The PT Boat Forum
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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf

» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102

» Topic: Loss of the 31 and 34 .I have detailed info.
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1079

I do not recall seing anything on these 2 Losses, and would like to see the reports that you have on them. You can contact me at mosquitoflet@comcast.net

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 18, 2008 - 10:37pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

PT-31 GROUNDED IN SUBIC BAY, LUZON ON JANUARY 20, 1942 AND HAD TO BE SCUTTLED. PT-34 WAS BOMBED BY 4 CRUISER- BASED F1M2 "PETE" FLOATPLANES IN THE NARROW APPROACH TO CEBU ON APRIL 9, 1942. IT WAS BEACHED ON KAWIT ISLAND , STRAFED AND BURNED OUT. BOTH LOSSES ARE COVERED IN SEVERAL BOOKS, INCLUDING, "AT CLOSE QUARTERS", "DEVIL BOATS" AND "MACARTHUR'S ESCAPE"
TM2 DAVID W. HARRIS AND WILLARD J. REYNOLDS WERE KILLED IN THIS ACTION. THE LOSS OF THE 34 BOAT WAS IMMORTALIZED IN THE 1945 JOHN FORD MOVIE "THEY WERE EXPENDABLE".
ALYCE GUTHRIE GRACIOUSLY RAN MY REVIEW OF THIS MOVIE IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF "ALL HANDS", THOUGH IT EXCEEDED THE 300-WORD LIMIT THEY PREFER TO PRINT. THANKS AGAIN, ALYCE

ross@dupagels.lib.il.us

Posted By: ROSS FISHER | Posted on: Nov 21, 2008 - 8:34pm
Total Posts: 82 | Joined: Jul 23, 2008 - 10:03am

The full report is listed on this web site [url]http://skulljam0.tripod.com[/url] Delong was a brave and great man.

Posted By: Mark Culp | Posted on: Dec 10, 2008 - 6:28am
Total Posts: 135 | Joined: Oct 15, 2006 - 2:56pm

Pennant of Squadron 3

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Torpedo_Boat_Squadron_Three[/url]

Loss of PT 34
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Torpedo_Boat_PT-34[/url]

Several accounts to the contrary-no IJN planes lost in attack

Posted By: PPF | Posted on: Apr 30, 2010 - 6:11am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

The drawing ot the pennant for RON 3 shown on WIKI is the BURGEE command pennant. I believe it should be the BROAD command pennant which would be in blue.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Apr 30, 2010 - 8:37am
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Several accounts to the contrary-no IJN planes lost in attack

On what do you base this statement?

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Apr 30, 2010 - 8:48am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

PPF;
FYI: As per well rersearched written occounts, one float plane was hit (and subsquently crashed), by accurate fire from the forward Starboard .30 caliber machine gun....which was manned by QM 1/C Albert P. Ross, in other words, Al's Dad.

Charlie;
You are correct, it should be the broad command pennant with blue, however, some of the burgee's have survived, I believe either RON 21 or RON 27 is at PTHQ in the lobby. This is how I think the mix up started, and some thought that RON's used white with red. However, we know white with blue is correct for a Squadron.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 30, 2010 - 11:20am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Hi Johnnyblue,
While reseaching the PT34 and its loss I have not seen Lt. Kellys report of the sinking, there are a lot of reports of the loss of PT34 but most are secondhand accounts so Lt. Kellys firsthand account would add his personal account to the sinking of the Boat.
If you would could you email me a copy using the emil logo above or you might like to post it on the board for all to read.

D.buck

Posted By: David Buck | Posted on: Apr 30, 2010 - 2:53pm
Total Posts: 332 | Joined: May 4, 2008 - 2:59am

Here is my original RON 2 Pennant donated to me by the John C. Kenney Family. Kenney worked at the Elco Naval Division and made several trips with the very first 70 Ft. PT Boats. Notice the Blue top and bottom with blue numeral. This was the BROAD COMMAND PENNANT.

Frank

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/broad-command-pennant-014.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/broad-command-pennant-016.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 2, 2010 - 10:04am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Harris is buried at Manila Cemetery at: Plot B Row 14 Grave 158
where is Reynolds buried?

Posted By: PPF | Posted on: May 4, 2010 - 9:13am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

I changed the pennant in Wikipedia from the burgee command pennant (red) to the broad command pennant (blue). I did the original illustration and that pic was based on ther pennant flown on the PT41 replica used in the movie THEY WERE EXPENDABLE.

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Jul 3, 2011 - 11:24am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Hi
A friend of mines brother was KIA on the 34. I checked out this web looking for info on the 34 and was surprised to find very little. I told my friend we need to submit the info he has to the website. I have two reports one on the loss of the 31 by Lt. E.G. DeLong. The other on the loss of the 34 by Lt. Robert Kelly. Can anyone tell me if they have already seen these and who to contact if they haven't.
Thanks
Johnnyblue

John

Question: Whatever happened to Lieutenant Kelly? There's not much information about him, though in the book THEY WERE EXPENDABLE, he was a major reason why RON 3 was so successful (not taking anything away from Bulkeley)...[:-question-:]

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Jul 3, 2011 - 11:29am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

kiwi,
LCDR Robert B Kelly became the Squadron Commander of MTBRON9. He has been the subject of lots of posts on this message board in the past. There are several color photos of him on board one of his boats. I think they were based out of Rendova for much of the time he was the Squadron Commander. I believe he was awarded several citations and medals for his exploits as the CO of RON9 as well. I am sure if you Google him you will find quit e a lot of stuff about his career. Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 3, 2011 - 12:29pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

kiwi,
LCDR Robert B Kelly became the Squadron Commander of MTBRON9. He has been the subject of lots of posts on this message board in the past. There are several color photos of him on board one of his boats. I think they were based out of Rendova for much of the time he was the Squadron Commander. I believe he was awarded several citations and medals for his exploits as the CO of RON9 as well. I am sure if you Google him you will find quit e a lot of stuff about his career. Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Interesting. Every time I tried to look uo information regarding him on various search engines, I got nothing. I hoped to be able to do a Wikipedia entry about him.

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Jul 3, 2011 - 9:05pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

kiwi (or is it wiki? ha ha!)
Here are some pics I have come across about LCDR Kelly. He was quoted in the newspaper as saying: "Nobody knows anything about a war until it begins" Other posters such as Nat Smith and Drew and lots of others on this board posted these pics in the recent past. Try the search function on this site under "RON9" I found the newspaper article at the national Archives this May. Jerry

Kelly on PT156 "Cowboy" with QM Damon and LT Pessolano

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT156ROBERTKELLYonLTPessolanoandQMDamonsPT156COWBOYoffRENDOVARON9.jpg[/image]

Kelly on PT157 Aces and Eights in center of photo

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT157AcesEightsRobertKellycenter.jpg[/image]

Kelly and Adm Halsey visit RON9 in Rendova

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT156RON9BullHalsey.jpg[/image]

Kelly, Specht and Moran at Conference in Rendova

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00134-1.jpg[/image]

Caption of Moran visit picture
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00137-1.jpg[/image]

At conference in rendova

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00136-1.jpg[/image]

NY Times Article "Shields of Plywood" 9-13-42 Cox, Kelly, Bulkley, Akers This article tells several viewpoints and impressions of LCDR Kelly throughout the article.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00079-1.jpg[/image]

Part 1 of article
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00080-1.jpg[/image]

Part 2 of article
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00081-1.jpg[/image]

Part 3 or article
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/DSC00082.jpg[/image]

By the way that last note in the newspaper article about Army Nurse "Peggy" who supposedly had a love affair with Kelly in the Phillipines was just Hollywood making up juicy storyline. Played by Donna Reed in the movie, the real Peggy was named Beulah Mae "Peggy" Greenwalt. In December 1948, Greenwalt was awarded $290,000.00 by a federal court jury against the makers of the movie, “They Were Expendable.” Greenwalt contended the filmmakers used her as a prototype for the character of Sandy in a fashion that was humiliating and “cheapened her character.” Peggy spent 33 months as a POW in Manila and married a survivor of the Bataan Death march.

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 3, 2011 - 11:54pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Here is some info for CAPT. Robert Bolling Kelly USN

PTC RON 1 Squadron Executive Officer/PTC 4 Skipper February 20-July 17, 1941

RON 3 Squadron Executive Officer/PT 34 Skipper August 12, 1941-April 15, 1942

RON 9 Squadron Commander/PT 159 Skipper(only during pre deployment work ups ) November 10, 1942-January 12, 1944

MTB BASE GREEN ISLAND CO Jan-May(?) 1944

USS IRWIN (DD-794) Commanding Officer Jun 1945 - May 31 1946

USS Atka (AGB-3) Commanding Officer 10 January 1950 - 1956 (Very strange history of this ship, Originally Commissioned as USCGC Southwind WAGB-280 15 July 1944 - 25 March 1945 .then Decommissioned Lend Lease 25 March 1945 - 10 January 1950 to Soviet Union as Kaptian Belusov , then returned to USN commissioned as USS Atka on 1 October 1950, then transferred back to USCG as USCGC Southwind WAGB-280 again 1967-1974) .

USS Shenandoah (AD-26) Commanding Officer 3 September 1958 - 11 September 1959
He retired from the Navy as a Captain in 1961 and joined Martin Marietta's aerospace division. He later served as a counselor of vocational rehabilitation for the State of Maryland.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 5, 2011 - 11:10am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Hi Ross Fisher,
You mentioned your review of the movie THEY WERE EXPENDABLE was in the current
issue of ALL HANDS. I assumed it's the May 2011 issue. I looked through it 3 times and
not finding it. Am I going blind? Please advise the page number.
Victor

Victor K Chun

Posted By: victorkchun | Posted on: Jul 6, 2011 - 10:55am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

YO VICTOR,
Ross posted his message way back in NOVEMBER 21 2008. You may want to look in the November 2008 (Volume 62, Number 2) issue of All Hands, on Page 12. The article is named "Plywood Dreams". Just saying...ha ha. Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 6, 2011 - 7:19pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

All,
Regarding Kelly I have a hand written letter from him that states he returned to the US in May of 42. After three months in the hospital and a month at Melville he was ordered to comission squadron nine. He spent the next eighteen months in Ceubal and front line action in the northern Solomon Islands before returning to the US in May of 44. He was then assigned as the officer in charge of a PT shakedown in Miami. After six months there he was made the C.O. of a 2100 ton destroyer that was used in the Okinawa campaign and the ocupation of Japan. He returned to the US in November of 45 and was assigned to an inactive fleet. After three months of overhaul in Bremerton Washington he went to San Diego. After deactivating the Irwin he was given an instructor position at the Naval Acadamy (marine engineering). September of 46 he was on board the North Carolina as an instructor for the mid-shipman summer cruise.

Posted By: Mark Culp | Posted on: Jul 7, 2011 - 7:59pm
Total Posts: 135 | Joined: Oct 15, 2006 - 2:56pm

Is Kelly still alive? Or if not, when did he pass away?

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Jul 9, 2011 - 3:48pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

CAPT. Robert Bolling Kelly USN (Ret.) died of pneumonia Jan. 23 1989, at Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, Maryland.

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 9, 2011 - 6:05pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kelly_(navy)

Initial entry for Lt. Kelly in Wikipedia. Needs a lot of editing.

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Sep 19, 2011 - 1:22pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Kiwi
Looks like between Mark and I we filled in the blanks about CAPT Kelly, if Jerry can add a photo or two on the wikipedia entry, it will be good to go.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Sep 20, 2011 - 11:42am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted,
I added two pics of LCDR Kelly to wikipedia entry.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kelly_(navy)[/url]

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 - 10:12am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Ted and Jerry,

Thanks.

Dean.

Posted By: expatkiwi | Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 - 6:12pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

See entry 9 April 1942
http://www.combinedfleet.com/Sanuki%20Maru_t.htm

Mention is made of PT boats attacked-but no mention of IJN plane losses

Posted By: PPF | Posted on: Oct 2, 2011 - 9:07am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Greetings all and salute.
I'm Jorge D. Tarafa 8404/8432 USN Ret. I just had a son and wanted to gather information about my families rich history of service to this great country.
Capt Robert B. Kelly USN is related on my mother’s side of the family. I can’t tell you how many times I read the book ''They Were Expendable'' growing up. Thanks you for this wonderful information and keeping history alive. My son will know the names of the men who paved the way to freedom.

God bless.

DocT

JD "DocT" Tarafa

Posted By: GunHog | Posted on: Jul 12, 2013 - 12:08am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Welcome aboard, Doc. . .

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jul 12, 2013 - 9:45pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Welcome Aboard Doc T!
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 13, 2013 - 5:32am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Welcome to the message board Doc. I have photos of Kelly and a letter he wrote to his Mother. E Mail me...................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Jul 13, 2013 - 6:30am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am