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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
Ron 23
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Hi Guys,
I wondered if any of you would know what boat this could be ? The photo was taken in 1945
in the Palawan area. My father was there from about March to October that year ( I think ) on the 286. She also appears to be in a gun boat configuration.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron23.jpg[/image]
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 2:39pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
Steve
I do not know which boat this is but this is another one of those interesting what is it type photos. What is in between the aft 20mm cannon and the 40mm Bofors. Also, the 40mm seems to be missing something, Strange look to it. Notice the other guns aft of the turett mounts. Covered, but are they 20mm cannons. Hmmmmmm.
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 4:08pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
The 40mm has what appears to be canvass/tarps/rags/ etc covering the breach area. possibly for PMS or post firing clean up. Blowing up the bow area, it looks as if the guys are sitting on an ammo box, not a bow weapon. the covered tripod mounted weapons behind the cockpit area appear to be addition 20mm's not .50's The item between the aft 20mm and the 40mm looks to be a compressor/generator on a wheeled trailer.
this is my guess.
TED
Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 6:04pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am
Here are some up close shots:
My thoughts are:
photo 1.) stack of boxes in front of opened rear crew quarters hatch, with a life-ring hanging on one ? ?
Photo 2.) As Ted says a tarp over the receiver and loading area of the aft 40mm ? ?
Photo 3.) Two extra 20mm guns port and starboard with the standard 20mm aft of the engine room main hatch ? ?
Photo 4.) No comment just threw it in to see if markings on superstructure could be read - Nope ? ?
Two unnumbered photos, full lenght shots (stupid me) - my bad), attempted enhancement.
Dick . . .
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-006.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-001.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-002.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-003.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-004.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Ron23-005.jpg[/image]
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 7:40pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
I have a couple of shots of Ron 23 boats with 50-gallon fuel drums placed randomly on the deck aft, which could account for some of that mess we see between the aft 20 and the 40mm.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 10:28pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
In that mess between the 40MM and the 20MM must be something to do with the ammo cans for the 40MM, as I see no other lockers for storage of the 4 clipped shells..............
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 1:42am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
And, to me, she's not in a gunboat configuration, as she has torpedo racks, it might have been taken just after a patrol or before torpedoes were loaded aboard.
Garth
Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 6:13am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
I agree, I believe the big white thing in the middle is the engine room deck hatch.
Charlie
Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 12:03pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm
It doesn't appear to be a Ron 23 gunboat. PT's-283, 284 and 285 were converted into gunboats in February and March of 1944. Following the loss of 283, 282 was converted into a gunboat as a replacement for 283. According to Richard Haspel, Skipper of 284, the conversion of these craft consisted of the removal of torpedo racks, and the three 20mm's, one forward on port side, and two aft. An Army type antiaircraft 40mm Bofors were fitted to centerline on the bow and in the usual location on the stern. Four sets of twin 50's on pipe mounts were fitted on the centerline beginning 10' aft of the Radar mast. These boats saw action in the Admiralties. When their work was done, the Ron 23 PT's were sent to the Philippines in December of 1944 and the gunboats were reconverted back into the PT role in January, 1945. The Bow 40mm on a Ron 23 Gunboat was mounted on the centerline just in front of the crews quarters hatch and had to be traversed to Port or Stbd. to be able to gain access to this hatch. On PT-285 the 40mm's had sheilds identicle to those on the Bofors found on PT-59 when this craft was converted to a gunboat. In order for the sheild to clear the sampson post, this structure was cut down and lowered lowered so that the sheilds would clear. By early1945 the boats were reconverted back to PT's. PT in your picture appears to be taken after the war or after an overhaul. Boat in question could be PT-281 guessing from the Number 1 on the SO radar dome but in many of the Higgins squadrons the call numbers on the dome didn't always mean the last numeral of the hull number.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Wayne%20Traxel/Ron23PT-285GB.jpg[/image]
PT 285 Gunboat San Perdo Bay 1944
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Wayne%20Traxel/PT-282-287-284-286PalawanPI1945.jpg[/image]
Russell Lyons photo of PT's 282 ex Gunboat, 287, 284 ex Gunboat, 286 Palawan PI. 1945
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Feb 5, 2010 - 8:11am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am
Here are a couple more Ron 23 photos for you guys. They are again from 1945. The first photo is the 280 boat.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron232.jpg[image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron231.jpg[image]
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Feb 7, 2010 - 10:59am
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
Sorry about that.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron232.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron231.jpg[/image]
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Feb 7, 2010 - 11:08am
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
Message for Steve Nugent
Hi Steve, I need to contact you about the photo of the PT boat. You said in your previous post it was PT280? But it really looks like it is PT238 to me. One of our veterans here at Save the PT Boat (PT658) in Portland Oregon, named Maury Hooper was a crewman on the PT238. He would like a better picture of his old boat. Can you please look at your picture and let me know if there is a caption on it somewhere? Thanks Jerry
Compare these two pictures they look like the same boat to me!
Here is your picture of "PT280" which I suspect is actually 238
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron232.jpg[/image]
Here is my known photo of PT238
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/MaurysPT238edit.jpg[/image]
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 - 1:12pm
Total Posts: 1470 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Jerry: The 238 was not in Ron 23. When Ron 19 split up in April 1944 the 238 went into Ron 20.
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 - 2:23pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
Jerry,
I have to admit they do look similar. The main reason that I think the boat is the 280 is that
my fathers good buddy Jack Flachmann ( from St. Louis, MO ) was the Skipper of the 280
in Palawan. I'm guessing summer of 1945.
But I'll look to see if I have another photo that might show the boat number a little clearer.
C.J. is correct that this is definately Ron 23.
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 - 5:08pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
Hi Steve,
Thanks for looking into this for me. I blew up your photo and the hull number really really looks like it says 238. Also when you compare some of the other key feutures, such as the US Flag flying way up high on the radio antenna, the 37mm cannon in the same spot, the camoflage measure 31-20 identical on both photos and the IFF antenna on either side of the mast, they sure look like twin boats! Maury was in RON20 and they were down in Mindoro in 1945. Is it possible your Dad got a picture of the 238? Thanks again for looking. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 - 6:14pm
Total Posts: 1470 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Hey Jerry,
I think I have some different views of the same boat, which I will post when scanned, but I have no notes on any of the photos. And don't know much about my Dads stay in the P.I. This one photo has a couple of the Ron 20 boats in it, as QM said transferred from Ron 19.
Could be the tender 'Willoughby', I'm not sure.
And I tend to agree with you, those two photos you posted look the same.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Steve%20Nugent/Ron23s237252.jpg[/image]
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Apr 12, 2010 - 6:07pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
I forgot to say that the two boats with visible numbers are, at left, the 237 and the 252 on the right.
One boat looks like it has shields or something, I can't tell.
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Apr 12, 2010 - 6:12pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am
Wow Steve, that is awesome! So it is possible that RON20 boats were located in the same vicinity where your Dad was able to take some photos of the 238 boat. Thank you so much for doing all of this "investigation into history". I will print these pictures and give them to Maury this Thursday. I am sure he will be happy. You should have seen the look on his face when I asked him if he had any pictures of his boat. He said his camera had been lost and he never had any pictures of the 238. I am glad that you were able to show us these great photos!@ Thanks again very much!
Jerry
PT658 Portland OR
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Apr 12, 2010 - 8:19pm
Total Posts: 1470 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Hi Jerry,
Does Mr. Hooper think it's his 238 ? Mindoro and Palawan were not too far away
from each other.
"At Close Quarters' also says Rons 20 & 23 had patrols secured at
Palawan on 28April1945, but Ron 20 boats were not placed out of service until
24Nov1945. I don't know if they moved again or stayed in the same area.
Interesting..........
Steve Nugent
Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 - 5:17pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am