PT Boat Forum


Moderated by: Dick, Jeff D

The PT Boat Forum ª PT Boats of WWII ª  PT Boats - General

« Prev Page | Page: 3 of 3

« Back to Topic Index Page 151 | Replies: 22 | Pages: 1 2 [3]

 Author  Topic: PT-109 Completed Model
  Jerry Gilmartin

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jerry Gilmartin   Send Email To Jerry Gilmartin Posted on: Jun 29, 2010 - 9:13pm

Hi David!

I read your explanation about the depth charge and your reasoning makes perfect sense to me. I cant detect the imperfectly repaired toe rail in the photos, but still I agree with your detective work. Again great job! By the way where exactly did you find the info about the inadvertant torpedo shot in high seas? I cant find it again now that I am looking for it? If you know can you please remind me where it is? I want to re-read it. Thanks again and keep up the great work! Jerry PT658 Portland

Jerry Gilmartin

Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm | IP Logged

David Waples

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Jun 30, 2010 - 5:29am
Hi Jerry,
I don't have a hard copy. I have the audiotape and to tell you the truth as I was building the model I would play the tape going back and forth to work listening for details. So I'm not exactly sure where in the book it is.

I saw the book at Barnes & Nobel the other day on the discount table for $8. I may go back and grab it just to have a copy.

The other day at our ship club meeting one of the guys there said that he heard that if JFK was anyone other than an ambassador's son he would have been court martialed for what he did. I set him and the rest of the room straight on that issue. When I mentioned the torpedo launch someone suggested that maybe it was a crew member who did it and the crew covered it up. These are people that sit around listening to Rush Limbaugh all day looking for the negative in this world. Nobody knows why the torpedo launched. Hard to believe a crew member could have done it knowing how these things operated. It happened to a bunch of young men doing their best in difficult circumstances is all I know. I don't know if it's in the book but an Admiral (I think) who was 180 degrees from JFK the president was asked about the 109 incident and he said on that Kennedy did it right.

Sorry I couldn't help and thanks for listening to my rant. :-)

Take care
Dave

David Waples

Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm | IP Logged

Drew Cook

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: Jun 30, 2010 - 6:55pm
Jerry and Dave,

The 109's port forward torpedo wasn't "launched" from its tube by anyone when it struck the depth charge and sent it through the foredeck into the crew's quarters bunk. Here's the passage from Robert J. Donovan's book describing the incident, which occurred June 30th, 1943, while the 109 was retrieving a bilge pump from a destroyer to transport to a PT that was taking water:

"Kennedy edged away from the destroyer and was circling back to the damaged boat when the top of a wave smote his port hull with such force that it jolted one of the torpedoes out of its tube. The torpedo banged into a heavy depth charge, a collision that brought together enough explosives to have blown Kennedy and his crew to bits, had not the two weapons been set to fire under different conditions. However, the depth charge toppled off its perch, crashed through the deck into the crew's quarters and landed on the bunk above where Drewitch was trying to sleep."

In photos of the 109 under JFK, it is quite obvious the depth charges were very close forward of the forward torpedo tubes -- just forward enough for the fish to clear them when the tubes were cranked out for firing. The torpedo really didn't have that far to go -- maybe three or four feet -- to bang into the depth charge when it was jolted from it's tube.




Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am | IP Logged

« Prev Page

Pages: 1 2 [3]


Lock Topic

 

Forum Legend

New Member

Reply to topic

More than 25 posts | Full Member

Reply to topic with quoted message

More than 50 posts | Advanced Member

Edit Message

More than 150 posts | MASTER

View profile

More than 300 posts | TOP BOSS

Email member