The PT Boat Forum
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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
Newbie
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=4886
Great site and Forum not to mention the awesome image gallery.
M.A.Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 4, 2020 - 12:44am
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Welcome! Have you had an interest in PT boats for long?
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 4, 2020 - 7:19am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
welcome to the board. I used to live in ohio. opposite side in n.e. did you have a family member serve on PTs? welcome again, scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 4, 2020 - 12:24pm
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
Scott & Jeff,
Father crewed I believe for Ron 32 Solemon Islands late 44, just beginning to research him to learn more.
M.Lathrop
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 5, 2020 - 8:25am
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
my father swam with a Lathrop on PT team in late 44/45 I believe he is pictured in the forum photo site one holding champ plaques and one with the whole team. I met him in Connecticut when I was a kid. could that be your father? or a relative? good luck on your search. scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 5, 2020 - 11:58am
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
Scott, So far learned he was on PT-71 looking for his correct Ron # and have letters he wrote home and will check dates.
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 11, 2020 - 9:11am
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
M, I looked at the NAVSOURCE. org website. pt 71 served with several rons. 4,16,17,4,2. if you look this up yourself at home page click on patrol boats then the pt boats tab. the info gives dates of when 71 served with which ron. have you contacted the pt boats inc. headquarters? they can be very helpful. 901-755-8440 they are in Germantown ,TN ptboatsinc@gmail.com. hope this helps scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 11, 2020 - 11:23am
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
Scott I thank you for that information, appreciate your help .
M.Lathrop
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 13, 2020 - 1:01pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your time here and we look forward to hearing more from you.
Dave
David Waples
Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Jan 14, 2020 - 4:21pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm
Scott, Checked the swim team image and that fellow with the Lathrop name is not my father. We did find one boat he was assigned to and it was PT-71.
Thanks,
Mark Lathrop
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 20, 2020 - 3:25pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
mark, when I saw your last name I thought there was a chance, but with about 65,000 PT Boaters it was small. have you contacted the gov't archives to get a copy of your dad's military record? scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 21, 2020 - 8:49am
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
Scott- Thanks for the directive for the govt. site too. Here's what we know as of yesterday. Brother had a pic of him sitting on RON32's PT-485 that had a nick-name of "The Saint", with a chalk(paint) outline of a stick figure of a man with a halo over his head. Wonder if this forum would scare up any further images and/or personnel involved with the boat?
Thanks again,
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 21, 2020 - 2:31pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Scott - Correction that would be PT-15 RON32
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 21, 2020 - 4:29pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Mark, NAVSOURCE shows pt 15 being in ron 2 they have a good pic from the front not many good pics of men. if you have tried to contact the pt boats headquarters in Memphis they are only there part time. to get the other forum members to locate what pics they may have you may need to post a new subject post. (ie: looking for pt 15 pics) they will come through if anyone has pics. don't give up the search it can be very rewarding. scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 22, 2020 - 1:23pm
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
I have this one of PT 15:
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 23, 2020 - 3:54am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
Jeff, Thank you very much for this great pic of #15, must be at Melville RI
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 24, 2020 - 11:31am
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
You're very welcome Mark.
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 24, 2020 - 12:31pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
Mark, is your father Robert E Lathrop? The PT 15 doesn't sound quite right as it was sent to Britain under lend lease in April 1941.
Charlie
Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Jan 24, 2020 - 6:27pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm
Charlie, Yes Robert .E.Lathrop of Trenton, Michigan. He was Momm1/c and was in RONs 4 & 32 we believe. Was at Melville and the Solemon Islands besides Miami too. I will upload a pic of that 15 boat that looks to be at a remote base in the Pacific, believe he was there late 44 early 45.
Thanks again,
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 25, 2020 - 6:02am
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
[b]According to Navsource - [/b]
PT-15 was an early 70’ Elco that was send to Britain 9 to 10 months before the U.S. entered the war. It was commissioned MTB-264 with the Royal Navy. It was destroyed by mine May 1943 off Sousse, Tunisia
[b]AL Ross’ “Allied Costal Forces (Of World War II)” -[/b]
Verifies the same information.
[b]Captain Robert J. Bulkley, Jr. USNR (Retired) “At Close Quarters” -[/b]
List the boat as: With MTB RON 2 under command of Lt. Comdr. EARL S. CALDWELL -- November 8, 1940-May 1942.
Placed in service December 5, 1940.
Transferred under lend-lease to Britain, April 11, 1941.
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Jan 25, 2020 - 4:56pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
Here are some pics of my Father on his No.15 boat RON32. Any others that may come upon 15 or other RON32 group please give a shout.
Thanks,
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 26, 2020 - 4:26pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Others of the PT-15 boat of RON32
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 26, 2020 - 4:34pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
Great pictures. However, those are not PT numbers. Those are numbers probably assigned by the squadron for some kind of tactical or operational purpose.
In looking through the muster reports for RON 32, I do not see him listed for any boat. My guess is he was assigned to the squadron's base force, being a Chief MoMM, probably ran the engine shop. Doesn't mean he never went out on a boat but, from what I see, was not regularly assigned to a boat.
Charlie
Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Jan 26, 2020 - 6:27pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm
Based on the figure drawn on the turret, I would surmise that we are looking at PT-485 (nicknamed THE SAINT) of Ron 32.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 26, 2020 - 8:25pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Thank you for the images Mark, they are very interesting! That's an odd vent on the chart house, never saw anything like it before. And thanks Charlie and Will for the explanation of the numbers and ID.
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 27, 2020 - 3:24am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
mark, just a point of commonality. my father too was a momm1/c from what I have learned it was tough duty making sure that those engines were ready for patrol and battle. take care. scott
Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20
Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 27, 2020 - 12:26pm
Total Posts: 106 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm
Thank you Charlie-Scott-Will-Jeff for the feed back. This still baffles me having that number and being so low they were usually for the early training boats back at Melville, where he went back and taught. One fellow he befriended at Melville was Mr. Johnson off of JFK's crew. I have a pic of him.
Mark Lathrop
NWOhio
Posted By: Packardmal | Posted on: Jan 27, 2020 - 6:40pm
Total Posts: 19 | Joined: Dec 28, 2019 - 11:05am
I've seen one other example of different numbering, on some Elco 77' boats. Gene Kirkland did a lot of research on these boats and had it up on his PT King website ([url]http://www.pt-king.gdinc.com/[/url]) but the page, 'Mystery Elco PT's', seems to be missing. Here are some details that I saved from it back in 2006, hopefully it will get fixed, it is one of my favorite PT boat sites and full of excellent information and photos:
[green]Either in October or November 1941, it was decided to transport Squadron Two (still fitting out in the New York Navy Yard) to Panama in order to augment the defenses of the Canal Zone. According to a letter sent to me by Hugh Robinson (former ComMTBRon Three), to mislead possible Japanese spies in Panama (and presumably German undercover agents in New York) the numbers displayed on the boats' cabins were changed. The eleven boats of the squadron were numbered 0-10; my best guess at the order was:
#1-PT 46
#2-PT 45
#3-PT 48
#4-possibly PT 47
#5-PT 37
#6-possibly PT 36
#7-PT 38
#8-PT 39
#9-possibly PT 40
#10-PT 43
#0-possibly PT 44[/green]
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 28, 2020 - 6:05am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
JEFF: I have pretty much the same listing of alternate number for the early Elcos (with a couple of exceptions). They do not, however help to shed any light on the number picture here. I would suspect that they are squadron codes, although their prominence is sort of a mystery.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 28, 2020 - 12:45pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
That being said, there are certainly instances of boat or Ron numbers (either full or partial) being displayed on the radar domes.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 28, 2020 - 1:02pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
I think you're right Will. Maybe the numbers indicate the internal RON numbers as shown to be used in CJ's document.
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Jan 29, 2020 - 4:12am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am