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Topic: Ron 21 Steve Jacobowski newspaper interview 1944 |
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George Lechalk
New Member
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Posted on: Sep 15, 2019 - 7:42pm
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I found an old newspaper article from December 29, 1944 from the Beckley Raleigh Register, Beckley Wv. Headline read
" Scarbro Boy's PT Boat In On The Kill At Leyte"
Scarbro- Steve Jacobowski has described what he saw of the battle of South Leyte Gulf in the Philippines from his 7th fleet PT Boat, which was one of a considerable force that formed the advance attack group of Vice Admiral Thomas C Kinkaid's 7th fleet in Syria to Strait South of Leyte Island, scene of the first allied landings.
Jacobowski , 29, motor machinist's mate third class U.S.N.R. stated "in three salvos from one of our ships I saw three Jap ships burst into flames."
The PTs were credited with several hits on the enemy warships, and also with disrupting their formations and giving advanced warning of the enemy's course and bearing.
The entire enemy task force was destroyed in the battle and subsequent aerial attacks according to the official SWPA communique.
" It was a wonderful feeling to see those Jap ships burning all around us. " Jacobowski says. "The fire from our ships was very accurate."
While returning to base following the battle his torpedo boat patrol was attacked by four Jap Val dive bombers. Jacobowski, whose battle station is at a twin 50 caliber machine gun, open fire on the enemy raiders.
Hits were made in one plane which left smoking, and the attack was repulsed.
Several days later while on patrol near Ormoc west of Leyte, Jacobowski helped sink two Jap luggers (small freighters) loaded with supplies for trapped enemy forces.
Jacobowski has been in the Southwest Pacific for six months and has taken part in twenty combat patrols in the Philippines and New Guinea areas. He entered the Naval Reserve on July 01, 1943, and trained at the diesel school, Baby Pier, Chicago Ill., and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Training Center, Melville, RI.
END OF ARTICLE
To say my mouth dropped open reading this would be an understatement. I did not know my Great Uncle Steve served on a PT boat. In fact only 5 days earlier I was asking my Great Aunt Nellie ( the last living sibling of my G Uncle Steve) if she knew anything about his service in the Navy in WW II. She said she thought he served in the South Pacific, but she was not sure.
It is amazing and sad that so much knowledge of this greatest generation is lost by not learning and retelling their stories.
I have learned that G. Uncle Steve Jacobowski served with Ron 21. Now to try to find which PT boat he was on. I would love to show his sister the boat that he was on. And so this search \ journey begins...
Thank you all for sharing your knowledge of the PT boats and those who served in them.
George
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Total Posts: 7 | Joined:
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billpr
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 5:17pm
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Thanks for sharing, interesting article.
Bill P Reese |
Total Posts: 83 | Joined:
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Jeff H
Full Member
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Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 6:36pm
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George
Welcome! If the search function on this site doesn’t find anything under your great uncle’s name or RON 21 contact Alyce Guthrie at PT Boats inc. look under the PT BOAT LINKS in the top left of the page. Alyce helped me find my uncles boat and other members of this forum added some pictures of his boat and a crew photo with my uncle in it. GOOD LUCK! You may be hooked for life.
Jeff
Thanks!
Jeff |
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George Lechalk
New Member
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Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 7:25pm
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Thank you Jeff! If I don't see anything there tonight I'll try to contact them tomorrow and see if she might be able to help.
You guys on here are awesome!
George
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George Lechalk
New Member
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Posted on: Sep 17, 2019 - 2:20pm
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Jeff,
Do you have an email address for Alyce? I've tried a couple that I found in previous posts using the @ptboats.org address but none have gone through.
Thanks
George
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Total Posts: 7 | Joined:
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Jeff H
Full Member
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Posted on: Sep 17, 2019 - 3:39pm
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George
I looked at what I used to contact Alyce and this should work.
www.ptboatsinc@gmail.com
Phone 901 755-8440 or 901 751-0522
Also FYI, if I remember correctly Alyce doesn’t work on Fridays.
You might want to fill out a DD 214 form and send it in requesting your great uncles service and medical records if you don’t already have that info. Don’t give up and let us know what you find out.
Thanks!
Jeff |
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Wayne Traxel
MASTER
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Posted on: Nov 18, 2019 - 11:16pm
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Years ago I recieved a crew list of Ron 21 Boats and crew list. Steve Jacobowski MoMM1c was on PT 328.
Hope this helps.
Wayne Traxel
Wayne Traxel |
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Jeff H
Full Member
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Posted on: Nov 19, 2019 - 8:16pm
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Wayne
Would you have any RON 23 crew lists or info on PT 282?
Thanks!
Jeff |
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Wayne Traxel
MASTER
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Posted on: Nov 22, 2019 - 11:43am
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Hi Jeff,
I may have a crew list someplace on Ron 23's PT 285, In the late 1990's I built a model of PT-285 in the gunboat boat configuration for a local veteran who was a former crew member. Will look for it.
Alyce's daughter Allison at PT Boats Inc. has always found crew lists for me.
Hope this helps
Wayne Traxel |
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Jeff H
Full Member
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Posted on: Nov 22, 2019 - 6:39pm
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Wayne
Thanks for the reply and advice! Anything you have on PT 282 or the gunboat conversion would be helpful. Any pics of your 285 model? I am still trying to get my uncles service dates from the records center so I will know what configuration to build the Italeri Higgins whenever it gets released. I will contact headquarters next week and see if they can help out again.
Thanks!
Jeff |
Total Posts: 32 | Joined:
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