| Author |
Topic: INFO ON PAUL STONEBACK, XO ON PT492, RON 33 |
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
  
 Posted on: Feb 29, 2008 - 9:00pm
|
The 493 was with the 490 and 491 that night.Oct 24/25 '44 during the battle of Surigao Strait. 490 fired 4 torpedoes at 300 yards and the 491 fired 2 at 2000 yards at 4 ships.
The 493 was struck in the lazarette and headed for the beach in sinking condition. Two crew were killed. The boat beached at 0300 at Maoyo Point.
0440, 491 searches for 493 but contacts Jap CA and fires 2 torpedoes with no observed hits. 491 retires evading enemy fire.
0630, PT490 sights PT493 bow onto a ledge along the beach and tranfers crew, casualties and equipment. PT 489, PT492 and PT495 arrive at 0700.
To aviod PT 493 falling into enemy hands, PT495 put a line over to 493's bullnose and took a strain. PT493 slid off the ledge and sank completely by the stern. PT493 sank in 83 fathoms of water.
[There are a couple of photos of the 493 sinking and one with the 495's line on her bullnose in my RON 33 photo album.]
I found this passage in an action report:
9/10 Nov 1944
1645, PT's 497 (OTC) and 492 underway for patrol from Capitancillo Island to Cabgan Island, Camotes group. 2355 sighted radar targets, two off Poro Island and 2 off Apali Point, all on easterly course, seven miles from boats. Three enemy DD's sighted off north end of Ponson Island at 0140. Boats closed to 2000 yards and fired 8 torpedoes at last DD in column. One hit was observed and ship disappeared from radar screen and is believed to have sunk.
Ammumnition expended:
8 torpedoes
2000 rds .50 cal.
360 rds 20mm.
80 rds 37mm.
120 rds 40mm.
{and}
11/12 Nov 1944 492 and 497 patrolled Ormoc Bay. Lay off Maasin at 2052 to land passengers. .....Sighted small ship at 0150 and each boat fired 2 torpedoes without result.
13/14 Nov 1944
1550, PT492 (OTC) and 489....land scouts and supplies at Poro village. Returned to base at 1145.
24/25 Nov 1944
1330, PT's 492 (OTC) and 497 patrol Ormac Bay. 2215, boats one mile from offshore in Ormoc Bay, one 5 inch shell fired from beach landed close aboard PT492 without damage. Enemy aircraft mad srafing run on boats at 2352. Boats returned fire without result. No damage to boats. Returned to base 0945.
[Hope you enjoyed these reports. They are all i have about the 492. My research was about the 493 and 495 boats and only covered the late Oct to late Nov '44 time period.
Ed
(I would enjoy seeing the photos and if you like I will add them to my Ron 33 Album page if you e-mail me copies. The e-mail like, above, for me is good.)
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
 |
Ric |
New Member
|
Posted on: Feb 29, 2008 - 9:15pm
|
Hi Ed, Great reports! Thanks. Send me your email address, and I will send you a few pics for your page. I need to get some original photos from my brother ans scan them, now that I finally bought a scanner! Again, my email is ricstone@earthlink.net. -Ric
Ric Stoneback |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
Ray Wilbur
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 10:20am
|
I just have to say I alway enjoy reading here about Ron 33. Ron 33 was a very distinguished squadron. Not sure how many people know this but there were only two medal of honor recepients from PT service. John Bulkeley and Author Preston (PT 489, Ron 33). You can read about him here: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/apreston.htm
Ray
|
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
 |
Ric |
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 10:44am
|
Hi Ray, Thanks for your post. Yes, my father knew Arthur Preston pretty well. According to my Dad, Preston was not an easy man to get along with. Ha! -Ric
Ric Stoneback |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
Ray Wilbur
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 10:56am
|
Hi Ric, my Dad was on the 495. He helped Ed with some thought for his model. It's a beauty!
Ray
|
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
| |
Ric |
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 12:00pm
|
Ray, You're right. Ed's model is truly magnificent. It's a great tribute to your Dad and to all who served on the boats.
Ric Stoneback |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 4:39pm
|
Ric,
The absolute best part of building the 495 was getting a chance to talk with Ray's father (also named Ray). This is the first time in my life I've ever had a personal connection with a model. Ray, both of them, are fine gentlemen and I owe them a lot.
The second best part of it was finding this board and reading the stories and getting the true-skinny from fantastic vets who were there and walked-the-walk. It is an honor to be in their company.
Ed
I sent you an e-mail.
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
| |
Ric |
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 1, 2008 - 5:51pm
|
Ed, Yes the PT Boat veterans were and are a special bunch. It was considered elite duty at the time, much like the submarine service. After my Dad went through OCS, he bribed the assignment officer with an expensive bottle of whiskey just to be sent to PT School. I had the great honor to sit at my father's knee growing up, prodding him to regale me with stories of his PT experiences. I only wish I had sat him down in front of a video camera and asked him every question I could think of before his final patrol. He passed away just over 24 years ago, but left behind quite a legacy of integrity, honesty, humility, industry, and irreverent humor. Thankfully, I still have my memories of him and of his WWII stories, which were always colorful to say the least. Although he loved to spin a comic tale, not all his experiences were humorous. For a few years after the war, he suffered night sweats and bad dreams. A loud noise at night would cause him to leap from his bed shouting for battle stations, scaring my mother half to death. A full moon would make him naturally nervous, because that's when the kamikaze planes would most often attack. Eventually these after effects dissipated. As proud as he was of his PT Boat service, he always felt he did his duty, nothing more. My father was a member of what Tom Brokaw rightfully called the Greatest Generation. And I applaud this message board for honoring those who are still with us, and those who are not. Thank you.
Ric Stoneback |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
area51
New Member
|
Posted on: Mar 2, 2008 - 1:21pm
|
Ed, et al -
To expand on your recorded report of 9/10 nov 1944 concerning the 492 and 497 boat, I've dug out my log of that day and for the first time
in 63 1/2 years I'm putting into print the events of that night.
Please forgive the grammar and syntax. I was a very young 18 at the
time and not aspiring to be a writer.
"Went on patrol at 3 in the afternoon. There were 7 boats all together. We broke up in groups of 2's and proceeded toward Ormoc Bay. Some Jap ships were reported to be landing reinforcements there. Our orders were to stop them. By the time we reached Ormoc our radar had crapped out. We let the 492 lead us. Inside the bay the our skipper spotted 3 Jap cans. We crept in to 2500 yards away. The 492 fired all 4 of her fish and missed. Our skipper gave the order 'stand by torpedos'. We slipped in closer till we were only 1500 yards away. Then the order 'Fire!'. My heart was beating like a triphammer. 2 minutes later there was a terrific explosion and a blinding flash of orange light. Red hot pieces of metal flew all over the bay. Everyone started cheering 'we hit her!' Then a searchlight from one of the 2 remaining cans turned on the 492. She was lit up plain as day. A couple of seconds later the other can put her searchlight on us. We both opened our engines wide and started speeding the hell out of there. The 2 cans started firing salvos of 5 inchers at us. Shells were falling all around us thick and heavy. I was expecting one to hit us any minute. We turned on our smoke bottle. For exactly 18 minutes the cans kept chasing us and gaining. Then we cut between 2 small islands and the cans stopped chasing and firing at us. The must have thought we were leading them into a trap. We headed back to the base safe and sound with a Jap destroyer to our credit"
To the best of my knowledge neither the 92 or the 97 received credit for sinking that destroyer. Supposidly the Japanese never reported it sunk.
Our skipper Joe Beckman was awared the Silver Star.
Gus RM 3/C PT497
|
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Mar 2, 2008 - 3:16pm
|
Gus, Thanks for the report. I loved it.
Ed
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
|
