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Topic: PT-154 Ron 9 |
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Pat Rogers
Advanced Member
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Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 8:50am
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I made a mistake when I said that Mr. McLaughlin, the exec on PT154, was named John. His right name was Joseph as shown in other messages.
Sorry for the error.
Pat Rogers, RM
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Drew Cook
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 3:48pm
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Dave,
I've always read that there were only four PTs with radar out of the 15 boats that were on patrol the night the 109 was lost -- the 107, 159, 171 and 174 -- and the four divisions -- "A," "B," "C," and "R" -- were formed around these boats.
Dick Keresey's 105 was in Division "R," along with Lt. Roberts in the 103, led by Lt. Rome in the 174 -- the only three-boat division out that night (the other divisions had four boats each).
I've found no mention, in any source, of the 105 having radar on board that night, including Dick Keresey's own book "PT 105." Here are a few direct quotes from "PT 105" about 1-2 August, 1943... "Our division (which was Division "R") consisted of the 105, a radar-equipped lead boat from another squadron (PT 174), and the 107 (actually, it was PT 103), captained by Joe Roberts. At that time radar had been installed on only a few boats, so division leaders rode on those boats..." "...about 30 minutes into the patrol...with little hesitation due to his radar, the division leader found the entrance to a small cove and we coasted in, stopped, and dropped anchor..." "...and our division leader has the new and magical radar, so all I have to do is stay on his tail like part of a conga line." Keresey never mentions anything about the 105 having radar in the entire chapter about that night. Interestingly, the 105 was apparently in a two-forward- torpedo-tube-only configuration at the time, as she fired only two fish that night, all she had aboard.
The official Navy report from Motor Torpedo Boats, Rendova, dated 5 August 1943, of the night action in Ferguson Passage/Blackett Straight on 1-2 August 1943 bears all this out, and was repeated in Robert J. Donovan's book "PT 109 - John F. Kennedy in World War II," which of course used the official report as source material.
I don't have any information on the exact dates the SO radars were first put into service, but from everything I've been able to gather (other evidence to the contrary, of course), early August 1943 was a little early for their use. I've always thought the earlier SCR-517A "beehives" would have been the types of radar that were on those division leader's boats the night of 1-2 August '43.
With all due respect to Mr. Keresey's memories, I'm doubtful PT 105 had an SO radar setup (or an SCR-517A for that matter) aboard on 1-2 August '43.
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David Waples
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 8:57pm
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I stand corrected. I dragged out my copy of PT-105 and read it again. At the time of the 109 sinking the 105 did not have radar. I apologize for getting that wrong. SO radar was added to the 105 after this date.
Thank you
Dave
David Waples |
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kathy700
New Member
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Posted on: May 23, 2014 - 6:57pm
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Thanks for all the pictures and posts, I found reading them very interesting. Joseph McLaughlin was my mother's brother.They lived on Mission Hill in Roxbury (Boston), MA. He graduated from Mission Hill High School and Boston College. There are two parks named in his honor, one on Mission Hill and the other in Hull MA.
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Nathaniel Smith
MASTER
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 Posted on: May 24, 2014 - 5:04pm
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Kathy ... I have a lot more information about your uncle.
Please contact me off the board if you want:
nat@nathanielsmith.com
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