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 Author  Topic: PT 164 Rendova Harbor
Shaneo2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Shaneo2  Posted on: Nov 17, 2008 - 5:56pm
Frank,

I sent some photos over today, at home tonight so you can call if you wish.

Regards


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G R Powell

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Feb 25, 2009 - 5:01pm
I have scanned a portion of the U.S. Hydrographic Office chart of Rendova Harbor. The chart contains this description: Published November, 1943, on board U.S.S. PATHFINDER under the authority of the SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. Reprinted at the Hydrographic Office, Feb. 1944.

Note on the eastern side of Bau Island that there was a signal tower and a dock. Can someone tell me anything about this part of the base? Previous posts have discussed the dock on the western side of the island, but not this one. I have also posted a photo of a dock at Rendova, showing a RON 10 boat. I scanned this photo from KNIGHTS OF THE SEA, p. 36. The boat in the foreground is PT 170. The boat in the background, on the far right, also has a number, but the photo is too poor to make out. I was wondering if anyone has seen a better image and knows which boat that is?





G R Powell

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earl

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of earl  Posted on: Feb 25, 2009 - 7:34pm
if i remember correctly the ships skipper or exec officer wrote the lat and long in their ships logs.it might be a good ideaa to research the ships logs to see if this is so.something rings a bell on this but i cannot put my finger on it..mayber a radioman or quartermaster muight have an idea about this????? earl

earl richmond

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Shaneo2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Shaneo2  Posted on: Feb 25, 2009 - 8:30pm
GR,

I also was curious about that dock and will look at it this year I hope. I did not see it the one time I went through that pass. I do not think it was for PT Boats though, rather a small supply sort- from the main base on Rendova, or the Munda area.

Remember that channel was used by LST's, LCI's and other assorted vessels, so would not the best place to do work- plus the current through both channels is decent enough.

I have the chart of Rendova Harbor, and also the chart of Munda Bar both done during WW-2, you scanned the same one I have. The signal tower on Bau was to signal Munda in my opinion....as the chart of Munda Bar shows another signal tower at the Eastern end of the airfield up on a hill in Munda.

You would clearly see one from the other. There was one other tower on my Munda chart as: "tower". I asked a old scout if that was the control tower (?), he did not know. I since seen photos from the war and indeed it is the control tower.

Again to Bau Island, I have several photos of quonset hut foundations, and was told by locals they are all over the Island- so the base was extentsive, in addition some of the barrier Islands had Arty positions on them during the Munda battle, and one even had a hospital/rest area for the Army's wounded and fatigued.


If one wants to read more about the very interesting battle for Munda and the New Georgia area Eric Hammel writes a good read in Munda Trail. I think many people tend to focus on the PT boat base, and do not know about how large the numbers of US troops that were fighting and stationed in this area . The remains of the US cemetery can be seen on Google Earth, and I was told by my guide there were "hundreds, more then a thousand" of graves there.

The US came and removed the bodies in the early 1950's, and when I walked throught the jungle scrub there, one can still see rows of open graves in some places- very moving....until the locals plant their food garden in them.

Sorry for the spelling mistakes, but long day in the sun. Hope this helps !

Regards,

Shane


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G R Powell

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Feb 26, 2009 - 4:29am
Shane,

Can you indicate where, on this chart, the 164 and the 117 were when they were hit? Also, where do you think the photo of the docked 170 was? You will notice in the photo that the treeline in the background appears shallow. It looks like open sky beyond.

G R Powell

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Shaneo2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Shaneo2  Posted on: Feb 26, 2009 - 6:35pm
Shane,

Can you indicate where, on this chart, the 164 and the 117 were when they were hit? Also, where do you think the photo of the docked 170 was? You will notice in the photo that the treeline in the background appears shallow. It looks like open sky beyond.

G R Powell


GR,

I do not have a chart with me right now, but using your scan if one were to draw an imaginary line from the "D" Becon on Lumbari Island across to the second inlet (Eastern) on Bau, I reckon to the North side of that line is probably were the mooring pods were. I would stress particular emphasis on that area between, Lumbari and Pau (?)

I have no doubt myself the WW-2 Black 'n' White photo (on this site), shows the PT 164 (post attack)- against Lumbari Island. I can compare 1943 to 2008 photos, and I located some debris of 164 are (as I mentioned before), off Lumbari Island. I think the WW-2 shot of the PT 117 shows it against/foundered on either Pau "or" Bau ?

The US Navy loss's show the 117 lat/long on Bau "but", as you can see there is almost a 1/2 mi. longitude discrepancy from the WW-2 chart and Google Earth etc. The US Navy loss's for PT 164 shows it "on" Rendova Island, or down the Harbor on the US chart if I remember correctly- whatever- their lat/long is probably wrong.

One must take the lat/longs of that era with some skepticism..........


*I will take your photo to the Solomons later this year and run it by the locals there in the Harbor. I myself, am leaning towards Lumbari Island -again due to the sky showing in the background. I have been in the Bau inlet where the PT boat base was later located, and have strong doubts that a photo shot (as you shown) could get that kind of sky through the trees.


*I may be wrong.....I've been before*, hell it can be another base -and listed as Rendova, or a reverse negative etc. etc. I will make a note to show this to the locals, take more pictures and get back to you on this site. I am extremely doubtful it is from the East side of Bau.

Something else to mention is the PT 105 has several pages on the Japanese air attack, from Dicks recollection of watching the planes round the North end of Rendova, fly "over" several other vessels, to bomb the PT boats, helped me figure out where the PT Boat mooring pods probably were.... along with the location of Lumbari/Bau/channel entrance and Kori Kori (sp) Island with was said to be the refueling Island (at first). He also mentioned they were moored roughly in a 1/2 mi. by 1/2 mi. square, from that little bit- one can reckon which part of the harbor the PT Boats owned !

Hope this helps, I will be unable to get online until the last couple weeks of March as work calls.....

Regards,

Shane


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Richard Kempf

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Richard Kempf  Posted on: May 10, 2009 - 8:33am
Hello out there: My father, Peter Kempf, was a gunner's mate on PT 117 discussed by others in this conversation. Many years ago he told me of the day on Rendova when they had gotten off boat for lunch--he described a skip bomb as the one that hit the mark--I had never seen the picture before. Peter was from NYC --went to Wharton on GI bill-married a philadelphia girl and moved to Auburn Indiana--raised 4 sons of whom I am third. anyone with info on PT 117 or who remembers my father would be very much appreciated. Thanks Rich Kermpf


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David Buck

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Buck   Send Email To David Buck Posted on: May 11, 2009 - 3:19am
Hi Shane02, i bumted into the owner of Munda Dive at the recent Dive Tek in Sydney and quzided him on Rendova and Munda PT Boat wrecks.He told me of a number of spots were his crew had found the remains of the as he put it " The big v 12 engines " some around Munda and one spot at Rendova.
Maybe he has alreaby found the 164 Boat but as the engines are all that is left and does not make a very interesting wreck dive he has put it aside as of no paticular interest to anyone. At least this was the impresion i received when i talked with him.
He is more into Sharks than PT Boats.
Good luck when you head out that way again. Yours, D.B.

D.buck

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earl

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of earl  Posted on: May 11, 2009 - 12:06pm
i am going by what little memory i have left now but if i am correct when i was on rendova the base was higher up than where the boats were mooredf if you left the base to go to the boats you had to go to the left and down a trail; to get to the boats mooring area.tjhs trail was app 1/4 mile long?it seems that looking to the cove,from my tent, that you had to look DOWN to the cove,there was a shore battery on the beach there.hope i have the right island.they get mixed up in my brain now

earl richmond

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Drew Cook

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: May 12, 2009 - 5:19am
Can any of you guys with computer skills use that U.S. Hydrographic Office map and create a version that shows the actual (or probable) PT moorings/nests/"pods" in and around Rendova?

I'd like to see the dispositions of the boats in late July/early August 1943...


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