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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
PT Boat nicknames
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Hello recently I saw in the back of book on PT's, a section listing the nicknames of the PT boats. In some case's the boat had two or three different nicknames.
I wrote down three of them for three different boats:
PT- 164: "FUBAR"
PT-117: "MUNDA MORN"
PT-239: "DRY DOCK ANNIE"
I am curious if anyone here can recall seeing or hearing the boats refered to as such ?
Regards-
Posted By: Shaneo2 | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 8:34am
Total Posts: 147 | Joined: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:19pm
"Dry Dock Annie" was a Ron 19 boat. It was burned and sunk at the dock by a fuel dock fire at Lambu Lambu Cove, Vella La Vella on Dec. 14, 1943. We were all trapped in the cove by the fire and watched it burn. All Ron 19 boats had nicknames. Our PT 242 was nicknamed "Celeste" after a call girl in New Orleans.
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 9:31am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
Shaneo,
Ron 27 and 28 nicknames
Thanks to Will Day
PT-378 DRACULA
PT-379 SCORPION 79'ER
PT-380 HELLION
PT-381 SHELLY GEORGE MATT
PT-382 BED BUG
PT-383 KNIGHT RAIDER
PT-546 TIMBER WOLF
PT-547 PAOLI LOCAL ENA BABY COME SEVEN II
PT-548 DEVIL'S DOZEN
PT-549 DRACULA
PT-550 QUEEN BEE
PT-551 SAPPHIRE
PT-356 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE DIANAMITE DIANAMITE 6
PT-357 DIANAMITE II
PT-360 CORAL PRINCESS BLANCHE LEAHNITA
PT-372 DONNA FAYE MISS FORTUNE
PT-373 HATCHES JANIE
PT-374 TORPEDO TRUK
PT-375 JUDY
PT-376 SPIRIT OR 76
PT-377 MISS CHATTERBOX
Gary
Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 9:44am
Total Posts: 249 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am
Cheers CJ- it is interesting to see/hear how some of the boats got those nicknames...I should have copied the whole list...
Posted By: Shaneo2 | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 9:48am
Total Posts: 147 | Joined: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:19pm
Thanks Gary...if anyone is interested in the book I was looking at I can look through my notes. I would recon several here already have it though.
There was a very large list of boat nicknames.
Regards
Posted By: Shaneo2 | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 9:51am
Total Posts: 147 | Joined: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:19pm
I have a sort of "master list" of nicknames culled from various sources over the years. I believe Headquarters has a copy of the latest updates....
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 10:13am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
The Book was:
PT BOATS of WW-II
author: FRANK D. JOHNSON
Blandford Press
out of Poole, Dorset United Kingdom
Posted By: Shaneo2 | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 11:14am
Total Posts: 147 | Joined: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:19pm
Shaneo,
We have covered this subject extensively in past threads, You can see them by going to the "Search" tab at the top of this page and then searching for the term 'names" Anyway, I think Will Day is your man. His list of PT Boat names is pretty awesome and extensive. I am pretty sure the PT108 Little Duck website is no longer functioning? You should ask Will Day to send you a copy! I have an older copy in pdf file format in case you cant get in touch with Will. Maybe Will would consider posting this names file on this website? via Dick Washicheck? Jerry PT658 Portland
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 12:55pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Will . . .
If you like, send me your list and we'll get it posted, time permitting.
Dick . . .
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: May 11, 2010 - 11:53pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
I often wonder how many of the actual Crews knew the nicknames of the boats. In many interviews I had over the years with PT BOAT VETS, many could not recall, or never knew the boat had a nickname when they were on the boat. Names of course changed as Crews rotated home, which is why some boats have three nicknames. Many of the boats did not carry the nickname painted on the charthouse or anywhere else for that matter.
I recall talking with three former crewmembers serving at the same time on PT-374. When I had mentioned the nickname of their boat was TORPEDO TRUK, they looked at each other and said "NO KIDDING", we never knew that. Don't get me wrong, many others I spoke with did know the names, but I bet many others did not...........
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 12, 2010 - 1:43am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
Dick: I'll get the list to you ASAP for posting. The caveat here is that different sources sometimes provide slightly different spellings. You will also notice that there were themes for the names in some rons (Lil' Abner characters, etc.). Many boats carried some of the same names due to general popularity (HOGAN'S GOAT, DYNAMITE, etc) and some skippers seem to have taken their favorite name with them when they changed boats. Also, in some instances boats were renamed after crew members KIA.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 12, 2010 - 4:55am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
My Dad's PT-120 was named "The Roarin' 20", from Ron 8.
Mike Allen son of M. Robert "Bob" Allen.
Dad's PT-120, Ron 8
Posted By: pappy19 | Posted on: May 12, 2010 - 3:35pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Add "Snuffy Smith" to the list 241 Boat Rons 16 & 23
Peter Tare
Posted By: Vistar | Posted on: Nov 12, 2013 - 12:01pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Remember "Snuffy Smith" - 241 named after Ron 19 CO Russell "Snuffy" Smith
Peter Tare
Posted By: Vistar | Posted on: Nov 12, 2013 - 12:05pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
I think this subject has been brought up before, but...
Does anyone know for sure if the "nick-naming" of the boats was based on the old sailor's superstition that a boat without a name was "bad luck," or -- was it just because the PT crews felt like it?
My guess is that it was probably a combination of both, and some PT sailors may not have even been aware of the "no name/bad luck" superstition.
Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Nov 12, 2013 - 1:59pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am