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Topic: PT-157: is this a new photo of the starboard gunner? |
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 24, 2010 - 4:50pm
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I received this photo of the starboard turret gunner of the PT-157 through Facebook. Does anyone recall seeing this photo before...or is this a new find from the senders family photo chest?
Bridge
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Wayne Traxel
MASTER
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Posted on: Apr 24, 2010 - 8:14pm
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Actually yours was the first photo I found when I built my 157 model. It was featured in and early 90's PT Boats Inc.'s newsletter and I purchased it through PTB's Inc.. I've featured it in earlier posts 2 years ago along with more detailed Photos eventually found of the mount. Your's however is much better quality than mine.
Wayne Traxel |
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 25, 2010 - 6:28am
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Thanks Wayne!
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 27, 2010 - 7:08pm
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Bridge;
I have tried to send 4 e-mails to you but they were returned. I used:
bridge@pt-157.com
whats up?
TED
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Bill Manley
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Apr 28, 2010 - 5:24am
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I am wondering on the photos of the PT 157, when did they get rid of the twin 50's in the gun mounts?
Bill Manley |
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 29, 2010 - 7:12am
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As I heard from other message board members and I confirmed with Captain Liebenow (PT-157)....
Captain Liebenow did confirm (April 25 2010) that the 157, and the other original PTs of RON-9 PTs, were fitted with the 20mm (Oerlikon) in the starboard turret before they left the states. He believes that Commander Kelly made that request while the boats were in production based on what he considered were the needs of the RON-9 PT's upcoming missions.
A bit of further confirmation of this by Capt. Liebenow, regarding the starboard turret 20mm, was that while in Panama for 4-month of boat shake-down and training (prior to be packed up and sent tothe South Pacific) the 157 was the only PT in the group to hit a practice target (with its 20mm turret gun) during one of the training runs. (funny what you can remember 67 years later - my comment here :-) )
Kelly's selection proved to be a good choice as the 50-cals were not so effective when attacking troop barges (the RON-9's primary mission) as they were lined with sand bags which reduced the 50-cal's effectiveness. This is comment from Welfor West (torpedo man PT-157 last week) Different story with the 20mm however which is why you see, over time, increasing numbers of the them mounted on the PT's foredecks by the crews themselves.
Bridge
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Peter Krogh
Full Member
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Posted on: May 7, 2010 - 9:57pm
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Wow, this 20 mm in the stbd turret is absolutely new to me. Would I be safe in assuming the 156 boat was equipped this way also???
Thanks,
Pete
2nd generation PT'er
Son of Arthur C. Krogh,
CMoMM, Plankowner Ron 9, 156 Boat |
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 8, 2010 - 7:00am
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Hi Peter - Yes, they were. Please see photo (and the boat number)
P.S. For model makers (such as myself on the 157) the 20mm turret requires a different design limit rails then the 50-cals used due to the larger gun post.
Bridge
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Peter Krogh |
Full Member
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Posted on: May 9, 2010 - 5:54pm
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Well I'll be ...........
Bridge, that's the very first picture of the 156 boat I, or either of my brothers, have
ever seen!! At least one with the number readable!
Do you know when/where the pic was taken?? I can't identify Dad in that pic. We
know that Dad, and other Ron 9 'old timers', left the Solomons around the middle of
Jan. '44 after nine months in theater.
Wow, thanks for the photo!
Pete
2nd generation PT'er
Son of Arthur C. Krogh,
CMoMM, Plankowner Ron 9, 156 Boat |
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 9, 2010 - 7:21pm
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Pete,
This photo would be a little later in the war based on some details of the boat in this photo. The Captain of the 157 is still around and I'll ask him if he is aware of anything he can recall about the 156. At the time the PT crews, so far as I've gathered, lived and fought as a tight knit group. How much they knew about the other crews on a day-to-day basis is something I'll ask Cpt. Libenow. It would be an interesting question.
You should post a note on this Board asking what it is you want to know.
Bridge
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