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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Invasion Question
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Hello All,
Easter Greetings.
I have been working at getting my Father In-Law's Story put all together for this Fathers Day for my husband.
I have had the privilage of being able to ask Earl questions of what it was like for a guy in the last few weeks. He has shared what it was like Traveling to California on a troop train and shipping out not really knowing where you were going just to name a few. His experiance and my Father In-laws were very similar as far as where they were sent and at the same approx. time. Earl went on to Ron 3 and Robert R Rocheleau went on to Ron 9

Earls help has been breathing life into the information I have gotten from my father in-law's military records. From his military records,( I am very thankful to have) but they dont tell you how it was on a personal level. Earl thought it would be a good idea to put this question to the message board.

My Father In-law was in Ron 9 PT 156
He arrived at New Caledonia November 1943, left on LCI (L) 436 enroute to Guadalcanal November 26,1943.
He was assigned to MTB sqd.9 on Dec.4,1943
Steve N from the message board found him coming aboard the 156 Feb. 23 1944 I dont know what he was doing up to that point, besides being with Ron 9. He must have been doing what ever he needed to do to qualify for getting his GM rating. But what else?
The time span between assigned to ron 9 and getting on the 156 is Dec 4 to Feb 23.

His records say that he was in 4 Invasions. I dont know if that is the right term. I will state what his records say. Participated in offensive Motor Torpedo Boat operations from Advance Bases during the Northern Solomon Islands Campaign from 4 DEC 1943 to 19 MAY 1944 (1) star for Treasury-Bougainville Operation (1) Star for Bismarc Archipelago Operations.
Another paper in his records says, Participated in offensive Motor Torpedo Boat Operations from Advance Bases in the Dutch New Guinea Area and the Molucca Archipelago (Halmahera) from 20 June 1944 to 3 November 1944 Eligeble to wear one star on the
Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon for the Dutch New Guinea Campaign, and one star for the Molucca Archipelago Campaign when Authorized.

OK, Now here is the question, What does that mean?
I want to know what that was like for a guy. What did they do?
Was it fighting from the boat? He was a Gm2c His GQ was the 37mm.
I have been picking photo's from many sources, running them past Earl. He would tell me if the photo was a hit or a miss.
I want to put photo's to some of the information, maps of the places Ron 9 was. But I dont know what kind of experiance would have gone with this information.
Did they go ashore and fight?
In the past I have posted his photo's to the message board.
There are photo's of his fresh boyish face leaving bootcamp and 2 years later there is a mug shot type photo, he looked like he aged 15 years. He would never talk about the war. I wonder if you guy's can tell me what you think he might have experienced ?

I know we will not know for sure what all he saw and experianced, but i would like to have an educated guess.

Thank you for any input you might have.
Julie




Posted By: MN Gal | Posted on: Mar 30, 2013 - 1:41pm
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jan 4, 2012 - 7:57am



Julie;
From everything you have written, your father in law was assigned to PT 156 RON 9 as a Gunners Mate, his GQ station was the forward 37mm. His daily duties wuold have been maintaining that weapon and the rest of the weapons on the boat(The Guns). If his boat was slated for a patrol that night, he and the other Gunners mates on the boat, would insure they had a complete load out of ammunition for the nights patrol, if they did not, they would route a ammunition request through the boat CO, and Squadron Commander(during the time period you stated, LT Hamilton H. Wood was RON CO), and on to base force chain of command for approval and issue. Once the weapons were ready to go, he would help out on the boat where needed, until ALL pre underway checks were completed.
As for the invasions stated, these were the invasions where RON 9 directly participated in a operational capacity. No, they did not get off the boat, they operated primarily in the roles of coastal interdiction, gunfire support, anti shipping, and other offensive tactical operations which would result in eliminating all Japanese waterborne traffic in the stated areas.
I hope this clears it up a little.
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 30, 2013 - 4:36pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



not to diminish the model folks, but sort of post to the board is why i am so very pleased that the board has continued. thanks again for that.



Posted By: PT127 | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 12:21am
Total Posts: 35 | Joined: Aug 21, 2011 - 1:32pm



Thanks Ted,
Not to get this post side tracked, but I have to ask.
So he did not run and fire the 37mm when they went out on patrol?

The Invasion information is very helpful as well, thank you.

The Invasion question I am really fishing for from the board is:
What was it like?
Why did he age and look so hard.?
Why would he never speak about the war?

I relize this is a tuff question, but it is the information that I will not find in his military records.

If I could get some stories from people on the board about what it was like on a personal level, that is what I am hoping to learn, to bring his story to life. We will understand that this is just what he "possilby" saw and felt as we cant ask him. We have to ask others.

thanks again and Happy Easter !



Posted By: MN Gal | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 4:35am
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jan 4, 2012 - 7:57am




Thanks Ted,
Not to get this post side tracked, but I have to ask.
So he did not run and fire the 37mm when they went out on patrol?

The Invasion information is very helpful as well, thank you.

The Invasion question I am really fishing for from the board is:
What was it like?
Why did he age and look so hard.?
Why would he never speak about the war?

I relize this is a tuff question, but it is the information that I will not find in his military records.

If I could get some stories from people on the board about what it was like on a personal level, that is what I am hoping to learn, to bring his story to life. We will understand that this is just what he "possilby" saw and felt as we cant ask him. We have to ask others.

thanks again and Happy Easter !



Hi there.

My few cents worth.

1. War is Hell! Vets often were in the midst of Hell on Earth and the sights and things they experienced can NOT really be expressed in mere words.

2. Due to the rigours of living in the Hell of a Combat Zone people age VERY quickly. Poor food, little or interrupted sleep and lots of stress contribute to this.

3. Combat troops or sailors are/were a very close knit bunch. When one of them was lost in combat or by other means it hit the rest pretty hard. These surviving vets saw stuff that non-combat people could never understand as "You had to be there to know what it was like" and thus often don't like to talk about it as it opens ols wounds that are just barely covered let alone healed.

4. Combat and the sights one experiences often causes one to compartmentalize those experiences and hide them deep in the psych with a huge DO NOT OPEN - EVER! sign on them. That is done to maintain one's sanity. Thus many vets are again extremely reluctant to talk about those events.

I hope this helps a bit.

Cheers

"Give me a fast boat for we want to get out of harm's way too."

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder2 | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 8:50am
Total Posts: 204 | Joined: Dec 8, 2012 - 6:03pm



Julie: Your father-in-laws service in Ron 9 pretty well parallels my service in Ron 19. I was about 2 months earlier than his time. I came through New Caladonia, Guadacanal, Tulagi etc. I was assigned to Ron 19 on Nov 3, 1943 then to P.T. 242 on Nov 7, 1943. Your father-in-law was probably on base force duty from Dec 4th until he was assigned to PT 156 Feb 23, 1944. Base force duty included mostly maintenance of the boats and did not include going on patrol at night. Ron 19 was operating with Ron 9 for a portion of this period at Treasury. ( However our boat (242) was damaged in fight with barges on Dec 27, 1943 and we were out of commission for 3 weeks for repairs). We again operated with Ron 9 at Green Island from March to May 1944. Ron 9 went to New Guinea, Ron 19 stayed at Green until Nov 15, 1944 when I was relieved of duty. I hitchhiked my way back to US for 30 days leave, then to the Fargo Bldg. in Boston for 2 month R and R then to Samar Philippines for 9 months until wars end.
As far as you father-in-law aging, I guess it affected different guys different ways. I think most PT Boaters went through similar experiences but some worse than others. We all lost a lot of sleep but we were young. We were in combat zones on every nightly patrol we went out on. Most guys went through bombings, shore battery shellings and barge fights. I think the early Squadrons in 1942 and early 1943 had it by far the roughest. They were fighting the Jap capital ships.
I never discussed my military service with anyone when I came home. It was something you wanted to forget and get on with something new. I had a lovely new wife to be with me and provide for. Half of my Engineering class at U.of Kansas were on the GI Bill. We never talked about our service. We had calculus to worry about. Then you take on responsibilities with family, business and doing your part in the community which takes up most of your time during your working career. After I retired my granddaughters said "tell us about the war" So I wrote a short story of My Navy Career which they enjoyed reading. I have discussed more about my military service here on this message board than anywhere else because the topics brought up remind me of many things that I have experienced. Julie I hope you find answers to your questions.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 12:46pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm



C.J. Thanks so much for your insight into the time you spent while in the service. I have here your complete Naval History that you sent to me a few years back. I loved reading every bit of it, as I am sure others do here. I think listing to you and others like Earl, is a breath of fresh air to the more common modeler questions we get, each day. Please keep telling us more. WE DO ENJOY IT VERY MUCH.



Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 1:16pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am



I totally agree with what Frank said. Thanks to you and the other guys....

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 4:14pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm



thanks guys for helping julie.i jnew you would all do so.hope you can resolve some of what you need for the book.you kmow where i am so you know i am available any time.
hey cj and will. we were in the same aeas and times almopst at the same times,.what a coinkidink earl

earl richmond

Posted By: earl | Posted on: Mar 31, 2013 - 8:35pm
Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm



Earl;
on another note Steve told me he was visiting you, I hope you guys had a great time!
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 1, 2013 - 1:22pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



ted, we did, thanks,was hopinfg to see paul there as his unvcle was on same boat and time that steve,s father was,they have exhanged photos and stories,.
earl

earl richmond

Posted By: earl | Posted on: Apr 1, 2013 - 2:01pm
Total Posts: 197 | Joined: Oct 18, 2006 - 12:13pm