Finest hours : the true story of the U.S. Coast Guard's most daring sea rescue / Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman.

Chatham Lifeboat Station -- The Pendleton -- The Fort Mercer -- "It can't be true" -- "You got to take the 36500 out" -- Blowout at Chatham Bar -- Chatham mobilizes -- "He came to the surface floating" -- Losing all hope: on board the Pendleton stern -- All but one: the rescue of the Pendleton stern -- Thirty-six men in a thirty-six-foot boat -- Pandemonium in Chatham -- The Mercer's bow capsizes -- A maneuver for the ages -- Tuesday at Chatham Station -- Thirteen men still on board -- Search of the Pendleton bow -- The inquiry -- Being labeled a hero can be a burden -- Tanker trouble -- Beyond the rescue -- The restoration -- Epilogue: They were young once.

Documents the 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.