The story of a double shipwreck in 1952, the SS Pendleton and SS Fort Mercer, which split in half due to a massive storm near Cape Cod, led to the most daring Coast Guard rescue ever. The ships were headed north from Louisiana from New Orleans to Portland, Maine when the storm hit them. Both survivors survived the ordeal without sinking. The Coast Guard rescued the entire crew of the Pendleton on a motorboat, exceeding its capacity. The rescue took place after the ship was torn in half, with the captain of the Fort Mercer also finding his tanker, Captain Frederick Paetzel, trapped on the bridge during the storm. Despite initial efforts, the rescue was successful as the engines and crew were unable to send a distress signal.