The PT Boat Forum
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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf

ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102

ť Topic: OPERATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORCE
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3611

All;
As the war ended some of RON 4(PT 39, 486, 487, 557,558,559) and RON 42(613, 616, 619, and 620), plus a few more(possibly PT 601,607, 614, 615(we know here she is), 618, 621, 796) , PT's were sent to Solomons, Maryland to join the Operational Development Force, this command eventually moved to NOB Norfolk in 1947. Vice Admiral Willis A. "China" Lee USN {of Guadalcanal Fame) was designated as Commander, Operational Development Force (CTF 69), USS Adirondak (AGC-15) was his flagship in October 1945 and operated out of Norfolk until August 1949. I two photos one of the ex-RON 42 boats at NOB Norfolk 1946-47. The other is of a PT at the end of a pier on a cradle, "mothballed". I have also seen some photos on Chesapeake Bay of boats underway,
In May 1959, this command was re-designated as Operational Test and Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR). This is what it is know as today, and is still at NOB Norfolk.
Does anyone have photos of the PT's either at Solomons Maryland or NOB Norfolk, while in service with OPDEVFOR?
Thanks,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 19, 2014 - 6:47am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I don't have any photos or such, but my father was assigned to that group after RON19 was redeployed in 1944 and he stayed with that unit until the end of his enlistment in 1948. He used to talk about the experimental boats and all the work they did with torpedo guidance systems there.

Posted By: S Bernik | Posted on: Jul 22, 2014 - 5:55pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

I found your Dad, Louis Bernik, listed in the back of "Knights Of the Sea". If your Dad was in RON 19, maybe C.J.Willis(a frequent poster on the messageboard, PT 242, RON 19 and RON 23) recognizes his name. RON 19 in May 1944, was decommissioned and the boats and crews were distributed to RON 20 and RON 23. Can you tell me what boats he might have been on in RON 19 and the Operational Development Force?
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 23, 2014 - 8:11am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted I knew Louie Bernick well. He was on our 242 boat and is in the group picture of 242 crew taken when Ron 19 was decommissioned in May 1944. Louie was with us after we went into Ron 23. Am sure he was on our boat until our whole crew was relieved of duty at Green Island in Nov 1944. I cant remember just when he came aboard but I believe he joined us in February or March 1944 after we added the two twin fifties on the bow and we needed more gunners.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jul 24, 2014 - 9:14am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

Thanks C.J.!
It is so nice for you to be able to connect with your crewmate's children. I will post a photo of your crew and crew roster for you.
Take care.
TED

Here is a photo of PT 242 crew:
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/PT242Celestecrew.jpg[/image]

PT 242 crew roster:
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/PT242CREWROSTER.jpg[/image]

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 24, 2014 - 12:41pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Louie is third from the right on the bottom row. I am the curly headed kid next \to him second from right bottom row

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jul 24, 2014 - 1:29pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

C.J.
I don't know how much you kept up with him over the years, but your PT 242 Skipper, Alpine W. McLane lll, had quite an illustrious Navy career!

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT242skipperAlpineWMcLane.jpg[/image]
1967 photo of CAPT Alpine W. McLane, USN, CO USS Richmond K. Turner DLG-20.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/CAPTALPINEWMcLANElllPT242.jpg[/image]
CO's Bio 1967 Cruise book USS Richmond K. Turner DLG-20.

With a naval career which spanned more than 30 years, Captain McLane fought in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. In addition to the awards mentioned in the cruise book he also awarded numerous medals and commendations, including the Legion of Merit with Combat ''V'', Bronze Star with Combat ''V'' and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat ''V."
Throughout his diverse and distinguished Naval career, he captained a P.T. boat, was skipper of the U.S.S. Richmond K. Turner DLG-20 and served his final assignment was as Commander Naval Activities United Kingdom.
I even found his graduation program from Naval War College , which he graduated on 13 June 1956, and one of his classmates was CAPT Clinton McKellar USN, former CO RON 1 and RON 27! PT MEN STICK TOGETHER!
His final patrol was on January 8, 1999, of Annandale, Virginia and Delray Beach, Florida.

Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 24, 2014 - 7:54pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted: Thanks for the info on Mr. McLane. I knew he stayed in the Navy after WW2 and was a career Officer. He was a good and fair PT Skipper the 13 months I was aboard 242. I was a Torpedoman by rank but was assigned to the port twin fifty turret and was really a gunners mate. I went to Mr. McLane once and told him I would like to do more torpedo work on the boat. He informed me in very few words that I was a gunners mate until he told me different.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jul 25, 2014 - 9:02am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

C.J.
Glad to do you the favor. Thank you for sharing, it is great to hear stories like that, I had a similar one.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 25, 2014 - 12:51pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Louie apparently made the transit with the I'll_fated 239 boat to Vella Labella. He was supposed to be a Motor Much but his skipper, a Buffalo NY native, took him aside and told him he' make Louie a Gunners Mate instead. He moved to 243, the"Tonde Laya", and then to 242. He spent the rest of his 6 year hitch with the OpDev experimental boats unit. That's sort of a black hole of history and documentation_ any ideas of how I can research that?

Posted By: S Bernik | Posted on: Jul 25, 2014 - 5:42pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Mr. Bernik;
As you said, OPDEVFOR is a black hole, Chip Marshall has the most info, but the whole command, PT Boat wise, seems to have little surviving documentation. The only stuff you can count on are the individual boats logs, which are at the National Achieves in College Park, Maryland. A whole "how to" is explained at Gene Kirkland's website:
http://pt-king.gdinc.com/PTResearch.html

Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 25, 2014 - 6:31pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted, thanks for the link. I will( someday) follow up to see if there's anything worthwhile.

Posted By: S Bernik | Posted on: Jul 30, 2014 - 3:04pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered