A Hero’s Journey
Bernard Challen Webber, better known as Bernie Webber, was a United States Coast Guardsman. He was a petty officer assigned to Coast Guard Station Chatham, Massachusetts, where one of his duties was that of coxswain of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500. Webber and his crew of three rescued the crew of the stricken T2 tanker SS Pendleton, which had broken in half during a storm on February 18, 1952 off Cape Cod. This rescue operation has been noted as one of the most successful in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard, according to Wikipedia.
Bernie Webber’s Cause of Death
Bernie Webber passed away on January 24, 2009, at the age of 80. The cause of his death was a heart attack, which occurred at his home in Melbourne, Florida, according to SFGATE. His passing marked the end of a life filled with bravery and service to his country.
Legacy of a Hero
Webber’s legacy continues to live on long after his passing. The first-in-class Sentinel-class cutter, USCGC Bernard C. Webber was named in his honor. His heroic role in the rescue of the men from the stern of Pendleton was presented in the 2009 book The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue, and later adapted into a 2016 feature film, The Finest Hours by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, depicting the Pendleton rescue with Chris Pine portraying Webber, according to Wikipedia.
In conclusion, Bernie Webber’s cause of death was a heart attack. However, his legacy as a hero of the U.S. Coast Guard lives on, immortalized in the annals of history and in the hearts of those he saved.
