. What kind of life was Bernie’s father hoping that he would have?
___​His father had hoped that Bernie would have a life in the
ministry.​________________________________________
3. What career did Bernie settle on?
___​Bernie ended up joining the Coast Guard.​_______________
______________________________________________
4. Describe Bernie’s first challenge with the ​USS Livermoore.
​ __​Bernie took a boat out and stayed with the damaged ship until
_
morning when he got the sailors off and safely home.​___________
5. Describe the voyage of the ​Pendleton ​before it split in two.
___​It was fully loaded with kerosine and was having a difficult voyage
having been caught in a storm all the way from North Carolina.​___
6. What happened to Charles Bridges when he tried to find out what had
happened to the ​Pendleton?​
___​He had taken a flashlight and tried to cross the catwalk that sent
across the ship. He nearly stepped of the broken ledge.​________

43
 7. Describe what was happening aboard the ​Pendleton ​after the men
realized that the ship had split in two.
___​They argued about using lifeboats. Men scrambled out of their
bunks to see what happened. Sybert took over and tried to save them.
​8. Who was Carroll Kilgore?
___​He was the ship’s youngest crewmember--only 16 years old.​__
______________________________________________
9. Describe how chief engineer Sybert took control of the situation.
___​He assigned watch details and then assessed the damage. As the
senior officer he was now in charge.​_____________________
10. Why was the ​Pendleton ​more fortunate, in some ways, than the
​Titanic?​
__​The ​Pendleton​ had split in half from beam to beam instead of
having a gash in the side. Fewer compartments fill with water on the
Pendleton.​__
11. How did Captain Paetzel come to the realization that his ship had
cracked in half?
__​He heard a sharp crack, and then saw oil coming out of the
starboard side of the ​Mercer.​_________________________
12. How far could voice communication reach at the time this story took
place?
___​It could only span 40 or 50 miles.​___________________
_____________________________________________
13. Explain how Len finally ended up serving in the Coast Guard.
___​Len, along with two friends, decided to see the world. They
attempted to join Navy, but failed the physical. They tried the
air force, but Len was set on the sea, so joined the Coast Guard.​___

44
14. How far was the ​Eastwind ​from the ​Mercer ​when the distress call
went out?
___​It was about 150 miles away.​______________________
____________________________________________
15. What was the Boston Globe report?
___​They were able to report that the waves were 68 feet high, and
that the ship couldn’t assess the damage further due to the danger.​_
16. How many were on the bow, and how many were on the stern when
the ​Fort Mercer​?
___​There were eight men on the bow with Captain Paetzel, and 34
other crewmembers on the stern.​_______________________
17. What was difficult about ordering the lifeboats out to look for the
​Mercer ​split apart?
___​Sending more men out to help in the storm could have ended up
costing these men their lives in addition to those already in danger.​_
18. What were some of the problems faced by the men heading out in the
lifeboats in the middle of the storm?
___​A lifeboat may not be able to stay afloat in the stormy seas, men
could drown, and men could get hypothermia.​_______________
19. Who was George Wagner, and what amazing discovery did he make?
___​He was a pilot who made the discovery that there were actually
two tankers that had split apart.​_________________________

45
Part 1: Chapters 5-8 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. mooring: __​an object to which a boat can be tied​_____________

_______________________________________________
2. amphibious: __​able to function on both land and water​_________
________________________________________________
3. vantage: __​a position giving a strategic advantage​_____________
_______________________________________________
4. tenure: ___​to hold​__________________________________
_______________________________________________
5. horrendous: ___​dreadful​_____________________________
_______________________________________________
6. detriment: ___​injury or damage​________________________
_______________________________________________
7. dory: ___​a flat-bottomed boat with high sides​_______________
_______________________________________________
8. contemplate: ___​to consider​___________________________
_______________________________________________
​ _______________
9. poignant: ___​painfully affecting the feelings _
_______________________________________________
10. jalopy: ___​a broken down automobile​____________________
_______________________________________________
11. labyrinth: ___​a maze​________________________________
_______________________________________________
12. wallow: ___​to indulge or smother oneself​__________________
_______________________________________________

46
Part 1: Chapters 5-8

​Vocabulary Practice

1._​I​__mooring A. able to function on both land and water

2._​A​__amphibius B. a maze

3._​J​__vantage C. to hold

4._​C​__tenure D. injury or damage

5._​G​__horrendous E. painfully affecting the feelings

6._​D​__detriment F. a broken down automobile

7._​L​__dory G. dreadful

8._​H​__contemplate H. to consider

9._​E​__poignant I. an object to which a boat can be tied

10._​F​__jalopy J. position giving a strategic advantage

11._​B​__labyrinth K. to indulge or smother oneselF

12._​K​__wallow L. flat-bottomed boat with high sides

47
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

mooring amphibius vantage tenure horrendous detriment

dory contemplate poignant jalopy labyrinth wallow

1. From their __​vantage​__ point high on the hill, the soldiers could see
everything.
2. The giant waves were __​horrendous​__.
3. I must take some time to __​contemplate​__how I will proceed.
4. Brenda wouldn’t ride in the old broken down __​jalopy​__.
5. Tie the boat to the __​mooring​__.
6. The pigs like to __​wallow​__ in the mud.
7. Not paying your fair share of the bill will only work to the
__​detriment​__ of the entire group.
8. The death of the sailors was very __​poignant​__ to their families.
9. Tanks are __​amphibious​__ vehicles that can travel on both land and
water.
10. Take the __​dory​__ and float out toward the ship.
11. Don’t get lost in the ___​labyrnth​___.
12. Madeline has been teaching for more than three years. She has
__​tenure​__.

48
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What had Bernie been doing before the ​Pendleton​ had been spotted?
__​He had been working out in the cold pulling boats off the beach
and reattaching them to their moorings.​___________________

2. Describe how Richard Livesey came to be in the Coast Guard.

___​He had hoped to join the Navy, but there was a long wait for
enlistment. He almost joined the Air Force, but then saw a sign for
the Coast Guard. ​__________________________________

3. What happened to Webber, Livesey, and Gouthro as they were

finishing up their work retrying the moorings?
___​They were ordered to help with the rescue of the ​Pendleton.​__
______________________________________________

4. What was the drive up to the arm of Cape Cod like?

____​It was a “white-knuckle” ride through snow and ice.​_______
______________________________________________

5. Why did the hill not provide a good vantage point?

___​The “shore had virtually disappeared. The seas were now running
over the beach….”​__________________________________

6. What prompted Andy Fitzgerald to join the Coast Guard?

___​Times were tough in the town where he grew up, so he decided to
go with a friend and join the Coast Guard.​__________________

49
7. What were Bernie’s concerns with taking the ​36500 ​out across the
Chatham bar?
___​He was concerned that he was in too small of a boat to withstand
a storm this intense.​_________________________________

8. Who were the men who decided to go with Bernie to attempt the
rescue?
___​Richard Livesey, Andy Fitzgerald, and Ervin Maske. ​________
______________________________________________

9. For what reasons did some feel that these four men might not be up to
the job of rescuing sailors in the middle of a maelstrom?
___​Bernie was the oldest at 24 years of age. The others were in their
early 20’s as well. Maybe they didn’t have the experience needed.​__

10. What was the problem with Bernie’s wife, Miriam?

___​She was home with the flu, and he was worried how she would do
without him if he were killed.​___________________________

11. What was Miriam’s job before she married Bernie?

___​She was a telephone operator in nearby Wellfleet.​__________
_______________________________________________

12. How big was the ​36500 ​in terms of length, width, height, and weight?
___​36 feet eight inches long, ten feet wide, three feet high, and
weighed 20,000 pounds.​______________________________

13. The author talks about Andy Fitzgerald feeling trepidation. What
does the word, trepidation, mean?
____​Trepidation means a feeling of nervousness.​_____________
_______________________________________________

50
 14. Why would Bernie Webber not have been criticized for turning back?
___​The seas were extremely rough, and he was taking a chance with
his own men’s lives.​__________________________________

15. What shipwreck plagued Bernie’s thoughts as he was heading out to

save to try to save the men aboard the ​Pendleton​?
___​Bernie kept thinking about the ​William J. Landry t​ hat had been
caught in a similar situation, and no one had been able to save those
men.​____________________________________________

16. Describe the effort Bernie and his crew made to save the ship from
question #15.
___​Bernie was part of a 4-man crew that attempted to make it out to
the stranded vessel only to be capsized. After washing up on shore, they
made another attempt. They capsized again, and managed to get back to
Morris Island where they tried to get warm in the boathouse. They then
made a third attempt. Their rescue vessel slammed into the ​Landry
crushing the rescue boat, and ending the rescue unsuccessfully.​_______

17. What vital piece of equipment does Bernie discover is missing at the
end of Chapter 6?
___​He discovers that the compass have been washed overboard.​__

18. What was the subject of the newspaper article described at the
beginning of Chapter 7?
___​It was about people using tankers to make money illegally.​____

19. Why does Lou Howes tell Ed Semprini not to bother sitting down for
dinner?
__​Because there were two tankers split apart offshore, and there was
going to be a dramatic rescue attempt.​_____________________

51
20. Describe how various members of the community helped with the
effort to reduce the seamen.
___​People started gathering warm clothes and making warm meals
in hopes that the men would be brought back alive.​___________

21. What had the community of Chatham done over the years to help
improve the chances of surviving problems at sea?
___​They had built huts along remote sections of the coast that would
help survivors if anyone made it to land.​___________________

22. Who were the “mooncussers” and what did they do?
___​They were people who would purposely confuse mariners so that
their ships would crash and they could steal any goods that floated to
shore.​___________________________________________

23. What was the name of the boat sent to rescue the ​Fort Mercer​?
___​The ​Eastwind.​ ​__________________________________
_______________________________________________

24. Why was Len relieved when his captain did not question who brought
the pigeon on board?
___​He would have been in big trouble for bringing a bird on board
the ship.​_________________________________________

25. Why did Captain Nabb of the ​Yakutat m ​ ake the decision to edge away
from the ​Mercer ​and wait for calmer seas?
___​The two boats could collide and kill everyone. He didn’t want to
take that chance.​___________________________________

26. What trouble was Ralph Ormsby having at the same time the ​Yakutat
​had made it to the ​Mercer​?
___​His boat was getting tossed about as he was trying to get men off

52
 the ​Mercer.​_______________________________________
27. What does the following phrase mean? “​The bow was listing to
port….”
​___​The front of the boat was leaning to the left side.​___________
_______________________________________________

28. What happened to alert Bangs and his crew that there were actually
still survivors onboard the bow of the ​Pendleton​?
___​They saw a light flicker, and then saw a lone man on the bridge.
​_______________________________________________

29. What is thought to have become of the other seven men known to
have been on board the bow of the ​Pendleton?​
___​It was assumed that they must have been swept overboard.​____
_______________________________________________

30. What forced the men in the ​Mercer ​to move from the chart room to
the forecastle room?
___​The water was rising in the chart room, and they hoped that by
moving to the forecastle they could buy some more time.​________

31. What happened to radio operator, John O’Reilly?

___​He lost his footing, and slipped overboard.​______________
______________________________________________

32. What life and death decision did the men on board the ​Mercer ​have
to make?
___​They had to decide how and when to jump.​_____________
______________________________________________

33. Why did Nabb decide to back the cutter away and wait for dawn?
___​Jumping from the boat was becoming too dangerous. The men
might have been crushed between the two vessels.​____________

53
34. Name the four men left on board the ​Mercer ​at the time Captain
Nabb decided to pull away and wait until morning.
___​Captain, Paetzel, purser Edward Turner, third mate Vincent
Guldin, and first mate Willard Fahrner.​_________________

54
Part 1: Chapters 9-12 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. de facto: ___​in reality​________________________

________________________________________
2. monstrous: ___​gigantic or overwhelming​___________
________________________________________
3. trough: ___​a shallow channel between two waves​_____
________________________________________
4. ominous: ___​foreshadowing evil​_________________
________________________________________
5. mesmerize: ___​fascinate​______________________
________________________________________
6. coxswain: ___​a sailor who has charge of a ship’s boat​___
________________________________________
7. pandemonium: ___​a wild uproar​________________
________________________________________
8. throttle: ___ ​a lever controlling how fast a boat or other
vehicle moves​_______________________________
9. coherent: __​to be logically together/conscious​________
_________________________________________

55
Part 1: Chapters 9-12

​Vocabulary Practice

1._​C​__de facto A. fascinate

2._​G​__monstrous B. foreshadowing evil

3._​F​__trough C. in reality

4._​B​__ominous D. to be logically together/conscious

5._​A​__mesmerize E. a wild uproar

6._​H​__coxswain F. a shallow channel between two waves

7._​E​__pandemonium G. gigantic or overwhelming

8._​I​__throttle H. a sailor who has charge of a ship’s boat

9._​D​__coherent I. a lever controlling how fast a boat or other

vehicle moves

56
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

de facto monstrous trough ominous mesmerize coxswain

pandemonium throttle coherent

1. The ships had to fight __​monstrous​__ waves to rescue the men.

2. The captain of the ship had an __​ominous​__feeling about going out
on the open ocean.
3. There was a large __​trough​__between the two waves.
4. There was absolute __​pandemonium​__in the house as the children
ran around chasing each other.
5. After a long night of trying to rescue sailors, the coast guard men were
barely __​coherent​__.
6. “Increase the __​throttle​__. We need to go faster,” said the captain.
7. Watching the waves move back and forth was going to
__​mesmerize​__ the little girl.
8. The __​coxswain​__ steered the ship’s little boat through dangerous
waters.
9. This was a __​de facto​__recognition of the government.

57
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What did the men on board the ​Pendleton ​still have?

___​They still had food, water, and heat.​________________
___________________________________________

2. Who became the de facto captain on the ​Mercer ​and why?

___​Ray Sybert became captain when the actual captain was stuck on
the bow section. Someone had to take command of the stern.​___

3. What does Wallace quirey wish he still had with him and why?
___​He wished that he still had his Bible because his mother had told
him that it would keep him safe.​_________________________

4. Who was Tiny Myers and what made him special to his crewmates?
___​He was a cook and also a very nice person who helped everyone
around him by lifting their spirits.​_______________________

5. Why did some of the men argue against using the lifeboats?
___​Such big waves were very likely to crush the lifeboats, and they
did not want to take the chance of being in one.​______________

6. Describe the extent of the storm on the land as reported by the

newspapers.
___​The ​Boston Globe r​ eported that the storm had killed 15 people
and stranded 1000 motorists on the Maine Turnpike.​_________

58
 7. What one flaw did the ​CG 36500 h ​ ave that the men had to contend
with while trying to rescue sailors?
___​The engine would stall if it rolled too much while moving.​___
_____________________________________________

8. How did Bernie know that he and his crew had made it successfully
over the Chatham Bar?
___​The waves were larger, but also farther apart.​___________
_____________________________________________

9. What did they see when Andy Fitzgerald switched on the search light?
​ nd it looked like
___​They found the stern section of the ​Pendleton, a
a ghost ship.​_____________________________________

10. Why did Bernie think that they were too late-that they had come all
this way for nothing when he first saw the ship?
__​There was no sign of life. It took several minutes before they saw
anyone on board.​__________________________________

11. Why did Tiny try to give Fred his wallet?

___​He truly believed that he was not going to make it off the ship
alive.​__________________________________________

12. Describe how the men left the crippled tanker and climbed on board
the ​CG 36500.
​___​They had to time their jumps down to the rescue boat just right
to avoid being crushed by the two vessels or swept out to sea.​____

13. What major decision did Bernie have to make mid-way of the rescue?
___​He had to decide whether to keep trying to rescue everyone, or
leave and come back hoping that the remaining men could still be

59
 saved.​___________________________________________

14. What happened to Myers as he attempted to climb down the Jacob’s

ladder?
___​He slipped halfway down the ladder, and was then swept away by
a really large wave as the men attempted to pull him into the rescue
boat.​____________________________________________

15. What did Bernie the men to do if they happened to strike land?
___​”Get off and help those who are hurt. Just get off as fast as you
can!”​____________________________________________

16. Why did Bernie stop listening to anything being said on the radio?
___​Everyone was talking at once, and Bernie already knew what he
needed to do.​______________________________________

17. What was the blinking red light that Bernie slowly started to make
out?
___​It was coming from a buoy inside the Chatham Bar.​_________
_______________________________________________

18. What was the feeling of the townspeople as Bernie approached the
Fish Pier?
___​There was “thunderous” applause and a feeling of great relief as
they saw that many had been rescued.​____________________

19. Describe the feelings of the rescued men as they got closer to Fish
Pier.
___​They were a bit scared and claustrophobic at first, and then just
extremely relieved and grateful.​_________________________

20. What thought were going through Bernie’s mind as he pulled into
port?

60
 ___​He kept thinking about Tiny Myers and the look on his face as
the sea swept him away.​______________________________
21. What did the townspeople do to care for the survivors once they
reached land?
___​They were taken by automobile to the Chatham Lifeboat Station
where they were given warm food and clothes, and medical attention.

​22. How did Miriam find out about Bernie’s night on the sea?
___​Bernie called Miriam and very briefly told her what had
happened.​________________________________________

23. Describe how Ed Semprini got interviews from the rescued men.
___​He put a microphone in every tired man’s face as he moved
around the lifesaving station.​___________________________

24. What did Bernie do once he reached the bunkhouse?

___​He called his wife, drank some coffee and ate a doughnut, and
collapsed in his bunk.​________________________________

61
Part 2: Chapters 13-16 Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. cutter: ___​a ship’s boat for passengers​____________________

_______________________________________________
2. hypothermia: ___​subnormal temperature of the body​__________
_______________________________________________
3. hoist: ___​to lift up​__________________________________
_______________________________________________
4. protrude: ___​to stick out​_____________________________
_______________________________________________
5. incendiary: ___​something that starts a fire​_________________
_______________________________________________
6. adjacent: ___​nearby or next to​_________________________
_______________________________________________
7. gang plank: ___​a moveable bridge used to board or leave a ship​___
_______________________________________________
8. simultaneous: ___​happening at the same time​_______________
_______________________________________________
9. stakes: ___​money used for betting in a poker game​___________
_______________________________________________
10. forecastle: ___​the forward part of a ship where the crew is housed
________________________________________________

62
 ​Vocabulary Practice

1._​D​__cutter A. nearby or next to

2._​H​__hypothermia B. to stick out

3._​C​__hoist C. to lift up

4._​B​__protrude D. a ship’s boat for passengers

5._​I​__incendiary E. money used for betting in a poker

game

6._​A​__adjacent F. happening at the same time

7._​J​__gang plank G. the forward part of a ship where the

crew is housed
8._​F​__simultaneous H. subnormal temperature of the body

9._​E​__stakes I. something that starts a fire

10._​G​__forecastle J. a moveable bridge used to board or

leave a ship

63
Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

cutter hypothermia hoist protrude incendiary

adjacent gang plank simultaneously stakes forecastle

1. The men moved from the chart room to the __​forecastle​__.

2. The crane will ___​hoist​_ the heavy beam into place.
3. The __​cutter​__ was filled with more men than anyone thought it
could hold.
4. After being out in the cold and damp for hours, it was thought that
the woman would have__​hypothermia​__.
5. The car was parked __​adjacent​__to the building.
6. Be careful when walking across the ___​gang plank​__ to the ship.
7. Two tankers split apart nearly __​simultaneously​_.
8. The bow of the ship seemed to just __​protrude​__ above the water.
9. String the fireworks next to the lighter supply seemed like an
__​incendiary​__ situation.
10. Don’t spend all of your money, or you won’t have any __​stakes​__
for the poker game.

64
 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What was happening to the sailors on board the ​Mercer​ just as

Bernie was coming into port with the men he had rescued off from the
Pendleton​?
___​They had watched crewmates fall to their deaths, and were now
anxiously waiting for someone to rescue them.​________________
2. Why was the skipper afraid of the men trying to jump too soon?
___​He was afraid if they fell in the cold water they wouldn’t have the
strength to stay afloat or climb on board the rescue vessel.​________
3. How long was it estimated that the crew of the ​Yakutat w​ ould have
before hypothermia set in?
___​Fewer than ten minutes.​___________________________
_______________________________________________
4. What was the argument that broke out aboard the ​Mercer ​at the last
minute?
___​The men wanted Captain Paetzel to go first, and he wanted to be
last.​____________________________________________
5. Describe how the men managed to pull Captain Paetzel to safety.
___​He jumped into the crest of a wave, and after a minute or so in
the cold water, the men managed to pull him aboard the boat. ​____

65
6. What happened to the boat as the men were rescuing Turner?
__​A wave lifted the boat and sent it flying toward Turner​_____
____________________________________________

7. Why would Captain Nabb not risk another boat and crew to get the
remaining two survivors?
___​The lifeboat was sinking, and the risked losing everyone.​___
_____________________________________________

8. Describe how Captain Nabb and his men next attempted to rescue the
remaining survivors. What two scenarios does the author mention?
___​He thought that a messenger line could be shot to the ​Mercer’s
​ ow. They planned to tie a rubber life raft to the end and if it went
b
according to plan, the survivors could get out that way. The other
plan was for the two survivors to slide down the secured messenger
line to the life raft, and then cut the line between them and the
sinking ship.​_____________________________________

9. Describe the gun that was used and the type of shot that had to be
made in order to get a line t the sinking ship.
___​It was a modified Springfield rifle with a grenade charge in the
gun’s barrel.​_____________________________________

10. Describe how Fahrner and Guldin managed to escape to the safety of
the rescue vessel?
___​The line was shot directly to the men. One of them slid down to
the water and managed to get to the boat. The raft capsized just as the
second man slid down. The captain gave the order to back down. The
line between the raft and the cutter parted allowing the two men to

66
 make it to the rescue boat.​____________________________

11. What happened just after Fahner and Guldin were rescued?
​ ow sank into the water.​__________________
___​The ​Mercer’s b
12. Why did the ​Yakutat s​ tay out to sea until another boat came to
relieve it?
___​They stayed out to warn other ships the might be coming that
way.​___________________________________________

13. Why was the ​Unimak​ later given the go-ahead to sink the remainder
of the ​Mercer?​
___​It was deemed a hazard to navigation.​__________________
_______________________________________________

14. Describe how the ​Unimak l​ ater went about sinking the remaining
part of the ​Mercer.
​ __​The K-guns would fire charges set to explode at a depth of 50
_
feet. The ​Unimak​ would move steadily away from the wreck to avoid
the brunt of the explosion.​_____________________________

15. What was the mood on board the ​Mercer​ like at the start of Chapter
14?
___​There was a lot of fear and confusion that resulted in arguments
about how to handle the situation.​_______________________

​ ave?
16. What advantages did the men on board the stern of the ​Mercer h
___​They had operable lights, pumps, and a functioning heating
system.​__________________________________________

17. What one item did they not have in the stern of the ​Mercer​?
___​There was no radio.​______________________________
_______________________________________________

67
18. What was on Len’s mind as he attempted to get the ​Eastwind c​ loser
to the stern of the ​Mercer​?
___​He wondered if there would be even more loss of life before the
​Eastwind e​ ven got there.​______________________________
19. What was Captain Peterson’s first decision when he reached the stern
of the ​Mercer?​
___​It was to establish communication with the ​Mercer.​_________
_______________________________________________

20. Describe how the first three men were brought on board the
​Eastwind.
​ __​They were able to use a rubber life raft that was shot over in a
_
messenger line.​____________________________________

21. Describe how the crew of the ​Acushnet m ​ anaged to get on board and
out to sea to help with the rescue efforts.
___​The boat had been docked for repairs and the captain had to
contact the crew by telephone and radio messages. They drove as far
as they could, and then were taken by another boat out to the
​Acushnet. _​ _______________________________________

22. What type of maneuver did Captain Joseph want to try to get emn
off the ​Mercer?​
___​He wanted to take the ​Acushnet ​alongside the wreck.​_______
______________________________________________

23. Why did the survivors hesitate to jump from the ​Mercer t​ o the deck
of the ​Acushnet​?
___​They were afraid of being crushed between the two ships as they
moved up and down in the wild waters.​___________________

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24. What happened when the third man leaped?
___​He mis-timed his jump and his feet hitting the rail fell backward
into the sea.​_______________________________________

25. What was the reason one survivor gave Sid for his having slipped
during the rescue?
___​He said that he had put on his new shoes in order to save them.​_
_______________________________________________

26. Where did Captain Joseph take the survivors and why?
___​He took them to Boston because two men needed
hospitalization.​____________________________________

27. How did Captain Joseph’s family welcome him back?

___​His son asked why he didn’t take all the men off. “Did you get
chicken?”​_________________________________________

28. What happened to the fracture half of the ​Fort Mercer?​

___​It was towed to New York City with 13 crewmembers on board.​_
_______________________________________________

29. What did Bernie wake up to find around his bunk?

___​He found money strewn all around his bunk from grateful
sailors.​________________________________________

30. Why were some of the higher-ups angry with Bernie?

__​They didn’t like that he had turned the radio off and ignored
authority on the return trip.​__________________________

31. What did Admiral Bradbury had to say about the rescue?
___​He sent a message congratulating Bernie on his heroic rescue.
​_____________________________________________

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 32. How did Margaret Fitzgerald find out that her husband had died?
___​It was announced on the radio and printed in the newspaper
before any had told her.​____________________________

33. How was the sailor, Aquinal Oliviera greeted when he returned to
land?
___​His wife and two of their three children were at the Hotel Essex
lobby to meet him.​_________________________________

34. What rumors were going around about what had been left on the
tables in the stern?
___​The rumors said that a small fortune had been left on one of the
tables inside the stern.​_______________________________

35. How did the ​Pendleton’s ​red jib make it into the Ryder family?
___​Ryder used his own boat to get close up to the wreck while a
couple of friends climbed onboard and picked up various items
including the jib.​___________________________________

36. What were the men looking for when they boarded what was left of
the
​Pendleton​?
___​They were looking for bodies.​________________________
_______________________________________________

37. What grisly discovery did the men make when they approached the
forecastle?
___​They found the dead body of 25-year-old Herman G. Gatlin. ​___
_______________________________________________

38. What happened to Captain Fitzgerald and the other men in the bow?
___​No one know for sure, but it is thought that they may have been

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 swept out to sea.​____________________________________

Part 3: Chapters 17-Epilogue: Vocabulary

Use your dictionary to look up the definitions, and write them in the blanks
below.

1. ascension: ___​moving upward​_________________________

_______________________________________________
2. prestigious: ___​having high status​_______________________
_______________________________________________
3. ultimatum: ___​a final proposition or demand​_______________
_______________________________________________
4. scathing: ___​severely critical​__________________________
_______________________________________________
5. arduous: ___​involving great effort​_______________________
_______________________________________________
6. whitewash: ___​a deliberate concealment of someone’s mistakes​___
_______________________________________________
7. dilapidated: ___​broken down​__________________________
_______________________________________________
8. galvanize: ___​to strengthen someone’s determination​__________
________________________________________________
9. refurbish: ___​to renovate and redecorate​___________________
________________________________________________
10. berth: ___​a bed for sleeping on a ship​___________________
________________________________________________

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 ​Vocabulary Practice

1._​D​__ascension A. a bed for sleeping on a ship

2._​J​__prestigious B. broken down

3._​E​__ultimatum C. severely critical

4._​C​__scathing D. moving upward

5._​G​__arduous E. a final proposition or demand

6._​H​__whitewash F. to renovate and redecorate

7._​B​__dilapidated G. involving great effort

8._​I​__galvanize H. a deliberate concealment of

someone's mistakes
9._​F​__refurbish I. to strengthen someone’s
determination
10._​A​__berth J. having high status

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Fill In The Blank
Use words from the word bank to complete the sentences below.

ascension prestigious ultimatum scathing arduous

whitewash dilapidated galvanize refurbish berth

1. They worked hard to ___​refurbish​__ the boat after it had been

out of commission for more than twenty years.
2. The sailor headed for his __​berth​__ after a long day on deck.
3. The award he received was very __​prestigious​__.
4. The newspaper reporter wrote a __​scathing ​__ criticism of how
the investigation had been handled.
5. The task of rescuing so many men during such a bad storm was
very __​arduous​__.
6. Hearing how desperate the situation is might help to
__​galvanize​__ your determination to help.
7. The old building had not had any attention in many years and
appeared very __​delapidated​__.
8. They all watched the __​ascension​_ of the airplane as it climbed
higher into the sky.
9. Jack delivered an __​ultimatum​_ stating that the boys must
come down from the treehouse immediately or face the
consequences.
10. You know you are guilty! Don’t try to __​whitewash​_ what
you did.

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 Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. Why were people so glad to hear a new story with a happy ending?
___​People were tired of the constant bad news from the Korean War.
________________________________________________

2. When Bernie was about to be awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal,

what was his reaction when his crew was only going to be awarded the
Silver Lifesaving Medal?
___​He said that unless everyone received the Gold, he did not want
any award.​________________________________________
3. Why did Coast Guard officials give in to Bernie’s demand?
___​They did not want a public relations nightmare.​____________
________________________________________________
4. How did Margaret Fitzgerald keep the memory of her husband alive
for her children?
___​She would take them to see the wreck of the ​Pendleton e​ very
year. ​____________________________________________
5. What happened to the wreck of the ​Pendleton ​after the Blizzard of
1978?
___​It was washed out to sea.​ ___________________________
________________________________________________

6. Why were the survivors so angry when they spoke at Coast

Guard hearings?
___​They were angry about the poor construction methods and
materials used on the tankers.​_______________________

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7. Why was getting off the ship an arduous task?
___​The only Jacob’s ladder had only three rungs.​__________
____________________________________________

8. What did the Marine Board of Investigation conclude was the

cause of the accident?
___​It’s welded construction caused many point of stress, and
the weather played a major factor.​____________________

9. What determination did the board make about the flares?

___​They acknowledged that only one of the four flares was able
to function properly.​_____________________________

10. What role did the board determine that the weather played in
the accident?
___​They determined that weather played the largest role in the
disaster.​______________________________________

11. Explain this sentence, “To many of the survivors, the report
appeared to be a governmental whitewash.”
___​The survivors felt that the government was more interested
in covering up its own mistakes than in taking responsibility for
what happened.​________________________________

12. What did the board have to say about the rescue and the men
who saved so many others?
___​They praised the men that aided in the rescue. ​________
___________________________________________
13. What did the ​CG 36500 ​look like in November of 1981?
___​It was broken down with squirrels and other small
creatures living in it.​____________________________

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14. Why did the ​CG 36500 n ​ ot get destroyed along with other
similar ships?
___​It wasn't’ destroyed because of the role it had played in
saving so many lives.​____________________________

15. How did Bill Quinn discover the ​CG 36500?​

__​He discovered it when he was attending a vehicle auction in
the area.​_____________________________________

16. Summarize how Quinn went about getting the old boat fixed
up.
___​He first approached the Chatham Historical Society to see
if they could help. The Orleans Historical Society actually took
over the project, and began enlisting local craftsmen to help
with rebuilding. It was restored after six months.​__________

17. Why were members of the Gold Medal crew against a 50th
reunion?
___​They were reluctant to relive some of the bad memories
associated with that night. Also they didn’t want to participate
in anything that would make a mockery of their life’s work.​__

18. Briefly describe the celebration that was held.

___​The men were brought together, speeches were given, and
then they drove the old ​CG 36500 a ​ round together.​_________

19. Despite larger future rescues by the Coast Guard, what still
makes these rescues important in the history of the Coast
Guard?
___​”They are still the largest open-sea rescues involving small
boats and cutters in U.S. maritime history.”

76
 MUSIC AND LANGUAGE
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