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 Author  Topic: Question for the Forum - PT Boat wheels (steering)
  TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Jul 5, 2014 - 12:50pm
Shep;
You wrote: "2 I may try to restore it, so I appreciate the tips on the paint" WHATEVER YOU DO WITH IT,,,,DO NOT RESTORE IT!

It will lose it's patina. The wheel is perfect as it is. That wheel shows the wear and tear of use in combat, and the finger and hand prints of every man who touched it from the day it was put on at the ELCO plant in Bayonne, till the day your Dad took it off the boat and brought it home.



PT 324 RON 21 LTjg Clay Cooper, USNR sitting on windscreen.
Take care,
TED

P.S. That stop watch was used for several situations on the boat, from Navigation, steering response time(ie: turning times, reverse course time, etc), torpedo run time, timing the crew during General Quarters response time.


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54scooper

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Jul 5, 2014 - 5:24pm
Ted-

Sounds like great advice, especially with how you described the wheel's history, from its manufacture to the many American patriots who touched it during the war. Like most guys who served in World War II, my Dad did not talk much about it. He did tell me that his boat and crew captured some Japanese after PT 324 shot up and sank an armed boat (sampan?) used for night resupply of Japanese garrisons in the Philippines. He said his crew wanted to kill the prisoners outright, because of how brutal the Japanese were to the Filipinos. The wheel was always something that aroused my curiosity. For years it hung on a nail in our garage gathering dust. I'm thrilled to have it, in part because it represents so much rich history.


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David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Jul 5, 2014 - 9:54pm
That is great news Colonel. Ted's advice is excellent. I hope you and your family will enjoy and take pride in it for many years to come. Thanks for sharing your Dad's story and artifacts.
Dave

David Waples

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Jeff D

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Jul 6, 2014 - 4:07am
Very well said Ted!

I'm glad you decided to keep it as is Shep, minor battle scars and all.



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Drew Cook

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: Jul 6, 2014 - 1:53pm
Man, what I would give to have an 80' Elco wheel!


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