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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
names
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Can anyone tell me some of the names that were given to PT boats that served in WWII?
Posted By: murray | Posted on: Nov 1, 2006 - 2:57pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Murray,
PT 369 nickname was "Sad Sack"
Posted By: Mark Kiene | Posted on: Nov 1, 2006 - 4:26pm
Total Posts: 11 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 4:04pm
Thanks Mark, I hope there are some more out there.
Posted By: murray | Posted on: Nov 1, 2006 - 5:18pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
CHECK OUT THE SITE HTTP://WWW.PT108LILDUCK.COM
WILL DAY HAS COMPILED A LIST OF THE BOAT NICKNAMES AND POSTED IT ON THIS SITE.
earl richmond
Posted By: earl | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 7:05am
Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm
Thanks to Will's page I"ve learned that my Dad's boat, the 168, was nicknamed "Raidin'Maiden". However, I had never heard him refer to the boat by any name. Could it be that names became popular like early on in the war and later became not so popular as I had heard a rumor that giving names to the boats was considered bad luck. Andyone care to comment on that? Dad served from Spring of '44 to summer of '45 on the 168 in the Pacific.
Marty
Marty Johnson
2nd Generation
PT 168 RON 10
In Memory of LT(JG) Martin A. Johnson
Posted By: Marty Johnson | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 1:51pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
My Dad was on PT34 from the summer of 1941 until her loss in April 1942 and he said he never heard any of the three nicknames ascribed to her. As the first one was "P.I. Rose", the implication is that it acquired that name after being shipped to the Philippines, which was in September, 1941.
Al Ross
Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 5:04pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm
What Will Day and I have discovered is that names for the boats depend on the time an individual was assigned. Case in point is PT 108 Lil'Duck.
She didn't have a name until she arrived in the Pacific when Fred Lloyd told her skipper that she shedded water like a duck. At the time, Little Duck was Hix's fiancee's nickname and he named the 108 Lil'Duck.
After the mission on which Hix and the cook Jack Bell was killed, Squadron 5 had all the names of the boats removed. Later another crew gave her the name of Plywood Bastard. In between, the 108 didn't have a name. This also applies to details about the boats, depends on when an individual was assigned.
Posted By: Geary | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 5:35pm
Total Posts: 14 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 5:38am
One of my favorite names for one of the boats was PT 213, nicknamed THE SPITTEN KITTEN. My dear friend Vic Kodis was the Exec on that boat and he always told me he loved the name. It was painted in white letters on the chart house area. As he liked to say, NOW THIS BOAT HAS SOME CHARACTER. I guess it depends on who you talk to as I too have heard some surprised answers from former Crewmembers who never heard those nicknames for their boats. Some names it seems stuck with the Crews more then others.
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 7:19pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
One of my favorite names for one of the boats was PT 213, nicknamed THE SPITTEN KITTEN. My dear friend Vic Kodis was the Exec on that boat and he always told me he loved the name. It was painted in white letters on the chart house area. As he liked to say, NOW THIS BOAT HAS SOME CHARACTER. I guess it depends on who you talk to as I too have heard some surprised answers from former Crewmembers who never heard those nicknames for their boats. Some names it seems stuck with the Crews more then others.
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 2, 2006 - 7:19pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
Will, would you care to tell us how you compiled the names or where you found them listed.
Marty
Marty Johnson
2nd Generation
PT 168 RON 10
In Memory of LT(JG) Martin A. Johnson
Posted By: Marty Johnson | Posted on: Nov 3, 2006 - 7:35am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
My wife's uncle was killed while on PT-320 but served on two other boats, "Calamity Jane" and "the Zombie". Does anyone know what PT boats they are? I tried Will's site but could not get the pdf files to open.
Alan Curtis
Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: Nov 3, 2006 - 12:24pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Murray -
PT Four Niner Seven - MANY PESOS
Cheers,
gus
Posted By: area51 | Posted on: Nov 3, 2006 - 1:43pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Murray -
PT Four Niner Seven - MANY PESOS
Cheers,
gus
Posted By: area51 | Posted on: Nov 3, 2006 - 1:43pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
ALAN PT 347 HAS NICKNAME ZOMBIE. DID NOT HAVE THE PREFIX "THE" . COULD NOT FIND ONE FOR CALAMITY JANE.
earl richmond
Posted By: earl | Posted on: Nov 4, 2006 - 8:25am
Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm
Many thanks for all the replies.
Gus, do you know the reason for the name Many Pesos?
For some reason I can't get the details from Will Day's site. It is really nice to have original names, it's not possible to invent any that sound so authentic, so far away from the time and circumstances.
Posted By: murray | Posted on: Nov 4, 2006 - 3:39pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Thanks Earl
I have old letters written from the crew member I mentioned. I just looked and the boat he mentioned was just called "Zombie" . From his letters I know that he was in MTB Ron 21. One of the things that really strikes me is the age of these hero's , my wife's uncle, Donald Stockwell, was 19 when he was killed in the PI. What a debt we owe these people. I'm almost 60, and I'm brought to tears when I read the stories of these young sailors. We can never thank and rembember enough.
Alan Curtis
Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: Nov 4, 2006 - 4:32pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
For those of you that would like a copy of the Names Document (or any of the other documents) on the PT 108 web site, send me an email and I will send you a copy in Word .doc format.
Posted By: Geary | Posted on: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:55am
Total Posts: 14 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 5:38am
Marty Johnson
On pages 491,492 and 493 in PT boats Knights of the Sea has all the Nicknames of all the Boats. Some boats have two. My Boat Pt 242 was nicknamed "Celeste" when I was aboard but was later named "Crusin' Susan.
C. J. Willis
C. J. Willis
Posted By: Willis | Posted on: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:23pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Marty Johnson
On pages 491,492 and 493 in PT boats Knights of the Sea has all the Nicknames of all the Boats. Some boats have two. My Boat Pt 242 was nicknamed "Celeste" when I was aboard but was later named "Crusin' Susan.
C. J. Willis
C. J. Willis
Posted By: Willis | Posted on: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:23pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Thanks Willis, I must have missed those pages.
Marty
Marty Johnson
2nd Generation
PT 168 RON 10
In Memory of LT(JG) Martin A. Johnson
Posted By: Marty Johnson | Posted on: Nov 5, 2006 - 9:31pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
pt-144 'The Southern Cross ' and pt-84' The Peacock Lounge' (named after a lounge still in San Francisco)!
Posted By: Scott Cunningham | Posted on: Nov 9, 2006 - 6:40am
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 8:21am
Marty: The list of boat names has come from many sources, both written and oral, collected over the years. While it is not intended to be the definiative work on the subject, I just wanted to have one master compliation for my own records. It was never designed for general publication.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 9, 2006 - 6:51am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
It's great to have input from you guys on various boat names. I'll try to keep the Master List current and would be happy to e-mail a copy to anyone who is interested.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 9, 2006 - 6:56am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
It's great to have input from you guys on various boat names. I'll try to keep the Master List current and would be happy to e-mail a copy to anyone who is interested.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 9, 2006 - 6:56am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Alan: CALAMITY JANE was PT-323.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 9, 2006 - 7:01am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Thanks Will, Gary sent me your list and I found "Calamity Jane". I've reread the letters from Donald Stockwell, that my wife has and he mentioned that he was also on "The Zombie". I'm sure that this one was not PT-347, I believe that it was destroyed before he arrived in the South Pacific. So, there is another boat, probably in MTB Ron 21 that was named "The Zombie". From what I see Zombie was popular. Your list is great.
Alan
Alan Curtis
Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: Nov 16, 2006 - 4:18pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Ron 9's PT-157 was nicknamed "Aces n Eights" later changed to by the next crew to "Old Pickle Puss". Ron 23 Higgins gunboat PT-285 predominantly Irish crew called their boat Fighting Irish. Ron 21's PT-323 was first nicknamed "Calamity Jane" followed by SNAFU and "JINX".
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Nov 17, 2006 - 12:29am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am
What initiated changing a boats' name?
Alan Curtis
Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: Nov 17, 2006 - 4:44am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Alan: More often than not, boat names changed when skippers/crews changed.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 17, 2006 - 8:49am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Alan: More often than not, boat names changed when skippers/crews changed.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 17, 2006 - 8:50am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Alan: Boat names most often (but not always) changed when new skippers/crews came aboard.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 17, 2006 - 8:54am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
One of the best names I read was "sea jeep".
Refer to the book "Knights of the Sea" to find the complete list of all the names and complete history of all the boats from laying the keel to the end of the war.
Posted By: Bob Kauffman | Posted on: Dec 20, 2006 - 10:16pm
Total Posts: 1 | Joined: Dec 20, 2006 - 10:09pm
PT-144 Southern Cross named by my father Jim Cunningham and PT -84 "The Peacock Lounge" named after a bar in San Francisco, CA. that is still in operation on Haight st.
Scott Cunningham
2nd Gen.
Ron's 8 & 13
Shreveport, LA.
Posted By: Scott Cunningham | Posted on: Dec 26, 2006 - 6:30am
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 8:21am
Ron 12's PT-195 was nicknamed Black Agnes, Dragon Lady, and Toodles. Ron 21's PT-331 was nicknamed The Wolf.
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Dec 27, 2006 - 8:52am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am
Wayne: I didn't have THE WOLF. I have added it to the Master List.
Thanks.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Dec 27, 2006 - 11:28am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
PT 342 of Ron 24 was called "SNAFU"...Situation Normal, All Fouled Up"...that's the G rated version. I have seen other names for the 342 in books but for the two years my dad served aboard, she was "SNAFU" I have pictures to prove it!
Jeff Sherry
Posted By: Jeff Sherry | Posted on: Jan 5, 2007 - 7:58pm
Total Posts: 84 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:04pm
Does anyone have the nickname for PT 333?
Posted By: Ann Ward | Posted on: Jan 10, 2007 - 9:38pm
Total Posts: 2 | Joined: Jan 4, 2007 - 8:30pm
Ann: Three names that I know of:
HI-DE-HO
GREEN BEAST
THUNDERHAWK
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 11, 2007 - 9:57am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
In one of the picture books about PTs, either Frank Thompson's book or Victor Chun's, there is a list in the back of all the known nicknames for the PTs. Some of the boats had more than one nickname as the crews of many boats changed durning the course of the war.
One nickname I'm a bit skeptical of is the one listed for PT-109. The nickname listed is "JFK." My suspicion is that this is a "post-war" name that was applied to the boat a long time later. At the time of the war, while the Kennedy family was powerful and influential, John Kennedy had not yet achieved any sort of public fame. Given the nature of the names applied to boats and planes during the war, I strongly doubt a crew would have given their boat a respectful version of their skipper's name.
And while John Kennedy did become famous, or infamous depending on your interpretation of the events surrounding PT-109's destruction, after the rescue the boat itself was gone and so would not have been given any nickname by anyone.
But the comprehensive list in the book is great reading as a lot of the nicknames were really clever.
C. Marin Faure
Sammamish, Washington
Posted By: C Marin Faure | Posted on: Jan 11, 2007 - 11:49am
Total Posts: 27 | Joined: Dec 20, 2006 - 11:43pm
Hello, The 208, Ron 15, was known as the 8 ball. My Pop, Basil Green, was cook on her . The 8 ball on her side was a target for the enemy. I have a picture of a shot through the 8ball. Lots of shrapnel also. Thanks Lois
Posted By: Lois Reminder | Posted on: Jan 21, 2007 - 2:31pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
The original crew of P.T. 242 named the boat "CELESTE" in memory of a call girl who lived near the Higgins Plant in New Orleans. The name was painted on the port and starboard gun turrets and above the name was painted a picture of a nude girl. After our crew left the boat the new crew named it "Crusin" Susan".
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jan 22, 2007 - 1:49pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
Hello Alan,
I seen your post that your father was killed on the PT 320 and my Uncle Vernon A. Manley was also killed on the 320 when a Japanese plane dropped a bomb in the middle of the boat. My uncle was a GM3c on board. I do have a couple of photos of the crew. glad to see your post.
Bill Manley
Bill Manley
Posted By: Bill Manley | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 7:30am
Total Posts: 64 | Joined: May 4, 2007 - 6:40am
The 495 boat was named Miss Fury until, on it's second combat mission, one of her gunners was killed in action. The crew renamed the boat Gentleman Jim in his honor. This was in July '44. The boat's nameplate is on display at the PT Boat museum in Mass.
Posted By: ducati650 | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 8:03am
Total Posts: 450 | Joined: Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am
The 525 boat was called "Return Ticket"
Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 11:13am
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm
Thanks Bill, it was actually my wife's uncle Donald Stockwell that was also killed on PT 320. I have a letter sent to his family from Lt Gleason giving some of the details. It states that at 2:15 AM the boat received a direct hit killing all but one enlisted man. It also states that he was buried in U.S.A.F. Cemetery #1 Tacloban, Leyte Island, possibly your unlce is there also. He is now the only crew member I know the name of.
Thanks again
Alan Curtis
Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 12:40pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Most of the boats names are on Page 491-493 in "Knights of the Sea"
Our boat PT 242 was named "Celeste" in memory of a call girl near the Higgins Plant in New Orleans.
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 1:41pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
Sorry for the double post. Memory not as good as once was!
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 3:10pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
how about "impatient vrgin" for a crash boat for which my dad was a gunners mate. the em2c came up with that one.
kendall p. strehle
avr c-26654
Posted By: kendall strehle | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 4:13pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
how about "impatient vrgin" for a crash boat for which my dad was a gunners mate. the em2c came up with that one.
kendall p. strehle
avr c-26654
Posted By: kendall strehle | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 4:14pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
PTs 250 and 492 were also named IMPATIENT VIRGIN....
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 9:50pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
PT-526 was also called RETURN TICKET at one point. The 525 skipper must have taken the name with him when he switched boats.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 4, 2007 - 9:52pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Will;
I noticed a few boats in RON 36 were called Return Ticket. Do you think the squadron adopted the name because they felt they were McArthurs
"Return Ticket" to the Philipines?
Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: May 6, 2007 - 10:22am
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm
Gary - I never saw anything to indicate that RETURN TICKET might have specifically dealth with the MacArthur thing, and none of the other RON 36 boats had the name. That said, there is a certain logic there.....
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 6, 2007 - 5:03pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
PT 221 (my Dad's Boat) was nicknamed Omen Of The Seas.
Posted By: Greg Matthews | Posted on: May 7, 2007 - 10:39pm
Total Posts: 76 | Joined: Nov 30, 2006 - 9:33am
My fathers boat was the 589 Ron 40 Mighty Mouse, pretty sure it was the only name it had. Had a great picture of it that I lost with Mighty Mouse flying down the bow. I sure would like to find another one.
Posted By: Ed | Posted on: May 9, 2007 - 5:51pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Ed - E-mailing you a pic of the 589 crew. Also show SUPER MOUSE as the boat name at one time.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 9, 2007 - 8:49pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
My Dad was QM1 on PT 261. It was nick named Lucifer Jr., which could be seen , in a photo I have of her under way.
Posted By: MarkM | Posted on: May 10, 2007 - 4:32am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Scott Cunningham, I have just read letters posted in regards to the PT boat nicknames and you made a comment on the PT144 and its nickname The Southern Cross. I noticed that you have a patch of the Squadron 8 under your name. Did you serve in Ron 8 or on PT 144? I am looking for information on PT 144 and its crew, particularly a man called Cecil Eugene Sellers. He met my mother in 1943 in Cairns Australia. So far Frank Andruss has helped a little with information on Cecil's mate Harold Van Cleave. If you have any information on these men it would be very much appreciated.
Regards Katrina
Posted By: Katrina | Posted on: May 18, 2007 - 12:14am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Scott I continued on reading on the topic of nicknames and discovered you are 2nd generation. If your father was on the Pt144 its possible he knew Cecil Eugene Sellers. He was on base 4 Cairns when he met my mother and wrote to her from base 6 in Kana Kopa New Guinea. I hope you have some good news for me.
Cheers Katrina
Posted By: Katrina | Posted on: May 18, 2007 - 12:20am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
I googled PT 323, The Calamity Jane, and came to this site. My father, David Myers, served on that boat in WWII, when it was Calamity Jane. I have a great picture of him with the crew in front of the boat.
Any information about it would be greatly appreciated. Anyone around who served with him?
Maggie Laughlin
Posted By: Maggie Laughlin | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 8:35am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Hey Guys-
I just thought that I would add my two cents to the mix as well. Here goes!
I learned from my good friend Bruce Hansbury who served on the 169 that the "un-official" nickname of the PT was "ZEBRA SNAFU". The boats artist, Dominic Mingolla, who was the twin 50 gunner, painted the name on the front of the chart house! When the CO saw what was painted he exploded and told Dom to remove it ASAP. Dom then painted a "fighting zebra" in place of SNAFU! Dom passed away some years ago and my good buddy Bruce passed away two years ago. By the way, the 169 was in zebra stripe camofladge and was at Tulagi.
High tides!
Frank Ryczek, Jr.
HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!
YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!
Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 11:04am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm
The 169 boat was at one time named FIGHTING 69TH.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 7:57pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Maggie - The 323 was also, at various times, nicknamed SNAFU and JINX. The book AT CLOSE QUARTERS has several passages dealing with the boat. I have a couple of pictures of the boat which I would be happy to send you.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 8:06pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
What does SNAFU stand for? or cant you say
Michael Hallinan
Posted By: Michael | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 8:30pm
Total Posts: 218 | Joined: Aug 6, 2007 - 7:25pm
OH I SEE
Sorry i just googled it!
Very Apt
Michael Hallinan
Posted By: Michael | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 8:39pm
Total Posts: 218 | Joined: Aug 6, 2007 - 7:25pm
Maggie,
One of our veterans of "Save the PT Boat", Dick Lowe (TM2c) was on the PT323 manning the 37mm cannon on the bow when it was Kamakaze attacked in the Phillipines. I could put you in touch with him if you email me at the address listed under my member profile.
Jerry PT658 Restoration crew Portland Oregon
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 9:45pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Besides Knights of the Sea and Southwest Pacific – Conquest of New Guinea, can you or anyone recommend books on PT's that give more details of the individual squadrons?
My husband was Jonathan Rice, who is mentioned below from an excerpt from Southwest Pacific - Conquest of New Guinea.
Unfortunately, he did not talk much about his experiences in the Pacific other than Funi Futi and any additional information would be welcome.
To bring the first PTs to New Guinea, it is necessary to go back to Pearl Harbor, where, it will be remembered, the captain and crew of the tender Hilo saw their first PT on July 5, 1942. Ten days later the Hilo left Pearl Harbor with PTs 21, 23, 25, and 26, which comprised MTB Division 2 of Squadron 1, under command of Lt. Jonathan F. Rice, USNR, for duty in Palmyra Island, 1,100 miles to the southwest. Hilo towed two boats; the other two ran free, fueling from Hilo each morning while under way. At midpoint in the passage, the boats exchanged places to share equally the discomforts of towing.
Jackie Rice
Posted By: Jackie | Posted on: Apr 1, 2008 - 6:13pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
"At Close Quarters" is (in my opinion) the bible when it comes to PT operations during WWII. There are several members on here who have their copies nearby and can give you a heads up if your husband is mentioned in that book.
Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Apr 2, 2008 - 2:39am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Jackie: A partial list of books dealing with the New Guinea boats...
PT PATROL (Ed Farley)
HELL ON KEELS (Rick Desloge)
HOT, STRAIGHT AND TRUE (Russ Hamachek)
THE BLACK COAST (Basil Heatter)
Plus excerpts from many other books dealing with the Pacific PT campaign in general....
Will
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Apr 2, 2008 - 11:02am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
According to family lore, my grandfather's boat, PT 539 was called the Aggie Maru.
Posted By: gwolson | Posted on: Feb 24, 2009 - 8:21am
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Jan 16, 2009 - 12:22pm
PT167 was named "Who me?" and the logo was a duck pointing to himself as though he had just been assigned a dangerous mission. I inherited the role of "PT artist" simply because I had the only set of paints around. I painted logos and icons regularly. I even have the stencil I made for the 167.
Posted By: BobPic | Posted on: Feb 24, 2009 - 8:30am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Marty: The Names list was compiled from a variety of sources; books, photos, conversations with surviving crew, etc. See the NOTES section at the end of the listing for a slightly more comprehensive explanation.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 24, 2009 - 9:27am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
This is always an interesting subject, because of the fact that the boats weren't officially named, just numbered.
One of many old and traditional seafaring superstitions holds that it is bad luck to sail a boat or ship without a name, and this would have been well-known in the Navy (a recent cultural reference to the superstition can be found in the movie "Forrest Gump," when the old black shrimper tells Forrest this very thing, prompting him to immediately name his shrimp boat "Jenny," after the love of his life). PT sailors undoubtledly knew about the superstition, and some named, or nicknamed, their numbered PTs.
Of course, from what I've read, some boats seemed not to have a name or nicknamed attached, and were just called by the boat's number. Some names/nicknames are well-known, like the 213's "Spitten' Kitten/Gallopin' Ghost," the 108's "Lil' Duck/Plywood Bastard," the 132's "Little Lulu," the 157's "Aces & Eights," and the 190 and 191's "Jack O' Diamonds" and "Bambi."
A long list of PT names and nicknames can be found in the appendix to Frank D. Johnson's 1980 book "United States PT - Boats of World War II In Action," and they seem pretty accurate and consistent with what I've read in other sources, including this website, with some exceptions.
Johnson's book has PT 65 (and PT 264, as well) nicknamed "Hogan's Goat," but I thought I had read that PT 59 was nicknamed this, due to the 59's skipper Dave Levy being known as a Hogan's Goat because of his scrounging and procuring talents. Of course, that doesn't preclude other boats having the same nickname. Johnson's book has the 59 nicknamed "Gunboat," but was it really called that, or is this a postwar mangling of the boat's alternate designation as "Gunboat #1," or "GB-1" after its conversion under Kennedy? The book also lists PT 109's nickname as "JFK," as mentioned by a previous poster, but I too find this a highly doubtful, after-the-facts-became-legend tag. It's not mentioned anywhere in Robert J. Donovan's exhaustively-researched "PT 109 - John F. Kennedy in World War II," which contains much trivia and minutia about life on the 109 under Kennedy (for instance, JFK himself was nicknamed "Shafty," due to his constant use of the word "shafted," as in "I've been shafted [screwed]!").
Anyway, as I said, always an interesting subject!
Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Feb 24, 2009 - 1:16pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am
I agree, I also have a healthy amount of doubt as to whether or not the PT300 was actually called "Kamikaze Val" by her crew in light of the fact that the PT300 was destroyed by a Kamikaze attack at Mindoro by a Japanese "Val" Dive Bomber. It just seems to be a little too much coincidence. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Feb 24, 2009 - 1:42pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
The website HTTP://WWW.PT108LILDUCK.COM does not exist anymore. Do you know of the new web site?
Proud Daughter of:
Lt. Emery M. Newton
PT 323
b. 1913 d. 1997
Posted By: KatDerrick | Posted on: Sep 9, 2009 - 4:08pm
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Sep 3, 2009 - 5:34am
PT-323 was called the Calamity Jane. My father was the commander of it until one week before it was hit.
Proud Daughter of:
Lt. Emery M. Newton
PT 323
b. 1913 d. 1997
Posted By: KatDerrick | Posted on: Sep 9, 2009 - 4:12pm
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Sep 3, 2009 - 5:34am
I googled PT 323, The Calamity Jane, and came to this site. My father, David Myers, served on that boat in WWII, when it was Calamity Jane. I have a great picture of him with the crew in front of the boat.
Any information about it would be greatly appreciated. Anyone around who served with him?
Maggie Laughlin
Yep, My father was the Commander of it at one point when it had that name. I have quite a few pictures but would love to see yours.
Proud Daughter of:
Lt. Emery M. Newton
PT 323
b. 1913 d. 1997
Posted By: KatDerrick | Posted on: Sep 9, 2009 - 4:27pm
Total Posts: 15 | Joined: Sep 3, 2009 - 5:34am
The 334 boat, Ron 24 was Heaven Can Wait.. She was sunk by enemy action on her first mission.
Posted By: tom clark | Posted on: Sep 10, 2009 - 3:32pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
MY mistake.. so sorry..Heaven can wait was the 337 boat-Ron24..Still sunk on her first mission.
Posted By: tom clark | Posted on: Sep 10, 2009 - 3:37pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
The 334 boat was, at various times, BARRACUDA, MESC, VICTORIA and SEAHAWK.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 10, 2009 - 4:25pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
To All:
All the boats in RON 24 were named after Hawks during the time Ed Hoagland was Squadron Commander. Jan 25-Oct 14, 1945
106-Devil Hawk
332-Blackhawk
333- Thunderhawk
334-Sea Hawk(Hoagland's usual flag boat)
335-Sea Hawk(name is shown for this boat too, but I think it is an error in Johnson's book)
336-War Hawk
340-?
341-Death Hawk
342-Tomahawk
343-?
Take care,
TED
Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Sep 10, 2009 - 5:15pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am
I dunno, Ted. There seem to be a lot of instances of nicknames going from boat to boat with a particular skipper or for some other reason. Look at all the SNAFUs, SEA CATs and SEA WOLFs, for example.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 10, 2009 - 5:32pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
I have come across a nickname listing for PT 310 of "Alcyone" Does anyone have any information regarding origin of the nickname or when the nickname was used, etc?
Thanks, Roger
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 22, 2009 - 3:27pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Roger: That name appears on my Master List, along with VIRGINIA DOLL and _ _ _ UT BUSTER.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 22, 2009 - 11:15pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Will,
Thanks, Roger
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 23, 2009 - 5:31am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Will, I also found out the following regarding Alcyone...
Alcyone is a star system in the constellation Taurus. It is the brightest star in the Pleiades open cluster, which is a young cluster, aged at less than 50 million years. Alcyone is approximately 400 light years from Earth. It is named after the mythological figure Alcyone, one of the mythological Pleiades.
Alcyone in Greek mythology is the name of one of the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas and Pleione or, more rarely, Aethra.[1] She attracted the attention of the god Poseidon and bore him several children, variously named in the sources: Hyrieus, Lycus, Hyperenor, and Aethusa;[2] Hyperes and Anthas;[3] Glaucus;[4] and Epopeus.[5][6] There are various etymological interpretations of her name's origin.[7]
The Pleiades were the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione born on Mount Cyllene. They are the sisters of Calypso, Hyas, the Hyades, and the Hesperides. The Pleiades were nymphs in the train of Artemis, and together with the seven Hyades were called the Atlantides, Dodonides, or Nysiades, nursemaids and teachers to the infant Bacchus.
There is some debate as to the origin of the name Pleiades. Previously, it was accepted the name is derived from the name of their mother, Pleione. However, the name Pleiades is more likely to come from πλεῖν (to sail), because the Pleiades star cluster is visible in the Mediterranean at night during the summer, from the middle of May until the beginning of November, which coincided with the sailing season in antiquity. This derivation was recognized by the ancients, including Virgil (Georgics 1.136-138).
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 23, 2009 - 5:38am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
So there seems to have been a nautical connection, however tenuous...
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 23, 2009 - 10:42am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Will.
I might add that if I recall correctly, RON 22 arrived in the Mediterranean in May 1944, the beginning of the ancient sailing season.
So maybe not do tenuous after all...
Roger
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 23, 2009 - 11:10am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
My uncle, Frank Couch, served on PT-347, call sign ZOMBIE.
Sadly, he recently passed away at the ripe old age of 90.
Posted By: NateC | Posted on: Sep 22, 2011 - 7:26am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Thanks Will, Gary sent me your list and I found "Calamity Jane". I've reread the letters from Donald Stockwell, that my wife has and he mentioned that he was also on "The Zombie". I'm sure that this one was not PT-347, I believe that it was destroyed before he arrived in the South Pacific. So, there is another boat, probably in MTB Ron 21 that was named "The Zombie". From what I see Zombie was popular. Your list is great.
Alan
Alan Curtis
Alan, I am not sure when Mr. Stockwell was on "The Zombie", but the PT-347 "Zombie" was sunk on April 29, 1944 after being involved in a friendly fire incident with PT-350 and, eventually, PT-346 when they were attacked by American aircraft.. My uncle, Frank Couch, served aboard PT-347 during this incident. Here are the recounts of that event:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/%7Eptboat347/
and
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/ptboat/PT-347.html
Maybe this will help.
Cheers.
Posted By: NateC | Posted on: Sep 22, 2011 - 7:34am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered