FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Bernard C Webber ~ 04 June 2018

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC & The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Bernard C. Webber
All info and photos from this website.

           

One of the Coast Guard's legendary heroes, Senior Chief Petty Officer Bernard C. Webber (USCG Ret) died at his home in Melbourne, Florida Saturday, January 24, 2009. He is survived by his widow, Miriam (Pentinen) Webber, a daughter, Patricia Hamilton and her husband Bruce, two granddaughters, Leah and Hilary Hamilton of Shamong, NJ and North Eastham, a son, Bernard E. Webber and a grandson, Shane Webber of California.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Bernard C. Webber is one of the "Chatham Legends".

On February 18, 1952, he took the CG36500 out of Chatham Station with three volunteers-Seaman Ervin Maske, Seaman Richard Livesey and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Fitzgerald, an Engineman, responding to the tanker Pendleton, which had broken in two off Chatham in a storm. Seaman Maske was at Chatham Station awaiting transport to the Lightship Stonehorse but remained ashore because the Coast Guard deemed the seas too rough to transport him. He volunteered, along with the two Chatham Coast Guardsmen who volunteered to accompany Mr. Webber.

The Coast Guard crew faced 60 foot waves, hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions to rescue 33 sailors who survived the shipwreck. While the CG36500 was leaving Chatham Harbor, her compass and windshield were smashed and the rescue boat began shipping water. They persevered, and by dead reckoning they finally sighted the stern section of the Pendleton, where the ship's crew was awaiting rescue. They only lost one man-the ship's cook, George D. "Tiny" Myers,

The four who manned the rescue boat all received coveted Coast Guard Gold Life-saving Medals for their heroism in what is considered by maritime historians to be "The Greatest Small Boat Rescue in Coast Guard History." Of the four, only Engineman Fitzgerald is still alive.

Senior Chief Webber was born in Milton, MA in 1928, the son of the late Rev. A. Bernard Webber and Annie Knight Webber. He was one of four sons --all of whom served in the U.S. Military during World War II-- Paul in the Army in Europe, Bob in the Coast Guard and Bill in the Army Transportation Corp.

When he was only 16, Bernie Webber joined the Merchant Marine Service and trained at Sheepshead Bay Maritime School in New York. When World War II ended, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and attended "boot camp" at Curtis Bay, MD. He was transferred to Cape Cod to serve Lighthouse duty at Highland Lighthouse in North Truro and later went to the Gay Head Lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard. He first saw the CG36500 when he returned to Chatham for a visit. He was transferred to Chatham Station in 1949. After the Pendleton rescue, he transferred to Woods Hole and didn't return to Chatham until 1954 and served there only until 1955.

His final tour of duty at Chatham ended in 1963 when he was transferred to Cross Rip Lightship until it was decommissioned. Mr. Webber was reassigned to the CG Cutter Point Banks out of Woods Hole. From there he and the ship were ordered to Vietnam. When he returned from 'Nam, he was assigned to the Buoy Tender Hornbeam in Woods Hole and finally retired from the Coast Guard as a Senior Chief Petty Officer, serving as a Warrant Bosun (WO1), on September 1, 1966. During his time in this region, he also served at Nauset Lifeboat Station, Race Point Lifeboat Station, aboard a Coast Guard tug out of Southwest Harbor, Maine and the Nantucket Lightship.

Senior Chief Webber met his wife Miriam Pentinen, a native of Wellfleet, when he first served duty in North Truro. They were married July 16, 1950 in Milton in a ceremony performed by his father, Rev. A. Bernard Webber.

After he left the Coast Guard, Mr. Webber served as Wellfleet Harbor Master, reconditioned boats for Nauset Auto and Marine in Orleans, partnered on a charter boat out of Rock Harbor, Orleans. In "retirement" he worked for the National Audubon Society in Maine and later for Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine. He also worked in the marine field for dredging, towboat and salvage companies and even served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In his book, "Chatham: The Lifeboatmen", he wrote: "After 42 years of work on the sea, it became time to come home."

His widow Miriam said that Mr. Webber will be cremated and his remains will be interred with military honors in a family plot in Wellfleet on May 9, 2009.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!                                                 

[luvie]

Thanks, galz, for another wonderful story
of an amazing American hero!

[mylife]

gnight gang

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=waterboys+band&view=detail&mid=F69C6EFDA7A68CDD3F2FF69C6EFDA7A68CDD3F2F&FORM=VIRE

[radu]

Well darn. Bright and sunny is pretty and nice for getting out and about but I’d hoped y’all had gotten some rain. Guess that means dragging out the hose again to water your grass seed.

It was hot and steamy when I woke up today but a cold front came through mid-afternoon and things changed quickly. Temp dropped a bit and the humidity dropped a lot. Nice breeze from the north made it really nice to be out.

Only here for a couple of days, then the heat and humidity crank back up again.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...any pub time?

Did you and Penny get out today? How about Blue?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yes! God Bless them all.....

[Kathy in Alaska]

I’m back....AJ came today and we’ve been doing a little visiting. He had to stay at a hotel (that he didn’t like) for a couple days for “team building”. He thinks he might be here a week or so. He requested Coke, Frosted Flakes, and milk. Then if he can’t find something to eat he’s on this won.

No more rain...and another sunny, mid 60s day. I will need to water tomorrow.

[luvie]

Oooo...I like that one!

Nite, MY!

[radu]

Hi to AJ. Nice that he doesn’t have to stay at that hotel the whole time he’s there. Much nicer to be in a home environment.

Coke, Frosted Flakes, and milk. Staples in this house. LOL! A bowl of Frosted Flakes makes a great midnight snack.

Darn the luck on rain. I hope it’s not going to be another dry summer up there. Don’t need more wildfires. :-(

[MoochPooch]

Hi Kathy! Getting ready for bed soon, so nighty-night!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country and thank Star for this morning's thread.

How's it going for everyone this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Rest well, Mooch....

I just finished laundry and am headed to the shower.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...is weather allowing you and Gizmo to go walking and hunting?

You guys have a great Monday.

[E.G.C.]

The weather was actually nice yesterday. We did actually get to spend a little bit of time out at the lake yesterday.

Also, I found a working keyboard for my Windows 10. It's actually a gaming keyboard but it works and I'm able to type messages now.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hurrah for your new keyboard.

I have a gaming one, too, but I bought it because I like the lighted keys. LOL!

Now I'm going to bed.

[E.G.C.]

Cool. Good night, Kathy. ((HUGS))

[left that other site]

Lots of Hike and Bike!

Not so much Open Mike this week, but hey....

[SkyDancer]

Good Morning Kathy ... Sunday off to Denver (home base) then to New Orleans, Orlando, Philly, Detroit, Denver and home. (not all in the same day LOL) (((HUGS)))

[luvie]

Good morning, EGC! (((hugs)))

All is good here. We got a bit of rain last night and it’s cooler today. Have no idea how much, but it wasn’t enough, that’s for sure. LOL!

Hope you and Gizmo have a good day at the lake today! Maybe he’ll find a critter or two!

[luvie]

The big circle. LOL!

[luvie]

Goood mornin', Early Birds!
Well, we did get a bit of rain last night.
Not as much as the radar indicated
....but we'll take it!
It's also cooler this morning.
That is VERY welcome!
Hope all of you have a Mahv'lus Monday!
And...please! don't work too hard!
It's just not worth it in the long run!
Trust Dr. LUV. ;)
((((hugs))))