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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
Ron 21 Steve Jacobowski newspaper interview 1944
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=4830
I found an old newspaper article from December 29, 1944 from the Beckley Raleigh Register, Beckley Wv. Headline read
" Scarbro Boy's PT Boat In On The Kill At Leyte"
Scarbro- Steve Jacobowski has described what he saw of the battle of South Leyte Gulf in the Philippines from his 7th fleet PT Boat, which was one of a considerable force that formed the advance attack group of Vice Admiral Thomas C Kinkaid's 7th fleet in Syria to Strait South of Leyte Island, scene of the first allied landings.
Jacobowski , 29, motor machinist's mate third class U.S.N.R. stated "in three salvos from one of our ships I saw three Jap ships burst into flames."
The PTs were credited with several hits on the enemy warships, and also with disrupting their formations and giving advanced warning of the enemy's course and bearing.
The entire enemy task force was destroyed in the battle and subsequent aerial attacks according to the official SWPA communique.
" It was a wonderful feeling to see those Jap ships burning all around us. " Jacobowski says. "The fire from our ships was very accurate."
While returning to base following the battle his torpedo boat patrol was attacked by four Jap Val dive bombers. Jacobowski, whose battle station is at a twin 50 caliber machine gun, open fire on the enemy raiders.
Hits were made in one plane which left smoking, and the attack was repulsed.
Several days later while on patrol near Ormoc west of Leyte, Jacobowski helped sink two Jap luggers (small freighters) loaded with supplies for trapped enemy forces.
Jacobowski has been in the Southwest Pacific for six months and has taken part in twenty combat patrols in the Philippines and New Guinea areas. He entered the Naval Reserve on July 01, 1943, and trained at the diesel school, Baby Pier, Chicago Ill., and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Training Center, Melville, RI.
END OF ARTICLE
To say my mouth dropped open reading this would be an understatement. I did not know my Great Uncle Steve served on a PT boat. In fact only 5 days earlier I was asking my Great Aunt Nellie ( the last living sibling of my G Uncle Steve) if she knew anything about his service in the Navy in WW II. She said she thought he served in the South Pacific, but she was not sure.
It is amazing and sad that so much knowledge of this greatest generation is lost by not learning and retelling their stories.
I have learned that G. Uncle Steve Jacobowski served with Ron 21. Now to try to find which PT boat he was on. I would love to show his sister the boat that he was on. And so this search \ journey begins...
Thank you all for sharing your knowledge of the PT boats and those who served in them.
George
Posted By: George Lechalk | Posted on: Sep 15, 2019 - 7:42pm
Total Posts: 7 | Joined: Sep 15, 2019 - 2:34pm
Thanks for sharing, interesting article.
Bill P Reese
Posted By: billpr | Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 5:17pm
Total Posts: 83 | Joined: Mar 19, 2017 - 4:34pm
George
Welcome! If the search function on this site doesn’t find anything under your great uncle’s name or RON 21 contact Alyce Guthrie at PT Boats inc. look under the PT BOAT LINKS in the top left of the page. Alyce helped me find my uncles boat and other members of this forum added some pictures of his boat and a crew photo with my uncle in it. GOOD LUCK! You may be hooked for life.
Jeff
Thanks!
Jeff
Posted By: Jeff H | Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 6:36pm
Total Posts: 32 | Joined: Jun 7, 2019 - 6:00am
Thank you Jeff! If I don't see anything there tonight I'll try to contact them tomorrow and see if she might be able to help.
You guys on here are awesome!
George
Posted By: George Lechalk | Posted on: Sep 16, 2019 - 7:25pm
Total Posts: 7 | Joined: Sep 15, 2019 - 2:34pm
Jeff,
Do you have an email address for Alyce? I've tried a couple that I found in previous posts using the @ptboats.org address but none have gone through.
Thanks
George
Posted By: George Lechalk | Posted on: Sep 17, 2019 - 2:20pm
Total Posts: 7 | Joined: Sep 15, 2019 - 2:34pm
George
I looked at what I used to contact Alyce and this should work.
www.ptboatsinc@gmail.com
Phone 901 755-8440 or 901 751-0522
Also FYI, if I remember correctly Alyce doesn’t work on Fridays.
You might want to fill out a DD 214 form and send it in requesting your great uncles service and medical records if you don’t already have that info. Don’t give up and let us know what you find out.
Thanks!
Jeff
Posted By: Jeff H | Posted on: Sep 17, 2019 - 3:39pm
Total Posts: 32 | Joined: Jun 7, 2019 - 6:00am
Years ago I recieved a crew list of Ron 21 Boats and crew list. Steve Jacobowski MoMM1c was on PT 328.
Hope this helps.
Wayne Traxel
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Nov 18, 2019 - 11:16pm
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am
Wayne
Would you have any RON 23 crew lists or info on PT 282?
Thanks!
Jeff
Posted By: Jeff H | Posted on: Nov 19, 2019 - 8:16pm
Total Posts: 32 | Joined: Jun 7, 2019 - 6:00am
Hi Jeff,
I may have a crew list someplace on Ron 23's PT 285, In the late 1990's I built a model of PT-285 in the gunboat boat configuration for a local veteran who was a former crew member. Will look for it.
Alyce's daughter Allison at PT Boats Inc. has always found crew lists for me.
Hope this helps
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Nov 22, 2019 - 11:43am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am
Wayne
Thanks for the reply and advice! Anything you have on PT 282 or the gunboat conversion would be helpful. Any pics of your 285 model? I am still trying to get my uncles service dates from the records center so I will know what configuration to build the Italeri Higgins whenever it gets released. I will contact headquarters next week and see if they can help out again.
Thanks!
Jeff
Posted By: Jeff H | Posted on: Nov 22, 2019 - 6:39pm
Total Posts: 32 | Joined: Jun 7, 2019 - 6:00am
Hi George,
Steve Jacobowski MoMM2c is also listed as a crew member on PT-331 first and then transferred to PT-328. After serving a year in PT's, he was transferred to base force with a rating of MoMM1c.
Hope this helps
Wayne Traxel
Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Nov 23, 2019 - 9:23am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am