|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
  
 Posted on: Oct 19, 2008 - 2:20pm
|
QM
Thanks very much for your insight into a time which I am sure was a tough go. It is because of those sacrifices that I am able to enjoy the very Freedoms we have today. Thanks QM............
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Oct 22, 2008 - 3:54am
|
While on the subject of Bases, just curious. Who decided what would be a good location for a Base. Who scouted these areas out that we have come to know as advance Bases. What was the criteria that made a Base sutible for PT BOATS...............
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
QM
New Member
|
Posted on: Oct 22, 2008 - 6:43pm
|
Re. Selection of bases and scouting the location. I do not know who made the selection of a location but I believe that a site on Biak was originally selected as the boats' operating base. When the site was not timely available, we transported some passengers to inspect Mios Woendi. We were operating from Hollandia at time. the local residents had been removed from Mios Woendi by the time we were there. Their residences remained. The housing was made of thatched roofs and sides. They were built over the water with ramps to the beach. There may have been eight to twelve buildings, which appeared to be multifamily or extended family residences. They apparently lived from the sea. We had a lot of spare time so, with the skippers permission, several of us walked on the beach around the island.
The next time we saw the place, the native buildings had been removed and professionally build docks were in place for us to tie-up. Those docks were a welcome improvement. |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Oct 22, 2008 - 8:12pm
|
QM, I wonder if the United States Navy had to pay the locals for use of these areas. Relocating the lresidents from their homes had to be enforced by someone, and it seems that they would need other places to stay. In your travels, did we use any locals for work, such as loading and unloading supplies. I had heard we payed the Philippine Government plenty of money for Base 17, although I have no resources to back that claim.
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
QM
New Member
|
Posted on: Oct 23, 2008 - 12:43pm
|
| I had practically no contact with the local residents, but I was aware that they were our friends. They usually stayed away from our operations. Their treatment by the Japanese was apparently cruel. However, most of them on the main island could fade off into the jungle. They provided intelligence at times. At Mios Woendi they must have been moved on short notice. They would have needed a new location for shelter and food supply. I knew nothing about payments if any. There was a report at one time that the owner of a coconut plantation had requested payment for trees which were destroyed. |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Oct 11, 2009 - 4:01pm
|
How many of you have photos of the bases you were on, that you mught have taken while stationed there. If you do, I would like to take a look at them for my book............
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
PRJM3
Advanced Member
|
Posted on: Oct 11, 2009 - 7:22pm
|
Frank,
These were taken by my father at the base on either Treasury Island or Green Island. It does look wet and humid. Is that a stream or a flooded path? I don't know what you're interested in as far as base pictures. I have a few with base buildings in the background; quonset huts, officers 'club', etc. Not of the base per se.
I have pictures of natives in dugouts bartering with PT boat crews on open water. Dad said that was quite unusual, they would only come out onto open water in well secured areas. From other discussions it sounded like natives were present on or around the bases. He was at Treasury Island (04/44), Green Island, Mios Woendi and Biak (09/44), Palau Island (11/44), Leyte Gulf (11/44), Tacloban (12/44), Subic Bay (01/45), Guiunan Samar Island, and Balikpapan Borneo (07/45). I'm not sure how many of these were from a shore base or from the Varuna. (Edited reply.)
Randy McConnell
Randy McConnell (Randall J. McConnell III) |
Total Posts: 94 | Joined:
May 25, 2009 - 2:47pm | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Oct 11, 2009 - 10:26pm
|
Randy
I would be interested in seeing anything you have. If I use any of them, of course your Dad will be given credit for the pictures. They must be scanned at no less then 300 DPI. I do not know how many you have, or if they have descriptions on the backs, but I would appreciate seeing all of them. Can you put them on a CD-R Disc and mail them to me? My address is:
Frank J Andruss Sr.
The Mosquito Fleet Exhibit
WWII PT BOATS
16 Liberty Street
Feeding Hills, Ma. 01030
PS If possible can you scan them in TIFF. This keeps the images from losing any quality in tranfers. If not, JPEG is fine. Let me know here, or contact me at mosquitofleet@comcast.net Thanks for writing.
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
PRJM3
Advanced Member
|
Posted on: Oct 12, 2009 - 8:55am
|
Frank,
There's around 150 pictures in all that I have scanned so far, and I keep finding more each time I visit the folks. The existing batch are out of his photo album and have captions. They were scanned at 600 dpi in JPEG. The two pictures posted earlier were scanned from prints that are each about two inches square; pretty good detail for such a small print.
The big problem at the moment is finding the time to match the captions to the pictures and transfer them to a CD. Can't let it inetfere with making a living! As the weather turns colder I'll be able to work on it, but it will be a few months at the earliest. Other members of the family are also waiting for a CD, so I do need to get it done.
The Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC) and a few other car groups are also after me to create a disk of pictures that Dad and I took at sportscar races in the 1960's, probably 500 pictures in that set. That's third priority after the PT pictures and family geneology documents and pictures. Obviously I'm the only one in the family with a scanner.
In the meantine I'll post a PT picture or two where they fit into a thread.
Thanks,
Randy McConnell (Randall J. McConnell III) |
Total Posts: 94 | Joined:
May 25, 2009 - 2:47pm | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Oct 12, 2009 - 11:36am
|
Randy
Thanks for letting me know. Just so you know my deadline is December 15th for getting everything to the publisher, so after that although I could not use the photos in the book, I would love to have them for my Exhibit, and who knows could use them in another book I might try. You can of course send me a few that you think are interesting, showing ones that might contain work on the engines, boats, chow hall, maybe the guys if they are playing cards, things like that. That way, if I find them to be good for the book, I can use them and include your dad in the book bfore dealine. Thanks so much Randy..............
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
|
