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Topic: PT Boat attacks up a river |
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SouthWestPacificPT |
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Posted on: Sep 22, 2008 - 6:59pm
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Hello everyone,
My dad once told a story of a PT boat attacking a Japanese camp in the jungle, in which the PT boat travelled up into the jungle on a river or some sort of waterway leading from the open Ocean on one of the Pacific islands in the war. The boat was shot full of holes but got away ok. Has anyone heard this story, or know where it can read more about it?
Bye Bye!!
for now,
Joy
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Michael |
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Posted on: Sep 22, 2008 - 10:56pm
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theres a similar story to that in the book ive just read.Its called,
Hell on Keels
The Saga of Ron 12
by Rick Desloge
Michael |
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SouthWestPacificPT
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Posted on: Sep 23, 2008 - 8:27pm
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Thank you Michael,
Do you remember where or when it happened?
Thanks again,
Joy
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Michael
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Posted on: Sep 24, 2008 - 4:06pm
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Joy the account in the book,concerns PT 146 the Green Hornet,
Around October 1943 a suspected barge supply depot along the New Britain Coast,was investigated, it was located up a narrow stream known as the Pulie River.
Lieutenant j.g.Ollie Schneiders was the skipper of PT146.
They took a japanese interpreter with them,when they came accross the depot the interpreter called out "Where can we tie our barge"eventually out of the darkness came a reply,telling the PT,who they thought was a barge ,where to dock.
The PT then opened fire ,destroying everything including an ammo dump.The PT then "Hauled Ass" out of there only to get stuck on the muddy bottom of the River,eventually the boat tore free along the river and out to sea.
This account though ,says not a shot was fired by the enemy at the Boat.
Im sure there were many other such raids up Rivers
Cheers Michael
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SouthWestPacificPT |
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Posted on: Sep 24, 2008 - 7:58pm
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Thank you Michael,
Joy
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Gary Szot
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Posted on: Sep 25, 2008 - 3:56pm
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I found another account of PT Boats going up river. In "At Close Quarters" Robert Bulkley writes;
Of the barge actions at Biak, the most unusual was fought on the night of June 20/21, 1944 by Lt.(jg) Joseph W. Burk, USNR, in PT 320, with PT 161 Lt. (jg) Rogers V. Waugh, (USNR) Burk led the way into Sorendidori river mouth on southern Biak, looking for suspected barge hideouts and set the 320 boat on a reef.Soon afterward three barges loaded with personnel and supplies approached from seaward. Although the 320 was stuck fast and could not maneuver, both PTs' opened fire and the 320 illuminated the barge with mortar flares. Within 20 minutes the PTs' sank all three barges. Then the 161 pulled the 320 off of the reef.
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Gary Szot
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Posted on: Sep 25, 2008 - 4:34pm
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Michael;
I found a description about the night raid on the Pulie River in William Breuers' book,"the Devil Boats" on pages 120 and 121.
A key base for launching the barge runs to New Guinea was a few miles up the Pulie River, in Southern New Britain. Due to the fact that it was far inland, shrouded by thick foliage, and on a barely navigable stream, the Japanese considered the terminal quite secure. To a degree it was. American aircraft had been unable to locate it. PT Boats had not yet tried to stick their noses into this hideout. They knew from countless patrols that barges had been coming out of the Pulies' mouth, but the precise location of the base remained unknown
Lt. Oliver J. "Ollie" Schneiders, of Los Angeles took a crack at it. With the assistance of a Nisei ( Japanese American) interpreter he set to go up river. Perhaps forty five minutes after entering the Pulie , Lt. Schneider detected the outlines of a group of huts and a small wharf jutting out into the river.
The Nisei yelled out in Japanese," where can we tie up our barge?" Moments later light went on in the base outlining huts, warehouses,sheds, all nestled between majestic palm trees.
Scheider gave the order to "Fire" and every gun on the "Floating Arsenal" began pouring tracer bullets into the structures. Incendiaries ignited several small fires which quickly spread. Scores of Japanese roused from sleep came running out of their huts directly into the machine gun fire and were cut down. After the ammo dump exploded Scneider decided it was time to "Haul Ass".
The PT boat got stuck on the muddy bottom of the Pulie right in the glare from the fire. After a few minutes the boat worked itself free. The PT slipped back up the river without a shot being fired at it.
I paraphrased this a bit but I love Breuers' language describing this event.
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