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 231 | Replies: 3

 Author  Topic: Flying Fish Shoot
CJ Willis

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: Jul 20, 2007 - 1:18pm
When Ron 19 was operating out of Green Island P.T. 242 made many patrols to the New Ireland - New Britain area. Traveling west at late evening we saw many beautiful South Pacific sunsets. When the sea was calm and the boat at cruising speed (1200 - 1500 r.p.m.), we would get a box of ammunition, straddle the bull nose on the bow and with my 45 automatic pistol shoot at the flying fish as they were scared by the boat. Lots of fun. You had to be quick on the trigger. Uncle Sam furnished all the ammunition we wanted. I don't believe I ever hit one. We were young and adventurous and did a lot of crazy things but we felt we were doing our duty for our Country and were trained to handle about any situation

(As a side Note) My 45 automatic pistol was an Army issue. It was given to me by a crewman (I think quartermaster) of Jack Kennedy's 59 boat. P.T. 242 berthed next to them in the bushes for about a month at Lambu Cove, Vella La Vella. He gave it to me just before they left in early December 1943 to come back to the States.

C. J. Willis

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

Frank J Andruss Sr

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: Jul 20, 2007 - 3:05pm
What a great story CJ. I have heard so many stories from other PT Boat Crewmembers on how they killed a bit of time or had fun. Shooting Flying Fish takes great skill and aim. I once spoke to a PT Boater who said they grabbed a couple of carbines and went hunting for Birds. They came back empty handed. This from a gunners mate no less!! Wallace McNeish from Squadron 27 told me of a pet monkey they had on the boat. He would run thru the boat grabbing hats, food, whatever he could get his hands on, then dash topside, and throw everything into the water before the fustrated sailors could grab the little critter.

Hey, when your young these games would be considered fun. One never knew when his number was up on the next patrol. Great way to relax and forget about the War. Thanks CJ for always giving us the scoop on how it was out there. Maybe others can share their ways of having fun. By the way, I was told that there was a rope pulled across a water hole at Melville. Sailors would have fun watching as each man tried to make it across the rope. Problem was they were swinging it and making it so the person trying to cross would fall into this water and mud hole, making for one big mess. Another way to have fun....


Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP Logged

earl

MASTER
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of earl  Posted on: Jul 21, 2007 - 2:52pm
HI AGAIN CJ. THAT ONE BROUGHT BACK SOME MEMORIES. WE ALSO DID THAT ON THE WAY BACK FROM PATROL.MADE GOOD PRACTICE.I SUED THE CARBINE AND M1.NEVER DID HIT ONE OF THE DARN THINGS THOUGH. WHEN TIED UPM AT THE BUOY WE WOULD MAKE OUR OWN FISH HOOKS AND USE CHEESE SQUARES FOR BAIT.SOMETIMES WE WOULD PULL THE LINE UP SLOWLY OUT OF THE WATER AND THE FISH WOULD JUMP OUT OF THE WATER AND HOOK THEMSELVES.
WE ONCE WENT ON A SPECIAL MISSION TO PICK UP A JAPANESE WATER NIPPPLE MINE SO THE DEMO MEN COULD CHECK IT OUT.THYEY REMOVED ALL THE NIPPLES AND WE NETTED THE MINE AND TOWED IT TO AN ISLAND BEACH SO DEMO COULD FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT.WHILE THERE WE WERE BORED AND ASKED THE AUSSI OFFICER TO CHECK WITH THE NATIVES TO TAKE SOME OF US ON A "SAFARI". TREK.WE STARTED OUT LOADED WITH AMMO,GUNS AND PONCHOS.WASN,T LONG BEFORE WE GOT SO HOT AND SWEATY WE STARTED SHEDDING THE PONCHOS AND GEAR WE DID NOT NEED.WE WERE ABLE TO SHOOT TWO WILD BOARS BEFORE WE GOT BACK TO THE BOATS.THEY HAD SO MUCH LEAD IN THEM THEY WERE NO GOOD.WE KEPT THE EARS AND TOLD THE NATIVES THEY COULD USE WHATEVER MEAT THEY COULD SALVAGE.
RIDING THE BULL NOSE WAS A FEAT IN ITSELF.ESPECIALLY IN ROUGH WATER.

earl richmond

Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm | IP Logged

CJ Willis

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: Jul 22, 2007 - 5:36pm
Good to hear from you again Earl. Enjoyed your stories especially the wild boar hunt. We never got in on any of that. We did do some fishing when we were in dry dock for a few days at Green. Our Engineering Officer Mr. Sweet had some equipment (rods and reels) which he let us use. Caught barracuda and a small shark.

C. J. Willis

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