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Topic: how do I find mys Dad's Boat? |
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Wayne Smith
New Member
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Posted on: Aug 4, 2007 - 8:43pm
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My Dad just died at the Buffalo NY Va hospital and he never talked about the war, he was stationed in the Pacific theater on a pt boat. while in the hosp in early 1945 his Boat went on patrol and all hands were lost ( story was told to me by his sister) I would like to get any info I can on his Boat and service, his Name was John B. Smith from Buffalo New York.............thanks ....Wayne Smith ( son)
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Gary Szot
MASTER
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Posted on: Aug 5, 2007 - 9:49am
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Hi Wayne;
I would hate to speculate without more info but the dates you gave don't jive with any losses. There were no enemy inflicted losses on a PT in 1945.
The closest date I can put together belongs to PT 300. On December 18,1944 the 300 was on patrol off of Mindoro Island when it was attacked and sunk by a Kamikaze pilot.
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alross2
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Aug 5, 2007 - 11:59am
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Bulkley (AT CLOSE QUARTERS) lists four PTs lost in 1945:
PT73 - grounded and destroyed to prevent capture, Baliquias Bay, PI, 1/15/45
PT77 - friendly fire, Luzon, PI, 2/1/45
PT79 - friendly fire, Luzon, PI, 2/1/45
PT338 - grounded 1/27/45, destroyed as a result, Semirara Island, PI, 1/31/45
Bulkley indicates that only three men were lost on 77 and 79, none on 73 nor 338,
73, 77, 79 were 78' Higgins; 338 was an 80' ELCO.
Al Ross
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Gary Szot
MASTER
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Posted on: Aug 5, 2007 - 5:53pm
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You might want to ask Bill Manly of this message board. He seems to have all the statisics.
The only other possibility is PT 323 who was attacked by a Kamikaze on 12-10-44 in Leyte Gulf.
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Wayne Smith
New Member
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Posted on: Aug 5, 2007 - 6:54pm
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thanks for the reply , I waded through some of dads papers and found his discharge sheet which says he was on the USS Orestes agp-10 a Pt Boat Tender looking up internet sources that tell me it was bombed by Kamikazes ( val bomber) Dec 30 1944 on the way to Mindoro he was discharged march 1945 from US Fleet hosp #109 after first going to US Naval Hosp #14...doesn't say why he was in the hosp but the dates seem to fit......interesting stuff........thanks again all......Wayne.
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Aug 6, 2007 - 6:01am
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Wayne
I believe the Tender was actually hit by a Jap plane that had crashed into her starboard side. The Tender was in Mangarin Bay on the morning of December 30th when this happened.
The planes bombs exploded in the ship and caused crewmembers to be blown overboard. Flames spread quickly and even the ready ammo on deck started to expode. When all was said and done, 6 Officers and 14 men were killed, 37 were missing and 7 Officers and 86 men were wounded. PT boats came along side to help take off the wounded men despite the chance of 37,000 gallons of high octain fuel exploding. It took over one and one half hours to fight the fire and bring the flames under control..............
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Wayne Smith
New Member
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Posted on: Aug 6, 2007 - 8:28pm
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Thanks Frank, that was more info then I could find, any info on sources would be appreciated......I found a picture online of the ammo ship blowing up in that convoy killing the entire crew ( SS John Burke) can't imagine what it must have been like to see that......................thanks again ....Wayne .... oh btw my dad was a F2c ( Fireman second class)
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Ray Wilbur
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Posted on: Aug 7, 2007 - 4:08am
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Check out this website. Not sure what you'll find.
http://www.valortours.com/cgi-bin/boardposting.cgi?id=165
Ray
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