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Topic: What happend to PT 307 and 311? |
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noocyarad
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Posted on: Jul 15, 2010 - 2:43am
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Steve,
I think my dad was on these two boats from 1943 to 1945. I wiill talk to him and find the correct dates. If you can find any info on their missions I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again.
John Thompson
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alross2
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 Posted on: Jul 18, 2010 - 10:57am
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To answer the basic question, according to AT CLOSE QUARTERS and others:
PT307 was placed out of service 15OCT45. I don't know her final disposition.
PT 311 sank after hitting a mine 18NOV44
Al Ross..
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Joe Brannan
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Posted on: Jul 18, 2010 - 1:52pm
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I have pictures of the damage to the 307 boat after it was porpoised in a storm . Lost the skipper and quarter master . I also have several pictures of the full crew during a Navy Admiral inspection at Gulf Juan in 45. The 307 was with the 305 the night they shot up a Italian boat. joebobbye@gmail.com and will send you the picture
Joe Brannan |
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Gary Paulsen |
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Posted on: Jul 18, 2010 - 6:48pm
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Joe,I'm a rookie here what do you mean by porpoised?
Gary
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Nuge210
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Posted on: Jul 19, 2010 - 3:27pm
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Hi Joe,
Can you post those photos by chance ? They would be interesting to see.
Steve Nugent |
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TED WALTHER
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Posted on: Jul 20, 2010 - 2:20pm
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Gary;
Bow plunged is a better term. If Joe can't post the photos,
I have some.
Take care,
TED
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Gary Paulsen |
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Posted on: Jul 20, 2010 - 6:25pm
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Thanks Ted,
The longer I'm here the more I learn.
Gary
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Jerry Gilmartin |
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2010 - 9:35am
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Hi John,
I vaguely remembered seeing an unofficial squadron 22 history written by LT Larry Noble, it was called "The Day of the Bitch" (since the boat was named "Fascinatin' Bitch") Anyway, I went onto the "Internet Wayback Archive Machine" for the now defunct "Defenders of America Naval Museum" Website and looked under the WW2 Photos and Stories" link there, and I was able to copy his story here. I hope this is useful since it mentions PT307 and 311. Good luck Jerry PT658 Portland OR
FROM "THE DAY OF THE BITCH"
(No rights reserved-no contrary opinions or statements allowed)
Observations on the course of events as they concerned PT Ron 22, seen from the deck of the 306 (and 313) through the sometimes bleary orbs of its exec from roughly Dec. '43 to April '45.
Melville 6/9/43 for training with graduation 8/9. Thence to New Orleans (that wonderful city to titillate the most jaded senses). Picked up a Ron of boats and delivered them to NYC for the bleeding Ruskies. Back to Nola for our own Ron and arrived Miami 2/1/44 for six weeks shakedown. Then to Norfolk, days of uncertain meandering from yard to yard. Finally, a midnite debauch at the Esquire Club and off to the "Cassotot" where our boats nested on deck and off to?? (4/13/44)
Put into Oran 4/30/44, a polyglot of Arab, Spanish, Italian and strains of blacks to the south. Food frightenly scarce among the natives- their number one concern. Several bouts with "Eau de vie" at the Mers-el-Kabir officer's club. Some repairs on the "Bitch", mainly a 20mm put amidships. May 15 to Algiers, 306-7-8-9 with J. Newell as division leader. Good bourbon at the American Officer's club.
In May to Sardinia and subsequently to our permanent base at Bastia, Corsica. Patrols from there regularly to the Italian coast to block sea traffic. June 7, 1944 off Spezia. PT's 306-7-8 with Ned Snodgrass as division leader. Moon half full and bright with two mile visibility. Picked up one convoy but lost it as it went into port. About 0300 picked up pips to seaward, about 4 miles and closing. Moon low now and we picked them up visually at 2 miles- a can and a corvette in column at 10 knots. Slightly on our bow and perfect for a beam shot, but Ned wanted a better bow angle and that did it! He picked up speed and headed out - star shells and flak from the cans. Moon down now and all by radar. The cans followed Ned and we went along in the rear at 34 knots. Ned turned and fired two fish - both misses. Suddenly the range started to close fast - the cans had turned and were headed right back at us. With the 307 behind us we closed to about 500 yards and could damn well see them visually. They blinked for recognition and we sent in two fish - again misses. We turned to get the hell out of the way and then they opened up with everything - 20s, 40s and 4.7s. We were so close they couldn't depress enough at first and we headed out at tops with smoke. The sky and air around was wild with tracers of all colors. My back felt like a fish belly ready for the knife. The 307 turned behind us and cans had their range. Paul Fidler on the 307 tried to fight it out with guns - gallant, useless - tragic. We limped back to base with the starboard engine down. A muster showed some shrapnel wounds, some holes in the deck, a slug in a 20mm magazine. The 307 got back too. Paul Fidler brought her in standing like a pine at the wheel with blood covering his face, throat and chest. Ens Kent Murman died as they took him off. Two others dead, three in bad condition - the boat a shambles. Later that day the fliers found the can dead in the water and finished her off - it had to be the 307 that stopped her.
June 14, '44. Last night we left Magdallena (northern Corsica) and joined a group of LCI's and headed for the island of Elba. About 15,000 men involved, mostly French Goums. Went in thru swept channels, (we hoped) and then lay off shore while the LCI's went in. Not much preliminary firing except for LCTR's who put on a great rocket display. The BJ's had done a good job on the main batteries but they had a lot going on when we pulled out at H plus 2. It was light and the surface was littered with swept mines. A little earlier one of the boats from Ron 15 had a target and closed to 150 yards where the F lighter "target" opened up. Our boat from 15 layed it on and silenced her shortly. The French tricolor flies over Elba tonight (one day later).
July 20, The Fifth and Eighth armies are gain on the move in Italy and we hear they have captured Leghorn (that's one more port we won't have to worry about!) But with land communications in bad shape, the Germans are trying to send more by water at night - more activity for us. They have better radar now and are giving convoys more big ship protection. Things are getting jammed in our shortened patrol area and Jerry is firing on anything and everything. A few nites ago we got hit in the engine room. Rothery got a few splinters from the 20mm but still on duty. There's talk of another invasion. Bastia must surely sink with the weight of supplies being landed here. Southern France seems to be the logical target.
July 24, - patrol off Viareggio and Spezia last nite. Ran into three Italian DD's (German controlled). They seemed to sense us at 8 miles and put out some stuff before heading into port. John N. was fired on for 1-1/2 hours the same nite. Operations are tense again tonite. Nearly all the boats are being sent out including those who had patrol last nite. (Practice for France).
Aug 12, - 306-7-8-9 to Calvi where we practised putting French commandoes in their rubber boats. This has got to be the invasion. Or spot is to run in under the batteries and put those boys ashore and then wait for them to do their job, then pick them up. On Aug 14 the whole Ron left Bastia - beautiful sight. Some carrying decoy balloons. Tom Creed aboard as commander and a "scout" called Manell with much spirit and many laughs. Just off Cap Corse our engines started to sag and it looked like we might miss it. But we wobbled (14 hours!) and stayed in. [Editors note: "Wobbling" refers to operating a hand lever "wobble" gasoline pump used to prime the gas filter and manifold, it can be used to manually supply gas pressure to the carburetor in case there is a problem with the engines internal mechanical pump]
Our four boats (above) went into the coast about five miles east of Cannes. At about 500 yards they put up some star shells. Not much to these as the bombers had started in up the coast. A couple of Jerry planes came in but got so much flak they took off. Put our men off and the other three boats went out two miles while we waited, and waited. A lot of machine gun fire on shore. Finally we had to give it up and get out to our next duty, escorting some British gunboats coming in to shell the coast.
Aug 13, night. Off the coat again. Boats all around and it seems just a matter of time before we get caught in a squeeze play. A pip showed up close aboard and we challenged up. Then the "pip" joined our column - the "ghost" was Larry Knorr who had lost his own patrol - our "MN" was out so we didn't get his reply. Back to Calvi at 1000. Hear the invasion is going well - not surprising with our six battleships, 15 cruisers and over 100 destroyers - boy, is that place crowded. It was an all American initial assault but now French divisions are moving in on six beaches. Beachheads now 40 miles wide by 20 deep at Cannes and Frejus.
Aug 16, 305 and 306 assigned to the Admiral's command ship the "Catoctin". Plenty of fresh meat and tomatoes from her. What a motly group are we in Tee shirts and ragged shorts. In the PM we called alongside and took some passengers aboard. A two star general (Patch) and then Admiral Hewitt - what class! I went aft to separate as much as possible from the brass and chatted with another passenger in civies. He was rather noncommital about his function and we soon reached our destination. As we pulled in, the Admiral who whould have debarked first waved the man I'd been talking with ahead of him; I soon found out he SecNav Forrestal! What a day!
Sept 10, Back from Magdalena and repairs to St. Maxime, southern France. Beautiful bay. Patrolling against one man torpedo craft. Also screening for the light cruiser, Brooklyn, which meant beaucoup fresh food and hot showers. Were sent into Nice to pick range tables for the Brooklyn; we weren't sure who held the town and were glad to find some FFI and finally a party called "Fox 6 Love" who somehow had the tables we were looking for. Went on a tour of the town and felt like liberators and were treated that way.
Oct 4, Now based in the little port of Gulfe Juan, about four miles from Cannes. Winter weather, cold and high winds make patrols doubly uncomfortable. But liberties in Cannes warm anyone up. Ron 29 operating out of Leghorn and getting shot up regularly in the Genoa area. Not much action in the French area beyond being peppered by the shore batteries at Menton on occasion.
Nov 6, Easy days are over as some boats are going to Leghorn to help on the Genoa Area. (And we had visions of being home for Christmas!) Beautiful reception by the shore batteries at Impeglio. On patrol at 0530 when I was tossed off the settee in the chart house by an explosion. Wasted no time trying to get out of there. Their radar is good and they kept lobbing it at us till we were 7 miles out. Nov 26, bad news: the 311 hit a mine. Some survivors but Brent Creelman and Danny Walker are "missing in action" - 16 miles off Spezia.
Dec 20, A new wrinkle. We are on going on a joint op from Leghorn with the British and their trawels to sink some convoys off Mesco. Commodore Allen (RN) Sopus. (This is reportedly to get him a DSO, and if so, nuts!) Went in towards Mesco at 1100 and got immediate star shells and some fire - one convoy passed just ahead of us and we scouted for others. We were 4 miles north of the British when they finally picked up a convoy at 0200. Both sides traded a lot of fire and after 15 minutes we got the word to "open the coast" and we did, fast. Trawlers had only one casualty and claimed to have sunk one F lighter and an R boat. Many congratulations after - maybe Allen made it.
Jan 1, '45 Bad luck for another of our mates. In late Dec going into Leghorn with a 15' following sea, the 307 nosed deep down into one collapsing the charthouse and taking Paul Fidler, indomitable skipper, and one other overboard. Nothing was found but Fid's red cap. Why? And why this way?
Feb 1, took over as skipper of the 313, the Sea Wolf. Morale of all boats at all time low. Land progress in Italy very slow. Spezia very active. Nearly bought it on a nose job ("Smudge" to the British). Took our boys in and just after letting them off the lights came on and with them quad 88's. Engines all carboned up - no speed - no casualties, just another flock of grey hairs.
March 8, Got in a good one. On patrol with the big money winners, the 304 and 308 with Bill Davies as CO. At 2230 as we rounded Mesco picked a convoy of 6-9 F lighters. Bill decided on a visual attack and we deployed. Fired two at 1200 yards and turned. A sheet of flak from inshore and the nite was full of noise. A few minutes later Murph called in and said his stern was blown off and taking water - no casualities. Told him to stand by while we went in agian with the other boat to fire our last two fish. We had at least one hit on the first run and the convoy was lying to. Went in with Knorr and fired at about 1400. Three flashes from four fish so we got something and one pip disappeared. A slow 6 hour run back with Murph. When we got back we found the 308 had smacked Murph in the stern after firing the first time so we were our own casualty. What a mess!
April 28, Back to Gulfe Juan. My chick won the national lottery - $120,000. What a party with the Commander, John N., Bill Shay, Spangenberg an 20 others! Many of us listed for replacement.
May 10, It's all over and we are on our way back via Rome and Naples. The Day of the Bitch" is fini and Ron 22 is no more - or is it?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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I hope this is helpful to you John! Jerry PT658 Portland
Jerry Gilmartin |
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Jerry Gilmartin |
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2010 - 10:38am
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Hey John and also Joe Brannon:
Here are some photos of the boats. Joe I think these may be photos you took. I found them posted to our PT Boats account on phtobucket website. under Gary Szot's listing. I hope you dont mind me posting them here! Jerry
Here are two photos of PT307 after it was damaged in the storm and lost the CO Paul Fidler and the QM over the side
Here I think is a photo of PT311 after it hit that mine:
Here is Larry Nobles first boat the PT306 aka "The Fascinatin' Bitch"
Here is Arthur Frongello on guard duty at Gulf Juan near Cannes
Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin |
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David Buck
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2010 - 4:37am
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Hi Jerry , Might the 311 photo be the 307?
Just looking at the number on the stern, you can see the 3 and then what apears to be the botom of a 0 cut in half by the damage.
Of course it could be one of a number of boats but alross2 reports that the 311 was sunk by that mine it hit, any possabilty she made it home?
Great photo whatever boat it is it sure shows what damage the boats could sustain.
D.buck |
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