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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: Barge Hunting
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December 28, 1943 P.T. 242 left Treasury Base on patrol with Lt. Trimble, section Leader, Ensign Raney, skipper, Ensign Hanna, Exec. We were off the coast of Bougainville when about midnight we picked up pips on the radar about a mile away. They were some distance off the coast. We moved in close approx. 30 yds and commenced firing. They returned our fire but we continued firing as we moved slowly by them. It is an erie and scary feeling to see red tracers bullets coming toward you. I remember hunkering up in my gun turret - pulling my shoulders and legs together to make the least possible target, however I continued to fire my twin 50's and the 20mm and 37mm were firing also and could tell we were making direct hits on the barges. Finally the one I was concentrating on caught fire and I saw someone jump overboard - the firing from that barge ceased. The proceedure for P.T. Boats to attack barges was to go in a circle- with one boat firing while the other boats circled around - we would reload our ammunition belts- check for damage- then be ready to attack again. As we quit firing someone noticed the front port torpedo head smouldering - it was about 3 feet from my turret - I jumped out of my turret and ran back to the lazzerette to get a bucket with a rope. On the way back the other torpedoman on the boat John Grace was preparing to launch the torpedo to get it off the boat. We fired the air charge but it was wedged in the tube so we started dipping water from over the side to put the fire out. Needless to say we were very lucky that the T.N.T. warhead did not explode It had been hit by an explosive bullet and split the metal casing. holding the T.N.T. which was smouldering. Torpedo warheads are detonated by first exploding a small charge to set off the warhead. Evidently the explosive shell was not large enough to set off the warhead. Having been trained as a torpedman I was well aware of just how lucky we were. Our Boat and P.T. 247 the other boat were credited with two and a possible the third Jap barges. The next day we checked our boat damage - the line of bullets had gone about 12 inches below my feet in the turret - then hit the torpedo tube and on back into the engine room and did some small damage there. The torpedo tube and torpedo were damaged beyond repair. There was about 150 pounds of T.N.T. still in the head. (We got new Mark 13 to replace all our Mark 8 torpedoes.) Our Squadron Commander. Captain Smith, told us next morning when he saw the damage that all hands should get on our knees and thank God the the 600 pound warhead did not explode.

One of the experiences during my 13 months on P.T. 242

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jun 2, 2007 - 1:05pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

Thank you CJ for sharing your experience. It is one thing doing research and getting facts about a particular battle but it is quite another thing to hear about it first hand from someone who actually lived it.

My hat is off to you for being able to think quickly and do the right thing at the right time. Someone was definatley looking after you that night.

I have included two JPegs. I believe the first shot was one of your RON in Mios Woendi. The other shot is a picture my dad took on an evening in October 1944 in the Leyte Gulf from PT 525.

[IMaGe]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/09PT235OnWoendi.jpg[/IMaGe]

[IMaGe]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/AnightintheChannel.jpg[/IMaGe]

Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: Jun 2, 2007 - 1:45pm
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm

Hello CJ

I hope you read this post because I had some Computer problems and I do not have your e Mail address. Contact me as I have not spoken to you in a while. Thanks so much for the interesting story on the Barges. You guys sure were something.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jun 3, 2007 - 8:20am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Gary:
Thanks for the pictures. I like the lineup of Higgins boats. I recognize the 240 and 235 which were from our original squadron 19 but were then with squadron 20. May 15, 1944 squadron 19 was decommissioned. PT's 235 thru 238 and 240 were placed in Ron 20 (239 was lost in the fuel dock fire at Vella La Vella) 241 thru 244 were placed in Ron 23. Ron 20 went to New Guiena but Ron 23 went from Green Island to the Admiralties then to the Philippines. At the time your picture was taken our original crew of 242 had been relieved of duty having served our overseas time and was back in the U.S.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jun 3, 2007 - 10:04am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

I posted this encounter with Jap barges several years ago but I am reminded every year since it ocurred on Dec. 28, 1943. As Captain Smith said the next morning " The Lord was looking after us". We left Treasury the next day for Rendova for repairs and they sent us on down to Tulagi for Mark 13 torpedoes and new engines. We were at Tulagi on New Years 1944.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jan 1, 2011 - 10:08am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

Thanks for reminding us, C.J. Happy New Year....

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 1, 2011 - 5:19pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Incredible memories last a life time. Glad you are here with us CJ. HAPPY NEW YEAR and GOD BLESS.........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jan 1, 2011 - 6:03pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

hi c j nive to refresh the memories.thanks.happy new year earl

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Jan 2, 2011 - 7:20am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm

Will, Frank and Earl as well as all others on the message board - Hope all of you have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jan 2, 2011 - 12:32pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

CJ,

A Happy New Years to you too. I also enjoy your recollections of service, and something I like to mention to all veterans here is- "please consider" getting interviewed for : "The Veterans History Project".

These interviews are often conducted by the local VA, and the recordings sent to the Library of Congress. I am becoming a part of the project myself (very slowly as I have so much other history stuff going on).

As mentioned one can schedule a interview usually at the local VA. To our PT Boat veterans reading these pages, "please" think about doing an interview wherever you are- if you can. Don't let other people (authors/historians/posters on this site) tell your stories with/in their words...

The vast area of the SW Pacific I study has dozens of works written about it, land/sea and air, mainly by those that have "never been there" & "never will/would go there".. to walk the lines of an old battlefield, or cruise a body of water somewhere in the Solomons etc. to see the blackest of black nights- helping convey to the reader the place they write about. I have sailed and traveled all over the Pacific, and without doubt, the almost ominous black nights of the Solomon Islands is something to behold.

In the Solomons and PNG alone, there are thousands upon thousands of stories- I am so glad to read yours and other PT veterans here, as it opens up a whole segment of history for me without reading the same books, or peoples posts, all focused primarily on the same PT boat story...over, and over, and over again.

Regards & Semper Fi-

Shane

Posted By: Shaneo2 | Posted on: Jan 2, 2011 - 1:43pm
Total Posts: 147 | Joined: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:19pm

Shane:
You mention the "black nights in the Solomons". You know, I made over 85 nightly patrols of Jap held islands during my 13 months in the Solomons and I can recall only 2-3 of those totally black nights. Usually your eyesight adjusts that even with no moon and cloud cover you are able to see pretty well even with binoculars. Those black nights usually occur during heavy clouds or rain storms. One dark night patroling we did have a crew member walk off the boat coming from the bow around the charthouse. Fortunately We heard him go into the drink and shined a light on him to see the ladder to climb out. He had on his life jacket.. Those black nights, it was impossible to patrol and we would just lay to and gang up around the cockpit and wait it out until daylight.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Jan 18, 2011 - 2:20pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

I would think those would have been the times of high tension among the Crew. Not seeing what is out there would certainly have my nerves on end. I hate to mention PT-109, but when I interviewed GERARD ZINSER, he had told me the exact thing you are saying C.J.. He had claimed it was so dark that you had trouble seeing your hand outstretched in front of you. In a hand written Letter I have from PT-169 Crewmember, who was also there that night, he claimed the same thing, of not being able to see the boat in front of you. That had to be a tough part of the job, just not seeing things...............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jan 18, 2011 - 4:46pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am