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alross2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of alross2   Send Email To alross2 Posted on: Dec 24, 2010 - 2:06pm
I've discovered a couple more books on Amazon with which I'm not familiar. Anyone have any experience with either?

Hot, Straight, and True: An Anecdotal View of PT Boats in WWII - Hamachek

PT Boat Episodes - Jones

Have not yet received Beachheads Secured V1, although I did get a copy of Gunboat Command (R.P. Hichens' biography) today. Hichens was a well-known MGB CO who was killed in 1943.

Al Ross





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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Dec 24, 2010 - 5:28pm
Al: Both books are in the "I was there" catagory. Entertaining but not groundbreaking....

Will

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  Jerry Gilmartin

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jerry Gilmartin   Send Email To Jerry Gilmartin Posted on: Dec 24, 2010 - 11:48pm
Hi Al,
"Hot Straight and True" was written by Russ Hamacheck, who was one of PT658 Save the PT Boats early Benefactors. I was personal freinds with him, and he was a real hero in my book. He took his "last patrol" in Jan 2010. He was also the author of another book, "Recompense". The author during the war was CO of PT150, and saw much action on board her, including an attack on a Jap submarine, and other fighting off New Guinea. Then he was transferred (and promoted from LT to LCDR) to Miami, where he served along with 3 other senior LT's including John F. Kennedy, in training to become a Squadron Commander. Russ told me several stories of his time serving with "Jack" as he called him. Russ did become the Squadron Commander of MTBRON39, whose RON insignia I proudly display as my icon. (I actually asked his permission to do so.) Russ himself commissioned an artist in NYC to come up with the logo showing bat wings and binoculars. As far as a review of each book, I would say "Hot Straight and True" is a series of mostly true humourous anecdotes and some stuff that is real eye opening. The otherr book, "Recompense", is a fictional story suspense drama that takes place on a PT Boat and involves a commando style mission. I like both books, but I like "Hot Straight and True" the most. One story especially, where Russ recounts the story of how QMC Al McCready, (another one of our founding members who served on PT491) and his boat captain utilized a narrow gage railroad engine and 2 cars to cross a recently liberated Phillipine Island and "Liberate" the town on the other end of the rail line on the other side of the island. Russ was a real hoot, and all of us are sad to have him gone. I would strongly recommend you read both books! Here is a few pics of Russ
Merry Christmas to you Al!

Russ in front of his grass shack in the Phillipines


Russ showing a guest the PT658 at the Portland Rose Festival June 2006


Jerry Gilmartin

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alross2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of alross2   Send Email To alross2 Posted on: Dec 25, 2010 - 3:16am
Thanks, guys. Merry Christmas.

Al


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