PT Boat Forum


Moderated by: Dick, Jeff D

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

Next Page » | Page: 1 of 3

« Back to Topic Index Page 21 | Replies: 25 | Pages: [1] 2 3

 Author  Topic: My introduction.
knd643

New Member
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of knd643  Posted on: May 24, 2016 - 11:33pm
Hi. My name is Colin and I collect Pre WW2/WW2 USMC and USN. I have been collecting for about 5 years now. I recently became interested in PT Boats in the past couple of months after I had bought an USN N3 jacket at the Show of Show's this year with Squadron 16's logo on the back of it with PT 299 also written on it(I'll post a photo of it below). After looking online I had found a deck jacket with the same logo on it which was also posted here(I'l post a link to the topic showing it since I can't seem to get the image to post). I look forward to talking with many of the members here and learning a lot from this forum. Thanks. http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3443

N3 Jacket






Total Posts: 7 | Joined: May 23, 2016 - 5:31pm | IP Logged

Drew Cook

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: May 25, 2016 - 7:21am
Welcome to the Forum, Colin.

Interesting -- I hadn't known the Navy N3 utility shirt/jacket was different from the USMC's M-1941. I had thought they were the same item.

Looks like the former owner of your jacket wore it to do some (postwar?) painting...


Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am | IP Logged

  TED WALTHER

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: May 25, 2016 - 9:12am
Drew;
The Navy utility jacket was, however, different from its Marine Corps cousin in a couple of ways. The Navy used 8.5 ounce herringbone twill material dyed in the darker olive drab shade 7 instead of the 9 ounce, light shade material used by the Marines for their utility uniforms. Navy utilities had an identifying "USN" ink stamp(which was almost never applied, the guys were supposed to do it, they were also issued a stamp and ink set for this and their name, which was usually applied across the back, at shoulder blade level) applied to the top right rear pocket of the trousers and to the breast pocket of the jacket, whereas the Marines only placed their identifying mark on the chest pocket of the coat. Variations of the Navy ink stamping exist due to the use of different font types and the on and off again use of periods separating the letters (http://www.usww2uniforms.com/USN_N3_Utility_Jacket.html#thumb)


The Navy version also had different buttons. 72 years after he was issued it, I still have my Dad's.

Take care,
TED


Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am | IP Logged

Drew Cook

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: May 25, 2016 - 1:09pm
Thanks, Ted.

I'd always remembered the UDT guys in the movie "The Frogmen" wearing the utilities with "USN" on the chest pockets, some of them with a painting of a shark swimming through a big number "4" on the back.

As I said, I'd always thought they were the same as USMC utilities -- now I know differently.


Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am | IP Logged

knd643

New Member
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of knd643  Posted on: May 25, 2016 - 1:56pm
It was probably used as a painting shirt post war or possibly the paint got on it during his service. I haven't been able to find any photos of PT 299. I have been able to find info on it but not any photos. I saw on a topic a guy was asking for photos of it and another member had some but he emailed them to the other member instead of posting them on here. Does anyone have any photos of PT 299 that they can post or possibly email to me?


Total Posts: 7 | Joined: May 23, 2016 - 5:31pm | IP Logged

  TED WALTHER

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: May 26, 2016 - 7:54am
Drew and Colin;
I thought you might like to see these:


UDT TEAM 4 Maui, T.H. prior to deployment. They cleared obstacles at Guam on 14-17 July 1944. The invasion took place on 21 July 1944.


UDT TEAM 4 Roster, Bronze Plaque at UDT/SEAL Museum, Fort Pierce, Florida.

This photo is in Edward Steichen's book"US Navy War Photographs ", for years it was titled "Warrior in Trunks, unknown UDT man". I have since found out this is Painter 2/C Sergei K. Aalto USNR, his nickname was "Swede". Date is July 14, 1944. He was a Plankowner of UDT 4 and he participated in operations at Guam (7/14-7/17/44), Peleliu (9/12/44), Leyte(10/10/44), and Okinawa(4/1/45).


UDT TEAM 4 paddle towards Agat Beach, 19 July 1944.


The REAL sign that the Marines got to read as they came ashore on Guam 21 July 1944.


A authentic UDT TEAM 4 , with UDT 4 Shark in ink.


Most people don't know it, but, here is UDT TEAM 3 sign placed on the beach on 14 July 1944, the same day UDT 4 placed theirs. Because of the books and movie, only UDT 4 gets the mention. In fact from Guam on, the Marines were met with UDT signs like these everywhere they went, including Japan, which read " USN UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM 21 WELCOMES THE U.S. MARINES TO JAPAN".
Take care,
TED


Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am | IP Logged

Drew Cook

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: May 26, 2016 - 12:34pm
Thanks, Ted.

I've seen that photo of the UDT 4 man nicknamed "Swede" before -- I always thought he resembled the actor Alan Hale, Jr. in his younger days, particularly as he appeared, with a beard, in the James Garner movie "Up Periscope" (in which Garner portrayed a UDT man).

When I first lived on St. Thomas in the mid-1960's, I got to meet members of UDT 21, visiting them with my Dad a time or two at their barracks at the old Sub Base, and I remember watching them fill their air tanks and rinse their parachute canopies in fresh water there. They used to do exhibition jumps into the harbor at Carnival time, tooling around and picking up the jumpers in a landing craft.

They were pretty cool and laid-back guys, and I was in awe of them as an 11 and 12-year old.


Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am | IP Logged

  TED WALTHER

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: May 26, 2016 - 2:12pm
Drew;
Being a old DBG(Dirty Boat Guy), some of the best men I ever met and are still friends with, are UDT/SEAL. I last went to their muster in Fort Pierce in November 2013, to celebrate my Seadaddy's passing and life, QMCS(SEAL) James D. "Patches" Watson USN (Ret.) UDT 21/SEAL TEAM 2(Plankowner). On Sunday morning at sunrise current team members, dressed in traditional UDT gear(mask, UDT life vest, UDT shorts, and fins), swim the ashes of the member who has crossed over to frogman heaven, out beyond the surf zone, and commits the ashes to the deep. It is a beautiful sight.
Didn't I send you a few photos of UDT 21 in St. Thomas, a few years ago? If not, let me know and I will send them to your private Email. What better weekend to send them as Memorial Day Weekend.
Take care,
TED


Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am | IP Logged

Drew Cook

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: May 26, 2016 - 3:14pm
Ted,

I don't think you sent me photos of UDT 21 on St. Thomas, as I'd still have them in my Pictures file -- I'd love to see them.

I do have one taken on St. Thomas, probably from the late '50s, that I found on the internet a while ago, in which Joe Vogel, who was a good friend of my family and a commercial SCUBA instructor on St. Thomas for many years, appears. Don't know if it was actually of UDT 21 itself, or just a winter training group shot.

Didn't know Patches Watson was your Seadaddy! I still have a mint paperback copy of his book "Point Man."




Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am | IP Logged

  TED WALTHER

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: May 26, 2016 - 4:08pm
Drew;,
Yes, I had two Seadaddy's Jim was one, and BMCM (SEAL) Charles W. "Chuck" Steffey Jr. USN (Ret.),UDT21/Chuting Stars/ST4/ST6/SBU 24 CMC/SBR 2 (MCTRNG DEPT), was the other. Both are gone to frogman heaven now. I went to both services in Arlington, (Chuck in Jan 2001 and Jim in Feb 2014, he had two services). I had many more mentors.
Take care,
TED



Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am | IP Logged

Next Page »

Pages: [1] 2 3


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