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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Guadalcanal August 7th, 1941
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3631

There was a small announcement in my local newspaper to the effect that this was the day that U.S. Armed Forces landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. This was our first real attempt at trying to push the Japanese forces back. My heart felt thanks to the Marines and Army forces who served at that time. The Navy did its share in the landing and in around Savo Island and I am prejudiced enough to say that the PT Boats that were there made a tremendous contribution. Ron 9 did not show up until Jan or Feb 1942 but we were proud to follow in their footsteps.

I met a Sgt Edward Kelly, USMC, Btn 3 (?) after the war who participated in the landings and he was thanking me for the PT Boat participation. I told him that I was still in the States getting ready for Melville, RI PT Trainming and that we should be thanking him for his efforts.

Pat Rogers, PT154 Ron 9, PT486, Ron 4, USS Jamestown AGP3

Posted By: Pat Rogers | Posted on: Aug 7, 2014 - 3:33pm
Total Posts: 72 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 3:21am

Thanks for the update Pat, you are correct the PT's did a great job in the area during that time and beyond. Thanks for your service Pat, you guys certainly were the "Greatest Generation" http://mosquito-fleet.gdinc.com/

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 7, 2014 - 4:12pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Thanks for the story Pat. I'm sure Sgt. Kelly would not have said that if it weren't true.

At first, what was it like for you and the average crewman upon hitting the tropics? Did men from the colder states have a harder time adapting?

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 9, 2014 - 12:44pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff D - I would not be your average crewman. I was a fair skinned, red head who in my youth would burn, blister, peel and then go back to white.
In Jan-Feb 1943, RON 9 stayed at Tobago, Panama and that might have toughened me up. Little by little as we went through the Solomons I developed a llight tan with little discomfit. One guy from Colorado was extremely dark. Another redhead on the boat kept himself covered up all the time and couldn't seem to adapt. Twenty or thirty years later I was on vacation in Colorado at high altitude and I burned almost like the good old days. Some guys didn't like the constant sun and the high(?) temperatures in the SoPac but I got by..

Posted By: Pat Rogers | Posted on: Aug 11, 2014 - 11:39pm
Total Posts: 72 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 3:21am

Thanks Pat, you sound like you have the same melanin content I do. I've seen photos of crewmen with long sleeve shirts on, I'm guessing they were the same. I'm glad you were able to adapt OK.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 12, 2014 - 2:19am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am