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Topic: Patrols out of Green Island |
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CJ Willis
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 6, 2016 - 12:13pm
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This month in 1944 we were patrolling New Britain and New Ireland out of the base at Green Island. Patroling up around the Jap base at Rabaul on New Britain we encountered more float planes and were bombed frequently while patroling. Fortunately they all missed. One night I recall we were bombed three times as we raced and zigzagged for a rain cloud for cover. Planes can't see a boat in a rain cloud cover. It is very difficult to see a plane in the air at night unless they are between you and the moon so we never got a shot at him. Another time we had just completed our patrol at daybreak and had wound them up to cruising speed for the two- three hour run back to the base at Green. We had been up all night so I took my life jacket as a pillow and had laid down on the bow for a nap. A Jap plane dropped a bomb just off our starboard bow. It was close enough that it splashed water all over the bow - got me wet and it sure woke me up.. We never did see the plane nor did we hear it because of our engine noise. It shook me up enough that I never did get that nap that morning.
C. J. Willis |
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rickas
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jul 6, 2016 - 6:34pm
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A good read. It amazes me that the Japanese pilots were so very accurate at night. Seems like early in the war, the American pilots didn't even go up at night. Thank you for posting.
Rick Schaefer
Splinter PT 63
TM2c John E Mirus
Solomon Islands
Dec 43 - Jan 45 |
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David Waples
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 6, 2016 - 7:13pm
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CJ
Thanks for sharing that story with us. Running for a rain cloud for cover. Adding the background about not hearing the plane because of the engines really painted the picture of those two events for me. It really put me in that moment in time and I felt like I could see it happening in my mind's eye.
I'm so glad that you're sharing your history with us CJ!
Dave
David Waples |
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Will Day
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 6, 2016 - 10:22pm
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As always, thanks C.J.
Living History....
Will |
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CJ Willis
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 7:58am
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Rick: P.T. Boats were pretty good targets for Jap float planes at night because of our phosphorous wake was easy to see. Especially on a moonlight night. Even when idling at patrol speed the boat screws stirred up a pretty visible phosphorous wake. At cruising speed the boats had a very visible wake. Even on a dark night.
C. J. Willis |
Total Posts: 464 | Joined:
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rickas
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 1:26pm
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CJ - Again thank you for enlightening me. Had no idea about the wake "glowing n the dark". Read up on it - an interesting phenomena.
Rick Schaefer
Splinter PT 63
TM2c John E Mirus
Solomon Islands
Dec 43 - Jan 45 |
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TED WALTHER |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 2:45pm
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C.J.
Thanks for sharing those patrol events. Yes, The Enemy was not those bad eyesight squinty glasses wearing guys early Hollywood projected them to be. They were skilled and intelligent warriors with extreme will power and fortitude. I know the Zero could be throttled back and patrol for almost 2000 miles, or stay in the air all night just patrolling. The Rufe,(Nakajima A6M2-N, based on Zero), since it was basically a Zero with floats, was very similar.
RUFE Range:(1107 miles at cruising speed...I guess the drag from the floats played a significant factor here)
ZERO Range: (1929 miles at cruising speed)
Take care,
TED
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 9, 2016 - 5:05am
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Thanks so much C.J. always so nice to hear from you. It just goes to show just one of the dangers associated with being on a PT BOAT.
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