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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Separation Papers / Assignments
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Gentlemen, I have a question.

Unfortunately other than my father's Notice of Separation From US Naval Service paper, I have not been able to confirm much about his WWII service.
On this paper, under box 24. Service (Vessels and Stations served) it llists the following:
MTS San Diego CAL
MTBSTR Portsmouth, RI
MTB Ron 17
MTB Ron 14
MTB Ron 23
USS Acontius (AGP12)

My questions are - would this have been the chronological order of his assignments, i.e. starting out in Ron 17 and ending with Ron 23?
Also what about the Acontius? My mother remembers that he came back from the war aboard her, but looking at the Acontius' history (After Japan formally surrendered on 2 September, Acontius moved to Guinan anchorage, Samar, and there became involved in the inactivation of PT boats. This task was completed in December; and the tender got underway for San Francisco, Calif., on the 29th.) I'm not clear if he could have actually been assigned to duty aboard her (as a Torpedoman ?) or just a passenger on the way home?
With no dates to clue me in as to length of each assignment etc. I can't tell much to try to track down the boats he may have been assigned to , bases etc. As a long time "voyeur" of this website, I am constantly fascinated by the tales and recollections of those who post here and envious of their memories and knowledge.

Any help you guys?

Wayne Bauer
son of Walter W. Bauer






Posted By: Wayne Bauer | Posted on: May 1, 2009 - 1:48pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



First, is that possibly NTS San Diego for Navy Training Station? My discharge records have my assignments in order from first to last. There is no listing of ships on which I was a passenger or on temporary assignment. Therefore my guess is that it was an assignment to the tender, not a passenger.

Posted By: QM | Posted on: May 1, 2009 - 6:01pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



QM, thanks
As a Torpedoman, would that have been normal - i.e. reassignment to a tender possibly after the PT's were disposed of at Samar?

Also, the record definately reads MTS San Diego ??

Wayne Bauer
son of Walter W. Bauer





Posted By: Wayne Bauer | Posted on: May 2, 2009 - 10:20am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Wayne

I am almost positive the MTS on the papers was a typo and should have read NTS for Naval Training Station. It would seem that your Dad served onboard the Tender and was not part of a PT BOAT CREW per say. It was not uncommon for Torpedomen from the Base or Tenders to go out on Patrol if needed. Ron 14 were Huckins boats that were assigned to the Panama Sea Frontier seeing no action with the enemy. Ron 17 were Higgins boats assigned to the Hawaiian Sea Frontier having no action, although I am pretty sure they were shipped to the Marshalls. After that most of the boats would be shipped to Mindor in the Phillipines from 1944 to 1945. Ron 23 were Higgins boats that were shipped to the South Pacific serving at Bougainville and Green Island. It was in 1944 that this Ron was shipped to Palaean in the Philippines. I could be wrong, but I have never seen PT Tenders listed on seperation papers jsut for the ride home, so he could have been assigned to this ship. We need to find out if in fact this Tender served Rons 14, 17, and 23, although the Ship was stationed at Base 17 in the Philippines. It would help to learn the dates of your Dad's entry into the service and his discharge date.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 2, 2009 - 1:49pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Wayne

Torpedomen were assigned to tenders, bases and squadrons. Some torpedomen who were assigned to squadrons served on the squadron base force, and one served on each boat. Our service records do not list the boat assignments. Thus you cannot find from that source the boat or boats to which your father may have been assigned. I believe that you can be certain that your father served on the tender and the three squadrons listed on his records.

Have you asked PT Boats, Inc. if they have any information regarding your father? They have gathered information regarding the assignments of many PT Boaters.



Posted By: QM | Posted on: May 2, 2009 - 2:29pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Wayne

Additional comment regarding MTS or NTS. The reason that I questioned the "MTS" entry on the discharge papers is that, possibly with rare exceptions of someone with unusual qualifications, an enlisted man's first assignment would have been a Navy Training Station. There we went through boot camp, This was followed for some men with a specialized school such as torpedo school.

Posted By: QM | Posted on: May 2, 2009 - 6:00pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered