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Topic: Crew of PT 154 |
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David Waples
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 8, 2008 - 5:47pm
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That sure looks like a vent, doesn't it. I've never seen one on a chart house.
You bring up an interesting point that I would love to hear some feedback from the vets on and that's the wind screen. I've heard that these were armor replacements for the original Plexiglas and I've also heard that it is just the old Plexiglas painted over. Guessing I would say it is just the Plexiglas painted over. What do you think?
Dave
David Waples |
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David Waples
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 8, 2008 - 5:47pm
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That sure looks like a vent, doesn't it. I've never seen one on a chart house.
You bring up an interesting point that I would love to hear some feedback from the vets on and that's the wind screen. I've heard that these were armor replacements for the original Plexiglas and I've also heard that it is just the old Plexiglas painted over. Guessing I would say it is just the Plexiglas painted over. What do you think?
Dave
David Waples |
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Nathaniel Smith
MASTER
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Posted on: May 8, 2008 - 6:57pm
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I do not know if this helps but this is a photo of the same boat showing the reverse side of the wind screen. Maybe this helps to explain why they moved the compass from my earlier post. There may be a red-light behind the wheel to help view the compass at night without giving away their position.
These are just guesses. I will certainly ask my Dad when I see him next.
natsmith |
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Drew Cook
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 9, 2008 - 2:06am
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Another observation reference the 154's windscreen is that is it has a kind of a dented or bent area on the port side in front of the guy at the wheel, like I've seen in photos of several other 80" Elcos -- what I mean is, it dips slightly in that one place, instead of having a perfect straight edge.
I've seen this kind of "dip" in the windshield of the boat in Gene Kirkland's photo of Les Gamble at the wheel of the unknown 80' Elco (which may be the 109) at Tulagi, and it's also discernable in the famous poor-quality photo of JFK and crew on the 109's foredeck.
I've always thought the bend indicated lightweight metal, but notice also that top-to-bottom crack line in the 154's windscreen at it's port side, posssibly indicating its painted-over plexiglas, instead of wood or metal (?).
Also note the (canvas?) cover at the bottom of the windscreen -- it is the same type, with the same diagonal straps at each side, I've seen in a photo of the late-war PT 157.
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Nathaniel Smith
MASTER
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Posted on: May 12, 2008 - 5:30pm
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I found this picture on the internet showing the torpedo director.
I am quoting Pat Rogers here:
In regard to the picture, I had a thought that you might want to know about the device that is mounted on top of the chartroom. It is possible that it was some type of calibration device for the torpedo sight that has been installed in the cockpit. That is what is in front of Arthur Schwerdt, the man standing on top of the dayroom. It is when I noticed the torpedo sight in the picture that gave me the idea.
natsmith |
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Wayne Traxel
MASTER
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Posted on: May 12, 2008 - 7:06pm
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My guess, on the front screen is made of plexiglass that could be deformed by the heat. Paint it a flat green and then have the tropical sun beat on it while the boat is docked and the paint absorbs a lot of heat and is extremely uncomfortable to the touch. In these conditions, the plexiglass could sag, get brittle and crack.
The vent on the charthouse looks like the shortened version found on the aft, port side of the day room. Number of vets have mentioned that those radar sets with all those vacuume tubes generated a lot of heat while in use.
Wayne Traxel |
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: May 13, 2008 - 1:44am
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I agree with Wayne, what other material would crack like that? And I can picture the crew laying against the windscreen which would explain why the sides are relatively straight.
The canvas bundle at the bottom, could it be a cover for the bridge? There's a similar bundle in an image of the 117 in US PT Boats In WW2. Gene has an image of a canvas cover in use on one of the Morobe images that would match, and in the images of the 103 - 105 being shipped out. It would also explain the notches at the tops of the side windshield supports, sockets to accept the stiffener at the rear of the cover.
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Pat Rogers
Advanced Member
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Posted on: May 15, 2008 - 1:25pm
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Will Day,
I thought I sent you my Email address but I guess I didn't follow the proper procedure. I am requesting that you send me the pictures that you have of
PT154 in RON 9.
My email address is patm1234@yahoo.com.
thank you,
Pat Rogers, RON 9, PT154, RON 4, PT486, AGP3 USS Jamestown
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Nathaniel Smith
MASTER
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Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 2:50pm
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Pat Rogers has been tirelessly answering my questions about my Dad (Lt.(jg) Hamlin Smith) since that momentous day of April 10 when he made his presence known to me on this Message Board. He was with my Dad when Squadron 9 was formed; he was with my Dad when he earned his Citation; he was with my Dad when he got wounded. My Dad never told his children much about his combat experiences ... some vets are like that. I have appreciated everything Pat has shared.
I hope, Pat, I can get you to tell more of your war experiences ... and maybe along the way you can tell me about this:
Respectfully, Nat
natsmith |
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Pat Rogers
Advanced Member
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Posted on: May 30, 2008 - 11:17am
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Nat,
I am responding to a message sent by you on this message board in regard to requesting Alyce Guthrie to check out something that you were relaying about her father. I cannot find that message now.
It is my understanding that PT Boats does not monitor the message board. You may wish to contact Headquarters directly with your information. I believe they can be reached at ptboats@ptboats.org.
I believe that you are aware that I had a bad experience with my computer last week.
I had been hit with Trojans, spyware and the like. I had to eventually take out my old hard drive and put in a new hard drive. In so doing, there was a lot of information that I could not remove from the old hard drive and transfer to the new hard drive. I guess I was really hit hard in the registry and in the "dll's" (?).
One result is that I lost most of my photo and image software, some of which I was somewhat familiar with and that would produce reasonable results. What I now have does not.
I have found a picture of your father taken aboard the White Plains. It is another small one and I cannot make a good image. Therefore, I am requesting that you send me your mailing address and I will mail you the picture. Your results in the past indicate that you are very good at reproducing pictures on the computer. In return, I ask you to send me a copy of your efforts in reproducing it, preferably as a .jpg in Yahoo Mail.
If you would, could you tell me what is the best way to lift photos from this message board and to somehow set them up as a .jpg if at all possible..
You may wish to send me your home address through Yahoo.
Pat Rogers
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