Attacking heavily armored and well gunned ships with a wooden boat wasn't for the faint or weak hearted. PT boat duty was close to a Suicide Mission, relying on the excellence of the crew & boat, and a healthy amount of "Luck" to survive in combat. We owe these men our eternal gratitude.
The term They Were Expendable was dead on. Just think of making a perfect attack run and a hit on an enemy ship but the torpedo fails to explode. Them guys were tough.
My uncle Leo Piersall serve aboard PT532 with Ensign Stephens from Moline Illinois in command. In April 1943 they began installing radar sets on one out of every four to six boats. By the time PT532 went into action in October 1943 all boats were issued 'radio sets' as they were referred. This helped navigation as many boats were lost to 'reef hang-ups'. One half of the boats were lost and one third of the crews. The radar sets helped them steer clear of Coral reefs. Some US Army planes were outfitted at the factory with 37 mm anti-armour guns. These were intended for use against armoured German bombers and ground armoured vehicles. However against agile unarmored Japanese aircraft, a lighter gun with a higher rate of fire worked more effectively. The Japanese had few tanks and they were not as heavily armoured as those in Europe, at least by 1943 standards. As Oerlikon 20 mm guns became available, the ground crews replaced the 37 mm in the Army planes. Therefore at Army Airbases there would be these unused 37 mm anti-armour guns laying around. In response to PT boat patrols the Japanese began armouring barges used to bring troops and supplies to front line islands. In Uncle Leo squadron the Captain's boat had one of these 37 mm guns. Another boat had a recoilless rifle of English manufacture. They also were issued armour piercing 50 caliber ammunition. In about November 1944 for the Borneo campaign they were issued 5" rockets in a four by four tube launcher. These didn't have the distance of a 5" cannon, but that didn't matter as night engagements occurred at closer range. He said they weren't too bad to reload either. These rockets gave these boats a punch they previously lacked. This is why they became known as 'Devil boats', they were equipped with effective deadly rockets bearing a five inch artillery shell which they could fire in seconds and reload. The last day of the war was deadly. There were three dozen or a couple score of PT boats tied up to their tender ship in a harbor. The officers opened the beer cooler and said the men could take what they could carry. By 2am everyone was blind drunk. He didn't say this but after the beer was gone they may have made torpedo juice from the alcohol in the torpedo fuel systems. Anyway when the officers sobered up they were upset. About two boat loads of sailors or about fifty were missing. They fell into the shark infested waters and there was no one sober or even half sober to pull them out. The officers typed up letters to their loved ones about a big old Kamikaze attack. Thanks to beer and no adult supervision the last day of the war was one of the most deadly. There will be no John Wayne movie about this. His designation was Torpedo man, but he said he didn't recall they used them. He manned a dual 50 machine gun with an electric motor, it had foot pedals to rotate left or right. He never thought of the enemy in human terms until they got the rockets. The Japanese had a forward supply depot on an island with a small air strip and just a handful of planes. There Captain led them on a dawn raid with five Devil boats. They arrived just as grey appeared in the sky. He was so impressed by both the navigation and timing, all perfect. There were a bunch of grass thatched huts, a couple were larger than the others. They let off 80 five inch rockets and opened up with everything they had; 40 mm bofors, 20 mm Oerlikon and 50 caliber. The place exploded in flames, a holocaust. He said it wasn't fair really and it was the first time he considered the humanity of the Japanese. There was a sharp bang and they felt a heat wave hit their boat and a black mushroom cloud lifted off the island and they knew they hit the ammunition depot with artillery shells and bombs for airplanes. A second large boom went off and a large film of smoke went up and they knew they hit the fuel depot. They turned on their smoke machines and hightailed it outta there. I gotta couple other stories, like taking Australian frogmen into a dutch oil harbor at night before the big attack the next day so the froggies could clear obstacles. But I gotta go. To young people 20 to 22 years of age; the US Navy has a great travel plan, post employment benefits and Navy Clubs all over the country. Do not drink alcohol. Do not get tattoos. Go to Chaplin services. Try to visit museums and buy quality prints you like and as gifts for family. You can roll these and mail them in a tube. Great Christmas and mother's day presents. Good luck to those who are game to serve.
I have seen a video of a restored PT boat. The 5" rockets are in a four by two configuration mounted on the bow. One starboard and one on the port side. So rather than one 16 shot launcher, it was two separate 8 tube jobs apparently.
One of the interesting things about these boats were the individual field modifications made by crew. They were able to basically customize the boat to meet combat conditions. Added guns and armament were pretty normal. Adding of some thin armor plating also took place. Note that they had added small radar sets to the boats, which made night time operations more effective.
On 12 March 1942, upon direct orders of the President, General Douglas MacArthur, his family, and members of his staff were evacuated from Corregidor to the northern coast of Mindanao onboard PT-41, commanded by Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley. MacArthur and his party were subsequently flown to Australia. Already a celebrated PT-boat skipper, Bulkeley was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor and numerous other decorations for his actions in the Philippines.
The pt boats were fast and can maneuver better than bigger boats that's why they were a great asset to the navy but after the navy stopped using them there were all dismantled non of them existed today
If I won mega bucks, I would like to design and build a 50% scale version and use it as a pleasure boat, without the military gear. I know it would be tough to duplicate the wooden laminated hull design, but I would find a way.
they're *cough* made of wood *cough* *cough* Two or four magnificent torpedoes doing the country's work and God! It may be made of wood but these boys are made of iron!
The MK8 torpedo is/was a permanent stain on the honor of our nation. Poorly designed and all but untested. No doubt thousands of US lives were lost because of how shoddy they were. May the designers/and key brass of the Naval Ordnance Department who were responsible that that debacle reside for eternity in a place that's very warm.
Attacking heavily armored and well gunned ships with a wooden boat wasn't for the faint or weak hearted.
PT boat duty was close to a Suicide Mission, relying on the excellence of the crew & boat, and a healthy amount of "Luck" to survive in combat. We owe these men our eternal gratitude.
we dont owe em nuttin. all ww2 did was save joe stalin and lead to commie takeover of the usa from within.
The term They Were Expendable was dead on. Just think of making a perfect attack run and a hit on an enemy ship but the torpedo fails to explode. Them guys were tough.
My uncle Leo Piersall serve aboard PT532 with Ensign Stephens from Moline Illinois in command. In April 1943 they began installing radar sets on one out of every four to six boats. By the time PT532 went into action in October 1943 all boats were issued 'radio sets' as they were referred. This helped navigation as many boats were lost to 'reef hang-ups'. One half of the boats were lost and one third of the crews. The radar sets helped them steer clear of Coral reefs.
Some US Army planes were outfitted at the factory with 37 mm anti-armour guns. These were intended for use against armoured German bombers and ground armoured vehicles. However against agile unarmored Japanese aircraft, a lighter gun with a higher rate of fire worked more effectively. The Japanese had few tanks and they were not as heavily armoured as those in Europe, at least by 1943 standards. As Oerlikon 20 mm guns became available, the ground crews replaced the 37 mm in the Army planes. Therefore at Army Airbases there would be these unused 37 mm anti-armour guns laying around.
In response to PT boat patrols the Japanese began armouring barges used to bring troops and supplies to front line islands. In Uncle Leo squadron the Captain's boat had one of these 37 mm guns. Another boat had a recoilless rifle of English manufacture. They also were issued armour piercing 50 caliber ammunition.
In about November 1944 for the Borneo campaign they were issued 5" rockets in a four by four tube launcher. These didn't have the distance of a 5" cannon, but that didn't matter as night engagements occurred at closer range. He said they weren't too bad to reload either. These rockets gave these boats a punch they previously lacked. This is why they became known as 'Devil boats', they were equipped with effective deadly rockets bearing a five inch artillery shell which they could fire in seconds and reload.
The last day of the war was deadly. There were three dozen or a couple score of PT boats tied up to their tender ship in a harbor. The officers opened the beer cooler and said the men could take what they could carry. By 2am everyone was blind drunk. He didn't say this but after the beer was gone they may have made torpedo juice from the alcohol in the torpedo fuel systems. Anyway when the officers sobered up they were upset. About two boat loads of sailors or about fifty were missing. They fell into the shark infested waters and there was no one sober or even half sober to pull them out. The officers typed up letters to their loved ones about a big old Kamikaze attack. Thanks to beer and no adult supervision the last day of the war was one of the most deadly. There will be no John Wayne movie about this.
His designation was Torpedo man, but he said he didn't recall they used them. He manned a dual 50 machine gun with an electric motor, it had foot pedals to rotate left or right.
He never thought of the enemy in human terms until they got the rockets. The Japanese had a forward supply depot on an island with a small air strip and just a handful of planes. There Captain led them on a dawn raid with five Devil boats. They arrived just as grey appeared in the sky. He was so impressed by both the navigation and timing, all perfect. There were a bunch of grass thatched huts, a couple were larger than the others. They let off 80 five inch rockets and opened up with everything they had; 40 mm bofors, 20 mm Oerlikon and 50 caliber. The place exploded in flames, a holocaust. He said it wasn't fair really and it was the first time he considered the humanity of the Japanese. There was a sharp bang and they felt a heat wave hit their boat and a black mushroom cloud lifted off the island and they knew they hit the ammunition depot with artillery shells and bombs for airplanes. A second large boom went off and a large film of smoke went up and they knew they hit the fuel depot. They turned on their smoke machines and hightailed it outta there.
I gotta couple other stories, like taking Australian frogmen into a dutch oil harbor at night before the big attack the next day so the froggies could clear obstacles. But I gotta go. To young people 20 to 22 years of age; the US Navy has a great travel plan, post employment benefits and Navy Clubs all over the country. Do not drink alcohol. Do not get tattoos. Go to Chaplin services. Try to visit museums and buy quality prints you like and as gifts for family. You can roll these and mail them in a tube. Great Christmas and mother's day presents. Good luck to those who are game to serve.
I have seen a video of a restored PT boat. The 5" rockets are in a four by two configuration mounted on the bow. One starboard and one on the port side. So rather than one 16 shot launcher, it was two separate 8 tube jobs apparently.
Thank you for sharing his story.
One of the interesting things about these boats were the individual field modifications made by crew. They were able to basically customize the boat to meet combat conditions. Added guns and armament were pretty normal. Adding of some thin armor plating also took place. Note that they had added small radar sets to the boats, which made night time operations more effective.
And each one equipped with four Mark 8 torpedoes that more than likely bounced off without detonating. THAT took bravery!!
Just love that the Department of Aeronautics produced this film. Those PT's sure could fly!!
The 77-foot Elco sure was an elegant design. Just one of the reasons I made them in 1/700 scale.
1/700 scale would just be slightly over an Inch long based on 77 ft lol
1/72nd maybe?
@taproom113 Sorry, my friend. TLAR Models pressure pot maxes out at 9.25 inches. 12.83333 is 77 feet in 1/72 scale.
On 12 March 1942, upon direct orders of the President, General Douglas MacArthur, his family, and members of his staff were evacuated from Corregidor to the northern coast of Mindanao onboard PT-41, commanded by Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley. MacArthur and his party were subsequently flown to Australia. Already a celebrated PT-boat skipper, Bulkeley was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor and numerous other decorations for his actions in the Philippines.
The PTs would have been a lot more effective had they had (and our submarines) effective torpedoes that worked.
Yep... and would have been a lot more effective if they were allowed to do what they were meant for, from the start
Keep ‘em coming! Let us not forget!
Thanks Bridge, trying to my best . . . .
I love watching McHales Navy.
Oh, Lordy! Thank you for this!
GREAT VIDEO, Thanks for Sharing !
The movie PT109 which was JFK's PT boat was filmed in the Florida Keys.
PT Boats usually had Lt. Or Lt. Jg as its Skipper and a Ensign as the XO.
Thanks!
Never knew the Lewis gun was used as armament!
The pt boats were fast and can maneuver better than bigger boats that's why they were a great asset to the navy but after the navy stopped using them there were all dismantled non of them existed today
They recently restored a WWII PT Boat in New Orleans at the WWII museum.
Imagine going up against the Bismark in a PT...
If they used the infamous Mark-XIV torpedos as the subs did.........
I wonder if Bill Murray studied that fella at the end there for his military acting bits. Seems to be some similarity there.
Wish I could have a PT BOAT. 😊
Depth charges were bad ass
If I won mega bucks, I would like to design and build a 50% scale version and use it as a pleasure boat, without the military gear. I know it would be tough to duplicate the wooden laminated hull design, but I would find a way.
Training film? Where’s McHale?
I didn't see McHale and the PT73...
😁
That was a British Vosper!
Did not U.S. torpedoes often fail to work? The Japanese’s Long Toms certainly worked well.
The 'grandfather' the the Dirty Boat Guys (SWCC), Hooyah....
pity the torpedoes were mostly duds , the navy refused to admit this , and it cost lives , no apologies ever given ( that I'm aware of )
Robert montgomery served on them in ww2!
He don'tlook like William Holden. What's up with that?!
3:25 3:25 3:25 3:37
p39s
I use pronouns helicopter, Candybar and fruit cake
I would never attempt to anger my English teachers with such poor grammar usage.
Weak video!
they're *cough* made of wood *cough* *cough* Two or four magnificent torpedoes doing the country's work and God! It may be made of wood but these boys are made of iron!
The MK8 torpedo is/was a permanent stain on the honor of our nation. Poorly designed and all but untested. No doubt thousands of US lives were lost because of how shoddy they were. May the designers/and key brass of the Naval Ordnance Department who were responsible that that debacle reside for eternity in a place that's very warm.