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Topic: PT-59 Configuration |
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TGConnelly
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Posted on: Mar 13, 2011 - 3:05pm
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Quote:
I think we're looking at photos that, if all of PT 59, were taken at a different time
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My sites does state that the series of photos were taken in "early 1944" (and that date was conveyed to me by Mr. Marshall) ... so, obviously, yes it was after Kennedy was sent back to the States ...
Garth
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Dick
Moderator
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 Posted on: Mar 13, 2011 - 7:07pm
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I was just thinking that, these boats had a very large crew for such a small boat. I'm guessing 20 to 22 crew members in total, maybe even more. and tons of ammunitions.
Dick . . .
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 13, 2011 - 7:32pm
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With all that added weight of two 40mm Guns @ 4,700 pounds and all those .50 caliber guns with Shields, the stress on those boats must have been tremendous. Add to that the weight of the men, and ammo, not to mention the boat itself, I can imagine what the speed of these boats might have been.. I would also venture to say that manuverability must have really dropped off as well. I guess the thought process was she would become a gun platform, not a speedy Torpedo Boat...........
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Drew Cook
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 13, 2011 - 8:28pm
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Thanks for posting that clear photo of the 59 under JFK, Frank.
I'd read somewhere that despite their barge-busting potential, the weight of all the extra guns and armor of the PT 59, 60 and 61 gunboats taxed the engines, caused the fuel consumption to go way up, and cut the speed so much on those boats that the gunboat experiment was abandoned.
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 13, 2011 - 10:23pm
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The more I look at these photos the more I try imagining the awesome firepower of this little ole PT Boat! What i would give to see the PT59 firing a broadside with all of her 50 cal and 40mm firing at once! That surely must have been an awesome sight! Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin |
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Joe Brannan
New Member
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Posted on: Mar 14, 2011 - 2:16pm
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I have little memory of the of the 59 . I was on it for only a few weeks on loan from the 39 which had gone to Tulagi for new engines and radar .In April 44 they pulled all sinking survivors off the 59. Including the remaining 109's survivors. Sent us down to Tulagi for retune to the States. There were thee of us off the Niagara, Davis , Mauer (109), and Joe Brannan GM3c
I
Joe Brannan
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TGConnelly
New Member
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Posted on: Mar 14, 2011 - 2:50pm
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Joe,
So, you were aboard her when she was in her PTGB configuration? Possibly at the time which those photos on my website were taken?
Garth
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 14, 2011 - 2:51pm
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Joe . . .
Thanks for the thoughts. Were you ever on the boat during a firing mission? The crew must have been huge?
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Joe Brannan
New Member
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Posted on: Mar 14, 2011 - 4:19pm
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I was on the 59 at Rendova when they made the movie shots of the 59. Do not remember being in any action or firing the guns. Mr Thom was the skipper at that time . I believe I am in the picture on the single 50. This is what I looked like in those days. do not know how to attach a picture of me on the 39. /media/Oct 06 2007/ww2sp39/File0053.jpg, hope this works I am the short one ,other Bill Mitternight qm.The picture was taken at Russel island by same photographer that took the pictures of the 109
Joe Brannan |
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 14, 2011 - 7:04pm
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Hi Joe!
Are you the same Joe Brannan that was a crewman on PT305 (or was it the PT309?) of RON22 in the Med? I have looked at many of your photos that were posted on the old Defenders of America website for Oh Frankie PT309. I have a question or two about some of those old pictures of yours. Can I contact you offline by email? Mostly the questions are things like "What is that? and "Where was this?" etc I am helping to restore the PT658 (a 78 foot Higgins here in Portland Oregon) to follow the spirit of how your old boat appeared in a lot of small details shown in those pictures. Jerry Gilmartin
Joe sitting on deck of PT305
Joe on PT305 at speed
PT305 Bar Fly with crew on bow
PT303 damaged when it collided with PT305 stern
PT305 collision damge from PT303
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