PT Boat Forum


Moderated by: Dick, Jeff D

The PT Boat Forum ª PT Boats of WWII ª  PT Boats - General

Page: 1 of 1

« Back to Topic Index Page 20 | Replies: 9

 Author  Topic: PT 161s 1st Skipper
Jeff D

Moderator
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 6:18am
A good story along with some interesting images:

http://evanskaren.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/a-fathers-service-pt-161/

Is that really JFK in the one photo?



Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am | IP Logged

victorkchun

New Member
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 8:00am
Great story. A salute to all PT vets.
Victor

Victor K Chun

Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered | IP Logged

TheBridge

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TheBridge  Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 8:05am
Hi Jeff,

A great find! You'll see McElroy's name listed on many of the missions in the MTB Daily Reports in the back half of 'FIRST-UP: Chronicles of the PT-157' book. Skipper Liebenow of he 157 mentioned him a number of times in conversations over the past 8 years.

I sent the link to Bud Liebenow. I'm sure he get a kick out of it, especially the group photos that include himself. Bud lost a lot of his personal PT materials and memorabilia some years ago when his house was destroyed by a hurricane. If he is missing some of these I hunt down the author of this article and see fi we can get some fresh copies to Bud ASAP.

Bridge


Total Posts: 315 | Joined: Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm | IP Logged

Jeff D

Moderator
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 8:15am
Cool Bridge, sorry to hear Bud lost so much in the hurricane...



Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am | IP Logged

CJ Willis

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 9:32am
Jeff: Thanks for posting this story. Very interesting reading. Mr. McElroy's encounter with Jap barges and Jap float planes brings back memories we will never forget,

C. J. Willis

Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm | IP Logged

Jeff D

Moderator
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Jan 31, 2016 - 4:01pm
I'm glad you enjoyed it too C. J.. Mr. McElroy was a fine writer.



Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am | IP Logged

TheBridge

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TheBridge  Posted on: Feb 4, 2016 - 6:41pm
Great recap of McElroy and his PT service! Let us treasure that.

There is one historical glitch. Per Skipper Liebenow, of the PT 157, and the MTB Daily Log reports of the night's missions, the 161 was not involved in the rescue of the 109 crew. See the MTB Report (2 pages) below.





Bridge Carney


Total Posts: 315 | Joined: Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm | IP Logged

TheBridge

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TheBridge  Posted on: Feb 5, 2016 - 7:48am
A second historical correction to Skipper McElroy's memory of events. The mission Skipper McElroy recounts in his memoir...

One night we were ordered, along with the 157 boat, to escort three landing craft full of Marines around the north side of New Georgia Island. At our rendezvous, the skipper of the lead landing craft and the ranking Marine officer wanted to know how two PT boats were going to defend them, especially against enemy aircraft. We told them we didn’t have a set plan in mind but, if something came up, we would handle it.

During the middle of the night, the attack came. A group of Japanese planes spotted us. We decided that the only course of action was to invite the planes to attack the PTs and draw them away from the Marines. .....

...It was an extraordinary, heroic, creative and, most importantly, effective response to an enemy attack. It happened on the night of August 15-16, 1943. However it did not include the PT-161. It was two PTs yes; the 157, with Skipper William 'Bud' Liebenow, and 154 with Skipper Hamlin Dunlap Smith! It was for this mission, in part, that Skipper Liebenow was awarded the Silver Star and Skipper Smith was given a Commendation.

Note: Further details are available in the book FIRST-UP: Chronicles of the PT 157. This is not to sell the book but to let you, the reader, know, there is additional documentation of this event available.]

Bridge Carney








Total Posts: 315 | Joined: Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm | IP Logged

Will Day

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Feb 5, 2016 - 9:53pm
Thanks, Bridge....

Will

Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm | IP Logged

Nathaniel Smith

MASTER
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Nathaniel Smith   Send Email To Nathaniel Smith Posted on: Feb 6, 2016 - 8:59am
I'd like to support the great research Bridge has done about PT-157.
Lt. John McElroy was a friend of my father (Lt. Hamlin Smith) and they shared good times and many adventures together in the Solomons. I have a lot of documents and interviews to confirm that PT-154 under the command of skipper Lt.(jg) Hamlin Smith accompanied Lt.(jg) Liebenow on the escort mission of 15-16 August 1943. For this he earned a Commendation Medal.

In doing my research into the history of PT-154 ... I heard my father tell a few stories that ended up being true ... but happened to someone else in the Squadron. I have never been in combat and I have a great deal of respect for any one who has. I am very willing to appreciate when a combat vet deals with his experience by combining stories for their children and grandchildren. These stories let the 2nd generation know a little bit about of what their combat life was like and I thank the vet for their sharing. Over and over I heard pt vets say ... they were not heroes ... they were just doing their job. I am glad when they tell us what it was like so we can appreciate what they experienced.

natsmith

Total Posts: 211 | Joined: Jan 19, 2008 - 6:55am | IP Logged


Lock Topic

 

Forum Legend

New Member

Reply to topic

More than 25 posts | Full Member

Reply to topic with quoted message

More than 50 posts | Advanced Member

Edit Message

More than 150 posts | MASTER

View profile

More than 300 posts | TOP BOSS

Email member