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David Buck
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 12:22am
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Hi, All
After seeing Teds 1974 photo of the PT59/Sea Queen 5 I thought what a sad end for this boat. Out of interest I did some digging on Google Earth using the address on Teds photo, I did not expect much but gave it a try anyway, imagine my surprise when I had found the area that there appeared to be a rather large dilapidated pier in the area where she is shown in the photo.
After a bit of looking though I found that what appeared to be a pier seemed to have a rather interesting tapered end and very few pier supports that one would see if one was looking at a pier!
I wondered why after all this time that so much was still visible if it was indeed the 59 Boat, after further investigation I found that a local of the area had produced a number of videos of the area and that from a depth of around 8' at the time of the photo the cove that she rests in has silted up and is now mainly mud flats. This has had the effect of raising what remains of the boat up so that what remains of the deck is now a foot or so above the water, this is clearly seen in the video as he walks along the deck at what appears to a fairly high tide.
Now I have hit a snag, Lew on the board has sent me a flyer to the effect that there is a push on by a local developer to clear the cove out and an area of the Harlem River and concrete over all of the area thereby beautifying it?
Don't you LOVE developers!!
The videos that are on Utube are all 2012 and Google earth dates are 2014 so I don't have anything of the area for the last 2 years, I was wondering if there is someone on the board that may live in New York City and would like to visit the cove to see if she has been removed or she remains. If she remains then a few recent photos would be great .
The area I am referring to is Inwoods North Cove next to the 207th Street Bridge.
There are what appears to be two piers alongside the road on the side of the cove next to the rapid transit yards, the one in the centre is the one I am looking at, the other pier towards the end leads out into the Harlem River and was once a fairly large pier.
So if there is someone out there that might like to take a look at what could turn out to be the 59 Boat, let us know what you find.
Yours,
Dave. |
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TED WALTHER |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 6:43am
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David;
Is this what you are referring to?
Inwood's Cove 1
Inwood's Cove 2
Inwood's Cove 3
Inwood's Cove 4
Inwood's Cove 5
Let me know.
Take care,
TED
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TED WALTHER |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 7:44am
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David;
Looking at the old 1974 photo I posted, I am convinced that the Ex-PT 59 was moored to the pier which is in the upper right portion of photo #1. In the 1974 photo you can see the high buildings in the background, they are 250 degrees relative from this pier portion on google earth.
Granted they might have shoved her up into the cove, as I have no knowledge of this, but this piece of pier is where she is moored in the 1974 photo. Also the wooden pier which is now collapsed is in front of the boat.
Take care,
TED
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William Doyle
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 7:58am
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I am in New York and might be able to get up there. Can folks on the forum give me any more background - - photos, leads, speculation, background papers and links - - before I go?
Thank you!
Author, "PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy"
William Doyle |
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William Doyle
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 8:08am
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Does this Wikipedia entry seem right to the folks on the forum, especially the last line that refers to "What was left was eventually removed"?
No source is listed for that phrase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Torpedo_Boat_PT-59
Fate[edit]
In a cruel twist of fate PT-59 quietly ended her days in the 1970s after having served (possibly since 1947) as a fishing boat in Manhattan. It had been thought this boat was formerly PT-95, a 78-foot Huckins PT Boat, a very different design, and this particular boat with no significant wartime history (used only for training), no immediate efforts were made to save the vessel. In fact PT-95 had been destroyed up in Newport, Rhode Island after her services were no longer needed in September 1945, and when the actual identity of this boat was discovered, James "Boat" Newberry, founder of PT Boats Inc., attempted to obtain the boat; however, the boat's ownership was tangled up in NYC probate court. Somehow a fire occurred, and the boat eventually sunk at its mooring, beside the 207th St. Bridge over the Harlem River, around 1976. The hull sat there for years and slowly fell apart and rotted away. Thus, an important historical artifact was lost due to a typing error. What was left was eventually removed and she has since been declared destroyed by the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Sector New York.
William Doyle |
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 8:30am
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Bill;
That "1970" photo I too found on Mel's Place. I think it is mislabeled II think its around 1968 or 1969(just a feeling). Even though there was an electrical fire onboard, I don't think she became this in just 4 years,,,,,,,Here is my copy of the 1974 photo David and I are speaking of.
Take care,
TED
P.S. BTW That is my entry in Wikipedia as per info passed to me by PTHQ. As is the 1974 photo, that is AMG's hand writing on the Xerox.
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William Doyle
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 8:44am
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Ted, thanks very much. Forgive me while I get up to speed - do you think that 1974 photo may show exactly where the remains of what was once the PT 59 was? If so, I can go up there and recon the area. Thank you!
William Doyle |
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TED WALTHER |
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 9:03am
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Bill;
I honestly don't know. I do know as per info from PTHQ, that divers were used to declare it destroyed. I don't think they would need divers, where that pile of junk is in the Google Earth photos, even at high tide. Tidal range is only 4 feet for NY.
However, as I determined, the 1974 photo shows the boat at the end of the point(top right corner of first Google Earth photo, above) facing the now collapsed wooden pier. The two tall buildings in the background are 250 degrees (Relative), from the boats location.
Take care,
TED
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William Doyle
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jan 15, 2016 - 10:07am
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Ted, sorry if this is covered elsewhere on the board but what was the source of the 1974 photo?
William Doyle |
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