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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Is this bell the real deal ?
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=2497



PT Boat bell on Ebay. Is this an authentic bell?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTHENTIC-Brass-NAVY-U-S-S-PT-648-BOAT-BELL-Mounted-Hickory-Brass-Stand-/150759823452?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2319fc585c



Posted By: Mark Culp | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 8:32am
Total Posts: 135 | Joined: Oct 15, 2006 - 2:56pm



I looked at that and was not sure myself. I had contacted Jerry about this piece but to date have not heard back from him. This is only the second bell I have seen dealing with PT BOATS, and to tell you the truth, I am not sure if they all had them or not............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 9:12am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



It looks close in shape and size to the bell visible in two photos posted by Bob and Al on this thread:
[url]http://www.ptboats.org/cgi-local/sitenetbbs/netboardr.cgi?fid=102&cid=101&tid=2195&sc=20&pg=1&x=0[/url]

It's located at the aft side of the port turret.




Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 11:47am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Our drawings show it as a 6" bell, same as the ebay one.

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 1:54pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Hi Frank and Bob and everyone,
We have on the PT658 a donated PT boat bell engraved with "PT483" Or something close to that number? It has a completely different hangar, ours has a keystone shaped wedge that fits into a female holder bracket. You can loosen a set screw and lift the wedge up and out of the bracket. We do this for safekeeping. The bell itself looks identical to that one, however. I think maybe we should get it for the PT658 since it was only 10 numbers different than our own hull number. Frank, the guys story sounds very plausible to me as well. If somebody purchases this bell would you guys consider a trade? Thanks Jerry

Here is a photo of our bell

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT658vanLowellDrivesoffVancouverSept2011.jpg[/image]

Here is Al Ross Picture showing the bell and PT265-313 turret

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT265to313turret-1.jpg[/image]

Here is PT305 with bell mounted on mast, that is XO Morse and CO Purdy at wheel

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT305XOMorseandPurdyCO.jpg[/image]

Here is crewman on PT305 with bell on mast in background

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/pt305bell.jpg[/image]
Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 3:31pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm



Don't count on me Jerry, I think that bell on EBAY will far surpass what's in my wallet. Thanks for the information and the photo's..........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:20pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



How bout this one?
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/MC440002.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 6:27pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Being a retired Fire Captain from the City of Hartford I have to say that in the fire service it was the apparatus bell that represented the heart and sole of any particular truck. When a truck was finally surveyed out of city service, that damned bell was sought after by so very many people- all of whom had an association with the truck being removed from service. They weren't "bell collectors". They wanted to preserve the "sole" of that truck in rememberance of all the "working fires" and the men that worked them, the lives lost or changed forever, the damage and destruction that the truck and the bell witnessed.

And so it must also be for the bell of a ship- more important, the bell of a PT boat. Of course, the 648 never saw service. But that bell is so representative of those that did. What I wouldn't give for the bell from USS PT 113, laying atop the coral bottom of Veal Reef in the waters off New Guinea. I sure hope this bell gets to where it should be- a kind of final resting place, in honor of those that served.

That theme carries through to those who conduct deep sea salvage. Ever see the pride on the diver's face as he displays the ship's bell? He knows he's hold ing the heart and sole of that long ago lost ship. Not a single other item aboard any ship would convey the true essence of that ship.

Sorry for the rambling but I just had to comment. I have a couple of fire apparatus bells from the City that were, and are, important to me. I'm now thinking that I should find a "final resting place" for them, as well.

Allan




Posted By: Allan | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 6:45pm
Total Posts: 161 | Joined: Sep 18, 2007 - 7:07pm



Curiously, the seller mixes up the RON with a VA squadron. 648 was assigned to RON 44 but he talks about Attack Squadron 44 (HORNETS), which was an East Coast training squadron (Cecil Field, FL) for A4 Skyhawks. I spent a couple months assigned to VA44 in 1969.

Al



Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 20, 2012 - 8:11pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm



I agree with Jerry on the shape of the hanger. Wedge shaped that fits into a female holder. The bell from the 210 looks exactly like Jerry's first photo. And reads ' U S S PT 210'.

Steve

Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 3:33am
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am



In seeing the first hand information provided on the board, I am pretty certain the seller has the real deal in his possession. What is even better is that the bell has not been cleaned or buffed out in any way and remains in her true color. The high bid right now is over $300.00,, and I fully expect it will double in price over the next few days of the auction. You just do not see them very often. I would love to have her in my Exhibit, but as I stated in my earlier post, it will far exceed what I could pay. I think Will, Dick, Jerry,Al and a few others should pitch in and buy it for me. Just kidding guys, maybe I will hit the lottery before the auction ends.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 7:13am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



If we pitch in to buy that thing, it will be as a gift to your wife so she can hang it over your bed and get you up on time in the morning.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 9:26am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm



What a beautiful way to get up, from the bell of a PT BOAT. Heck I don't have to do that Will, I could just fire up my Packard engine. Of course the neighbors might all have heart attacks............




Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 11:45am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



No Will, Franks wife could simply gong it up against Frankie's forehead! I bet that would be pretty loud! (We all know how hard Frank's head is!) Hah Hah! Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 1:55pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm



I can't argue with ya there Jerry, My Wife has said for the past 35 years that my head was made of rock. I wouldn't want to crack that bell...........Ha ha



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 2:54pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



made of spruce

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 21, 2012 - 7:15pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



All;
What a nice bell, I wonder how many more bells made it off the boats and are now in some homes, or stuffed in attics and garages.
Joe Kernal's daughter, wrote me years ago, saying her Dad brought PT 61's bell home from the Solomons, and had it mounted in the back yard to call the kids in for dinner. The bell is present in the color photos of PT 61 (May-June 1943) I have, and Ken did not remember it missing when he took over 61, but you know........
take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 23, 2012 - 5:54am
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



So did anybody pick up a nice shiny bell ?

Steve

Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Feb 24, 2012 - 10:53am
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am



Not me, I can't afford to buy it, with Gasoline @ $3.68 a gallon. Who the hell can buy a bell, lol




Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 24, 2012 - 11:06am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



It's currently at $510.

Al



Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 24, 2012 - 11:13am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm



Regarding the bell, does anyone find it unusual that it weighs in at a mere two and one-half pounds? That weight includes the hammer, too. Given the size, I should think the bell is just a very thin shell. If it is genuine, the sound must be very "tinny". I would normally expect just the hammer to weigh the two and one-half pounds.

I have a bronze bell of about that size with the USN letters cast into it such that the letters are raised out from the surface. I'm not sure what it came from, but it wieghs about twenty-five pounds. Perhaps this was a form of overall weight reduction for the PT. But the weight being shown for this "PT" bell seems extremely light! Just a thought, but, to me something seems amiss.

Allan





Posted By: Allan | Posted on: Feb 25, 2012 - 9:39pm
Total Posts: 161 | Joined: Sep 18, 2007 - 7:07pm



Hi Allen,
The bell we have mounted on PT658 in Portland marked PT481 (of which I placed a photo in my first post) is exactly the same size and weight as this one shown. The bell sounds like any other bell of that size. You must have a much larger, non PT Boat bell. The only thing I dont like about the one on Ebay is the substitution of the hickory wood stand for the original keystone post and bracket. Just FYI Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Feb 26, 2012 - 2:42pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm



Hi Jerry

The thing that I don't like about the Bell, is that I can't afford to buy it for my Exhibit. I thought I would have won the lottery before the auction ended, but no such luck, and Will refuses to buy it for me, even though he's loaded...............LOL.............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 26, 2012 - 3:38pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



The Bell sounded for the last round, and went for a cool $1,230.00. I need a better job...........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 26, 2012 - 7:38pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am




The Bell sounded for the last round, and went for a cool $1,230.00. I need a better job...........



No Frank. What you need is for the Missus or yourself to get in touch with the buyerand persuade him to donate the bell to your exhibit or to loan it to the exhibit. Women can talk guys into just about anyhing which is why I suggest that your Missus might be successful.

Cheers frrom Peter

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder | Posted on: Feb 26, 2012 - 8:07pm
Total Posts: 494 | Joined: Jun 24, 2008 - 5:59pm



Pete

I usually do just what you suggested. I would say 85% of the time, Most of the people selling this stuff are only interested in the money, and have no attachment to the Historical value what so ever. Sometimes I do get lucky, but this was not one of those times. I do know who bought the bell, and he does have a love for the boats and the History, so I feel comfortable that it went to a very good home. In fact, he E mailed me before the close of the Auction to say he would not bid on the bell if it was something i wanted for the Exhibit. He is class person..............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 26, 2012 - 11:59pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am