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Topic: PT and Alamo scouts |
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 22, 2009 - 11:41am
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British Combined Operations veteran LCDR Wooley, of the Royal Navy, was placed in charge of the OSS Maritime Unit in June 1943.
Their training started in November 1943 at Camp Pendleton, moved to Catalina Island in January 1944, and finally moved to the warmer waters in the Bahamas in March 1944. Within the U.S. military, they pioneered flexible swim fins and facemasks, closed-circuit diving equipment, the use of swimmer submersibles, and combat swimming and limpet mine attacks.
In May 1944, GEN Donovan, the head of the OSS, divided the unit into groups. He loaned Group 1, under LT Choate, to ADM Nimitz, as a way to introduce the OSS into the Pacific Theater. They became part of UDT-10 in July 1944. Five OSS men participated in the very first UDT submarine operation with the USS BURRFISH in the Caroline Islands in August 1944.
UDT-10(OSS) and the USS Burfish SS-312 performed reconnaissance on the Islands of Peleliu and Yap in August of 1944. This was the first time Navy special forces deployed from a submarine. Indecision on the part of Navy high command created a need for more information on the two islands in order to determine which of the two was more suitable for invasion. Peleliu was scouted successfully on August 9. On the 16th, Yap was scouted, also successfully. On the 18th Gagil Tomil was scouted and a barrier reef was immediately found. Leaving the boat and one member behind, four members swam ahead, although one later returned, unable to handle the strong currents sweepingg the reef. The three remaining members were never seen alive again, and intercepted communications later indicated they had been captured by the Japanese troops manning the island. No record of them was ever found and it is thought they were put on a boat back to Japan that was subsequently torpedoed by an unknowing American submarine. Due to the information this team gathered, the island of Yap was deemed too costly and was bypassed; without reinforcements the Japanese garrison on the island withered until the end of the war.
UDT 10 later participated in the invasion of the Philipines.
TAKE CARE,
TED
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Gustavo Martinez
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Posted on: May 30, 2009 - 7:34am
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Hi Guys
Trying to imagine how alamo scouts disembark directly from the PT (for a potential diorama) I tested this in 1/35 th scale using 90's uncompleted navy seals figures and the hull of my 596 Italeri PT Boat.
I think Alamo Scouts should make "a small jump" from the Pt
Bye
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Frank J Andruss Sr
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Posted on: May 30, 2009 - 7:39am
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Gus
I have a few photo's of the Ron 22 Higgins boats carrying Commando's to their destination point. As the raft's are on the stern, and this is the lowest point of the boat, I would guess they might jump off at this point of the boat. Essentially, they can jump from any point, but I doubt they would have from the extream bow. If they dropped them with rubber rafts, it would be done from the stern.................
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Drew Cook
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Posted on: May 30, 2009 - 7:47am
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Ted,
I thought I had read somewhere that postwar Japanese records revealed that the three frogmen of UDT-10 who were captured at Yap had eventually been executed (beheaded)...(?)
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Russ Blaise
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Posted on: May 31, 2009 - 7:12pm
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I think Alamo Scouts should make a small jump from the Pt
Now I got another question to ask the Scouts... Thanks :-)
There were always two Alamo Scout teams aboard the PT. One (called the Contact Team) stayed behind on the PT while the other went on their mission. So it's a safe bet the Contact Team helped the Op Team on and off the PT... The PT crew manned their guns incase of any unexpected surprises. And there were a few of them.
Russ Blaise
Executive Director
Alamo Scouts Association
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Gustavo Martinez
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Posted on: Jun 1, 2009 - 3:47am
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Thanks Russ !
"... The PT crew manned their guns incase of any unexpected surprises..." is another issue for a diorama.
Considering this plus two teams it's a lot of people on the deck at the same time. I'll continue testing.
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Russ Blaise
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Posted on: Jun 1, 2009 - 6:03am
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Gustavo,
I should note that the "Contact Team" was not a full team of Scouts. A Lieutenant and two or three of his men. The Operational team was 6 of more men.
Russ Blaise
Executive Director
Alamo Scouts Association
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TED WALTHER |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jun 1, 2009 - 8:05am
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Drew;
Yes I did read this also in a book, but as far as our side is concerned they were never seen again. Later after the war, it was discovered by translating captured Japanese documents they were taken prisoner under a gun emplacement at Tomil on Yap Island, and they were tortured.
QM 1/C Bob Black, Chief Gunners Mate Howard Roeder, and SP(A) 1/C John MacMahon had been captured by the Japanese. They provided false information under intense torture - per instructions - about UDT capabilities.
ANNANSAKI 22 August 1944
Special Report GOTTO Unit
Intelligence Office (JOKOSHITSU)
On September 2, Roeder, MacMahon, and Black were placed aboard a Japanese Special sub-chaser URUPPU MARU at Palau for transfer to Davao and Manila in the Philippines. Nothing more was ever heard of them. Whether the ship was sunk, or they were killed or died on board or in a prison camp, nobody knows. They were not among the liberated prisoners when the Philippines were freed. Nothing is known except that they gave their lives for their country. They were posthumously awarded the Silver Star. A declassified ULTRA also supports this. It states they were transferred along with some Army Air Force B-24 aircrew that was shot down over Yap onn 25 August 1944.
Take care,
TED
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