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Topic: RON 10 ZEBRA STRIPES TO SOLID COLOR |
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QM
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Posted on: Apr 1, 2009 - 6:47pm
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The zebra stripes were used effectively on some ships. The pattern can create doubt as to the heading of the ship. It could have the same effect on a PT in daylight. However it was worthless in our operations in the South Pacific and the Southwest Pacific where we operated mostly at night. We wanted to be as invisible as possible.
Regarding the colors used on the boats, they may have departed from the states with a standard shade or shades of green. When repainted in the field we used, as someone said above, whatever was available. There was little if any measuring to get a certain shade of green. We just poured and mixed. Also I believe that some plain black paint was used as part of the camo pattern.
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CJ Willis
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Posted on: Apr 1, 2009 - 7:37pm
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G.R. That certainly looks like the 167 that I saw. The hole was through the crews quarters about 2 feet above the water line on both sides. It didn't damage the deck above. There were clothes scattered around in the crews quarters that could be seen through the hole. We found out from some of the crew that a Jap plane had dropped a torpedo and it had gone through the boat before it was armed. Bob Pickens can give you more details I am sure. I don't recall the names of the islands where the dock was located but it was at the first location at Rendova because we were back down there again in January 1944 and the dock and base had been moved to a different location. When we saw the 167 we were just at Rendova overnight on our way from Tulagi to Vella La Vella.
C. J. Willis |
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Shaneo2
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Apr 1, 2009 - 7:42pm
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I am curious here as to the PT-167 ? Was it damaged or sunk ? I was aware of the PT-117 & PT-164 that were damaged and sunk in Rendova, but what was the status of 167 ?
Regards
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G R Powell
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 5:19am
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PT 167 was damaged but not sunk. It was soon back in service. Bob Pickett helped repair and repaint it.
Thanks, C.J., for your helpful recollections.
Does anyone have a clearer copy of the photo I posted? Or know who has the original?
G R Powell |
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FRANK |
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 7:25am
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Hello everyone-
Just a word of thanks to all of you who responded to my post!
There is a really neat shot of the 167 showing a close-up view of the holed through bow section where the Jap torpedo went through her in Frank Johnson's book on WW II PT boats. I don't own a scanner, but if anyone out there has this book in their collection, can they please post that shot here! Thanks guys!
It's nice to know and hear from those guys who were in Ron-10 regarding the "whatever" color green that was used to re-paint the boats. From a scale modelers standpoint, that's a big relief, especially for guys like me who are color blind in red and green areas.
You fella's never fail to amaze me with your replies! This message board is the absolute "best" historical site on the web! Bar none!
Thanks again to all!
Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT- 169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "
HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!
YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY! |
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TGConnelly
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 7:36am
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Mr. Powell,
About that photo you posted here? If you look closely sir, you can barely see the dayroom - it was not damaged at all. It's just too dark to see it clearly.
It also seems that the scheme was beginning to be overpainted or that it was just scruffed up ...........
I think it was interesting that the boat had roll-off torpedo racks and a 37mm gun, I had always thought that scheme was discontinued while the boats still had their tubes and 'basic' armament packages. You learn something new every day.
To Jerry Gilmartin, I clicked on that link for the crewmember interview, and the second I did - my computer froze.
Garth
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Drew Cook
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 8:53am
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G.R. and all,
As previously stated, there is a clear photo of the damage to PT 167's bow from the torpedo in the book "At Close Quarters - PT Boats in the United States Navy" by Robert J. Bulkley (page 142), and an enlarged version of the same photo in "United States PT-Boats of World War II In Action" by Frank D. Johnson (page 105).
The reference material states that the 167's torpedo-through-the-bow incident occurred on November 5, 1943, when the Ron 10 boats were operating out of Cape Torokina. I guess the boat would have returned to Rendova, the largest base back down the line, for repair.
The photo posted shows the boat with Mark XIII torpedoes in roll-off racks. I think the November '43 period was too early for that configuration. I think the Solomons PTs still would have had their torpedo tubes and Mark VIII fish at that time(?).
I've also seen several forward-area (b&w) photos of the (originally) white stripes on the zebra-striped boats' paint jobs overpainted in a darker color, with the black stripes obviously remaining. I would think the "darker color" was green...
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Jerry Gilmartin |
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 Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 9:38am
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Hi Garth,
I am sorry for freezing your computer. It works fine for me. I may suggest an alternate way to find the article and video. I just type the following search phrase onto "Google" "PT 167 George Holasek" and it was the first thing that pops up. I hope this will work for you. The internet may have been working funny yesterday it being April Fools Day and all. I hope this alternate way will work on your computer. It is really a quite good interview. He tells of being on the boat when it was hit by the torpedo.
PS. I also have read another account of this same attack from a different perspective. It was printed in the "LCI Item" newsletter, since at the time, the PT 167 along with a few other PT boats were protecting a group of LCI (landing craft infantry) during transit. One of the 25 Jap torpedo bombers in the attacking group dropped a torpedo into the LCI, and it hit above the water line and went into the engine room. It did not explode, and the crew abandoned ship, onto a nearby PT Boat. (The LCI has 25 crewmen) Then they asked for a few volunteers to go onboard and push the torpedo up and out of the engineroom. It had come to rest up against one of their diesel main engine banks. The japs claimed to have sunk 3 aircraft carriers and 2 cruisers later that day on Tokyo Rose the story goes. I think the book "At Close Quarters" also has an account of this event. Pretty amazing isnt it?
Jerry PT 658 restoration crew, Portland OR
Jerry Gilmartin |
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Shaneo2
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 10:18am
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GR Powell,
Thanks for the information on the 167. About the photo on page #1, the Island in the background is not Lumbari- of that I have no doubt. I also doubt if it is any of the other barrier Islands in Rendova Harbor. The tree line on those Islands (being mainly flat), have a almost uniformity of tree height across the length of the Island- the photo does not reflect that.
Could the background be Rendova Is. ? Possibly, but the area were the Americans were encamped and established was primarly on the NW side of the Harbor (main Island). Most of this area is coconut plantation, with a gradual rise well beyond the water front....there is an exception of a hill towards the North of the plantation which had 155mm (?) guns on it.
Google Earth gives idea of the Harbor. If you search USMC operations online in the Central Solomons (Operation Toenails), there are some photos of LST's going through the pass, troops landing ashore. One of the most interesting shows a LCI, with either a Higgins land craft, or a PT boat tied up on the Starboard quarter- it is hard for me to make out details on my laptop.
I do not think, but cannot say for %100 percent certainty that the photo was taken in Rendova Harbor, but I will look around again later this year.
Regards
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Gary Szot
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Posted on: Apr 2, 2009 - 11:28am
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