| Author |
Topic: Final Log Book Of The Boat That Must Not Be Named |
|
Jeff D
Moderator
|
  
 Posted on: Jul 18, 2015 - 5:23am
|
You're welcome Drew, I figured you'd enjoy reading it too.
Ted, your knowledge of crew and movements is amazing.
|
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined:
Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am | IP
Logged
|
|
Will Day
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Jul 19, 2015 - 10:17am
|
Some interesting stuff there.....
Will |
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined:
Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm | IP
Logged
|
|
TheBridge
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Aug 2, 2015 - 6:48pm
|
Bud Liebenow (Skipper of the 157) said they kept information in the log book to a bare required minimum FOR FEAR THAT IF CAPTURED, THE ENEMY MIGHT USE IT AGAINST THEM!!
I guess not many have read FIRST-UP where this was stated. After having researched the daily MTB log for RON-9 and listening to the details of their missions, one is shocked how they just didn't put things in the log book ON PURPOSE even when what was done was heroic!
Bridge
|
Total Posts: 318 | Joined:
Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm | IP
Logged
|
|
TheBridge
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Aug 4, 2015 - 7:03am
|
Per my previous post in this posting, here is a piece out of FIRST-UP: Chronicles of the PT-157 that describes why PT log books are very similar in their lack of detail:
The 157’s log book was not heavy in details although enough to confirm its location each night, the time of certain events, how much fuel it took on the next morning and anything that was out of the ordinary. After having read a few pages of the PT-157’s log books you notice that those log entries contained the same style of content as found in the 154’s; also provided to the author by Nathaniel Smith.
Liebenow says that his Quartermaster, Waldo DeWilde, was in charge of entering the daily log information. Some of these entries, especially those around the rescue of Lt. John F. Kennedy and his surviving crew on August 7, 1943, become the only real-time account of the events of that night.
DeWilde’s daily regimen included putting the following at the end of nearly every log page entry…
“Made daily inspection of magazines and all other daily inspections required by current security orders. Conditions normal.”
…and this exact same phrase can be found in log books of other PTs. Their Quartermaster training must have therefore included what points to put in a log book and a strong requirement to include the phrase above. Note that DeWilde, and other log books from other PTs, avoided putting in information that you would not want read if you were captured. There are occasional references in the RON's Daily Actions Reports that do describe the details of torpedo firings and hits on enemy ships.
- Bridge
|
Total Posts: 318 | Joined:
Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm | IP
Logged
|
|
 |
TED WALTHER |
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Aug 4, 2015 - 7:31am
|
Bridge;
Your point is well taken, they were just recording the normal workings of the day on a boat. They didn't think about recording history, that was for the admin types to do, not the operators.
As I mentioned my log books had a little more, but not much more, we just had course and speed changes in addition to what they had. but in their day, this could have been used as intell for the enemy, so it stands to reason log book info was kept to a minimum.
Take care and say Hi to Bud when you get a chance,
TED
|
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined:
Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am | IP
Logged
|
|
Jeff D
Moderator
|
Posted on: Aug 4, 2015 - 11:00am
|
Hm, it seems to me that specific location information on an almost daily basis would be one of the last things you'd want falling into enemy hands. Not something like "Ran into a dock" or "Painted boat darkish green". Ah well, it was still good to see them and some useful information is there.
|
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined:
Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am | IP
Logged
|
|
|
