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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
PT school
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I was under the impression that PT crews attended "school" at Melville, Rhode Island before being assigned to a crew and a boat. However I've heard from at least one PT vet that he was not assigned to PTs until he arrived in the Pacific theatre and he had no PT training at all prior to his assignment to a boat.
But for those who went to Melville first, I''m curious to know the sequence. Did you enlist first, go through basic training, then volunteer for PTs and go to Melville? Or did you volunteer for PTs as soon as you enlisted and go straight to Melville, with Melville serving as your basic training?
I have a book written during the war about a (fictional) officer going through Melville and eventually getting his PT command, but this looks at the school from the perspective of an officer. I'd like to know the path the enlisted men followed to get to Melville.
C. Marin Faure
Sammamish, Washington
Posted By: C Marin Faure | Posted on: Jan 30, 2007 - 5:10pm
Total Posts: 27 | Joined: Dec 20, 2006 - 11:43pm
According to my Dad's Service records, he attended the N.T.B.S.T.C in Melville, R.I. for 8 weeks prior to being assigned to RON 13.
Posted By: Larry Smith | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 5:08am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Although the vast majority of officers and men were trained at MTBSTC before assignment to operational squadrons, there were numerous instances - escecially "out in the area" - where men were simply transferred to PT duty (although not neccessarily as boat crewmen).
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 11:17am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Mr. Faure:
I never attended P.T. school at Melville. I was assigned to Squadron 19 from the Navy Receiving Station in Noumea, New Caledonia. - Joined the Squadron at Tulagi as they were going up the line to Vella La Vella. I joined the original crew of P.T. 242 as a turrert gunner. We spent 13 months made 85 patrols together. We were all given 30 days leave back to the U.S - then to Melville- then to Boston, Fargo Building - Then back to P.T. Base 17 in the Philippines but was never assigned another boat before the war ended..
I learned P.T.'s from experience. I attended Torpedo school and had a torpedoman rating but was really a gunner during my tour of duty. On our boat you did the job that you were assigned.
C. J. Willis
Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:35pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm
With the completion of boot camp at Great Lakes, I was selected for 6 months training at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) Naval School.
After graduation I was given the choice of serving with the Submarine fleet or the PT Boat fleet.
Of course, after the selection of PT's, I was sent to Melville for 8 weeks.
Next stop on my journey was to San Francisco for an all-paid 28 day excursion on a troop ship to New Guinea to locate boat 497 in Ron 33.
In summary:
2 months boot camp
6 months radio school
2 months PT school.
Cheers,
Gus
Posted By: area51 | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 1:30pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Thank you for the information you've posted. I get the impression that if someone did go through MTB training at Melville, it was after their initial basic training, and possibly after some specialized training as in Gus' case.
I realize that some people were "volunteered" for PT duty after their deployment to a combat theatre. But for those who volunteered for PTs on their own, at what point were they given the chance to do so? When they initially enlisted in the Navy or after their completion of basic training?
And does anyone know if the popular image of PTs during the war prompted more people to volunteer for them than were actually needed? Were a lot of people turned down for PT duty?
C. Marin Faure
Sammamish, Washington
Posted By: C Marin Faure | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 3:02pm
Total Posts: 27 | Joined: Dec 20, 2006 - 11:43pm
My dad's experience is similar to C.J.'s. He was even at the Fargo Building in Boston but I think it was after he returned to the States.
Dad went to torpedo school hoping to go into submarines but due to an ear issue, when the opportunity to go into PT's came up, he volunteered.
Posted By: Jeff Sherry | Posted on: Jan 31, 2007 - 5:57pm
Total Posts: 84 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:04pm
HI I WENT THRU BOOT CAMP AT GREAT LAKES,ILL AND THEN TO SERVICE SCHOOL (COOK AND BAKER) AT DEARBORN,MICHIGAN.I WAS ASKED WHILE THERE IF I WANTED TO GO TO PT BOAT SERVICE.I SAID NO.WAS SENT TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR EMBARCATION TO NUMEA ,NEW CALEDONIA.WHILE THERE IS WAS "DRAFTED"INTO PT BOAT SERVICE.ALSO WENT TO TULAGI AND UP THE LINE.I WENT THRU RONS 3,5,7,9 AND 11. I WAS ASSIGNED TO PT108 AT EMIRAU ISLAND,RON 5.SERVED SEVERAL MONTHS ON THE BOAT AND WAS THEN SENT BACK TO THE STATES FOR 30 DAY LEAVE AND THEN TO FARGO BLDNG,IN BOSTON.FROM THERE I WAS REASSIGNED AND SENT TO BOBON,SAMAR IN PI,WHERE IS WAS ASSIGNED TO BASE 17 UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR.I NEVER HAD PRE PT BOAT TRAINING.I STARTED FROM "SCRATCH,WHILE ABOARD PT 108.LEARNED FAST THOUGH.
earl richmond
Posted By: earl | Posted on: Feb 2, 2007 - 5:50am
Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm
my dad went to farragut idaho (camp ward) then to terminal island then to his boat. he was a gunners mate.
Posted By: kstrehle | Posted on: Feb 6, 2007 - 6:45am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
My Dad signed up at the Fargo Building in Boston then went to boo camp in upstate New York somewhere near the finger lakes. I can't remember the name of the place though. Anyone know?
Ray
Posted By: Ray Wilbur | Posted on: Feb 6, 2007 - 9:25am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
That was Sampson Naval Training Base.
Sampson, New York, On the shore of Seneca Lake.
I enlisted in New York, but true to Naval procedures,
I was sent to Great Lakes Illinois boot camp.
Cheers,
gus
Posted By: area51 | Posted on: Feb 7, 2007 - 1:42pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
My Father Chester T. Szot of Passaic , NJ (RON 36) told me a different story about how he was assigned to PT Boat duty.
It seems that after basic training graduation all of the graduates were told to form a line. When that person got to the head of the line he was told to turn either left or right.
Left was sub duty, right was PT Boat duty.
My father went on to train as an electrician for the entire squadron.
Gary Szot
Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:34pm
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm