This PT Splinter thanks you for posting this ( and others ) video. I have a much better appreciation and understanding of the boats and my F-I-L's experiences. Hope to visit you someday.
When I was a young sailor I was attached to the presidential yacht (Kennedy) . We had a aluminum PT boat, used as a chase boat, I wish I could remember the hull number. It had 8 diesel engines 2 per screw. It was eventually given hull number 109 which was not it's true number but I suppose nostalgic for JFK. I believe the boat was the same design as original PT's but did have an aluminum hull.
Hello Mr. Gilmartin my name is Ian Harrington and my grandfather Leroy Harrington served on pt 210. I found this video via a thread on a website and wondered if you had any info on the crew of the 210. If there are any surviving members of the crew I'd love to track them down.
Hello Ian, Yes I have several contacts re PT210. There is "Newsnerd" and Steve Nugent. Here is a post from Newsnerd (Jim). You should look at Jims website www.pistolpackinmama.net for more info. William Pink, the son of QM Ed Pink (Ron 15 PT 206) contacted me through the site around the holidays. He sent me a copy of his father's journal from his time in Ron 15. It is a great insight into the day-to-day real life of a sailor as well as some of the operations that my grandfather was involved in. Bill also sent me a couple of pictures that I posted on the site...hopefully there will be more to come! Steve Nugent also contacted me; his father was Harold "Hal" Nugent who served as XO on the 216 and then skipper on the 210. Hal was at the helm on PT 210 during the Elba invasion shootout with the Germans (during his point-blank shootout with an F-lighter he had his binoculars hit by a shell while they were hanging on his chest!) I posted one photo of Lt. Nugent kneeling next to "Little Poison" at a dock after the shootout. I'm hoping to "finish" the site this Spring or early summer as things quiet down at my jobs. Thanks again for all your visits and comments in the guestbook! Grandson of James J Stanton RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243 Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
Hi Thanks for watching. It is not that you desire the trail of bubbles, but it is the only way to handle the exhaust from their chosen method of propulsion. These Mk13 aircraft torpedoes were designed to be dropped from an airplane (a torpedo bomber) and the enemy would already certainly be aware that they were being attacked, so there was no need for any sort of stealth. They used similar steam torpedoes on US Subs as well, but ended up using them mostly at night where the enemy could not see the bubble trail. For daylight attacks, the US subs would use the newly developed battery powered torpedoes that left no wake of bubbles. For PT Boats, this was all they had so they had no choice but to use it, despite the bubbles trail it left. Overall it was considered a good torpedo and much better than the old Mk8 torpedoes they were equipped with originally.
Yes, they could, but it would be very inefficient. The largest wartime movement of PT Boats on the open ocean "on their own bottoms" as they say (under their own power) was a 10 day period in Aug Sept 1944 when 39 PT Boats along with three PT Tenders traveled from western New Guinea (Mios Woendi Island) all the way to Leyte Gulf (1500 miles?) in time to participate in the Battle of Surigao Straights. The 39 PT Boats were running continuously and refueled underway from the PT Boat Tender ships. They played a key part in being the first US Navy forces to detect the presence of the Japanese Southern Force just off Dinegat island and radioed their position to the waiting US Navy Battleships and Cruisers waiting to ambush them. The next morning, the PT Boats also ended up sinking a Japanese Destroyer (mopping up) and torpedoing one of their Heavy Cruisers. While this type of movement could be done, it was certainly not the normal method used to move PT Boats long distances, which was usually done by loading them as "deck cargo" on a larger ship, such as an oil tanker or a cargo ship.
Jerry Gilmartin Thank you so very much for the prompt responses to both of my questions. Great video!....I had just watched "PT 109," the 60's movie, the story of JFK's boat in WW2, this past Mem. Day weekend and was intriqued by the PT boats. Thank u for the through explanations. = )
This PT Splinter thanks you for posting this ( and others ) video. I have a much better appreciation and understanding of the boats and my F-I-L's experiences. Hope to visit you someday.
Thank you thats a great video. I always liked the PT boats and wanted to see the interior.
Great informative video. Thankyou for posting. Best wishes to ALL.
Good video tour. I put in 20 years in the US Navy - Destroyer and Carriers mostly a Storekeeper
When I was a young sailor I was attached to the presidential yacht (Kennedy) . We had a aluminum PT boat, used as a chase boat, I wish I could remember the hull number. It had 8 diesel engines 2 per screw. It was eventually given hull number 109 which was not it's true number but I suppose nostalgic for JFK. I believe the boat was the same design as original PT's but did have an aluminum hull.
Good luck with the level on a rolling boat... Great vid... Thanks for the tour....
Outstanding!
Each one is is so bueatiful.
Hello Mr. Gilmartin my name is Ian Harrington and my grandfather Leroy Harrington served on pt 210. I found this video via a thread on a website and wondered if you had any info on the crew of the 210. If there are any surviving members of the crew I'd love to track them down.
Hello Ian, Yes I have several contacts re PT210. There is "Newsnerd" and Steve Nugent. Here is a post from Newsnerd (Jim). You should look at Jims website www.pistolpackinmama.net for more info. William Pink, the son of QM Ed Pink (Ron 15 PT 206) contacted me through the site around the holidays. He sent me a copy of his father's journal from his time in Ron 15. It is a great insight into the day-to-day real life of a sailor as well as some of the operations that my grandfather was involved in. Bill also sent me a couple of pictures that I posted on the site...hopefully there will be more to come!
Steve Nugent also contacted me; his father was Harold "Hal" Nugent who served as XO on the 216 and then skipper on the 210. Hal was at the helm on PT 210 during the Elba invasion shootout with the Germans (during his point-blank shootout with an F-lighter he had his binoculars hit by a shell while they were hanging on his chest!) I posted one photo of Lt. Nugent kneeling next to "Little Poison" at a dock after the shootout.
I'm hoping to "finish" the site this Spring or early summer as things quiet down at my jobs. Thanks again for all your visits and comments in the guestbook!
Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
6:30 Why would u want a "trail of bubbles left behind the torpedo" after launch???? I dont get it
Hi Thanks for watching. It is not that you desire the trail of bubbles, but it is the only way to handle the exhaust from their chosen method of propulsion. These Mk13 aircraft torpedoes were designed to be dropped from an airplane (a torpedo bomber) and the enemy would already certainly be aware that they were being attacked, so there was no need for any sort of stealth. They used similar steam torpedoes on US Subs as well, but ended up using them mostly at night where the enemy could not see the bubble trail. For daylight attacks, the US subs would use the newly developed battery powered torpedoes that left no wake of bubbles. For PT Boats, this was all they had so they had no choice but to use it, despite the bubbles trail it left. Overall it was considered a good torpedo and much better than the old Mk8 torpedoes they were equipped with originally.
Could in "theory" Pt-class boats travese open seas, in "thier day?" ty
Yes, they could, but it would be very inefficient. The largest wartime movement of PT Boats on the open ocean "on their own bottoms" as they say (under their own power) was a 10 day period in Aug Sept 1944 when 39 PT Boats along with three PT Tenders traveled from western New Guinea (Mios Woendi Island) all the way to Leyte Gulf (1500 miles?) in time to participate in the Battle of Surigao Straights. The 39 PT Boats were running continuously and refueled underway from the PT Boat Tender ships. They played a key part in being the first US Navy forces to detect the presence of the Japanese Southern Force just off Dinegat island and radioed their position to the waiting US Navy Battleships and Cruisers waiting to ambush them. The next morning, the PT Boats also ended up sinking a Japanese Destroyer (mopping up) and torpedoing one of their Heavy Cruisers. While this type of movement could be done, it was certainly not the normal method used to move PT Boats long distances, which was usually done by loading them as "deck cargo" on a larger ship, such as an oil tanker or a cargo ship.
Jerry Gilmartin Thank you so very much for the prompt responses to both of my questions. Great video!....I had just watched "PT 109," the 60's movie, the story of JFK's boat in WW2, this past Mem. Day weekend and was intriqued by the PT boats. Thank u for the through explanations. = )
hello nice video thanks for posting