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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Elco Launching Pass.
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=4998

Here is an original photo and Launching pass that I have for PT-103. As you know this was Elco first assembled 80 footer. Standing in the helm with the skull cap on is Managing Constructor Irwin Chase. The officer looking away from the camera is Assistant Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Elco F.W. Rowe. The officer behind Chase with the sunglasses on is Lt. Robert Montgomery who would play Lt. John D. Bulkeley in the movie "They Were Expendable". Notice the gasoline barge in the upper right corner of the photo, something not seen much on photographs

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 6:08am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Did we ever figure out what the flags meant? Last I remember, it was a puzzle.

It looks like they had a little party for the launch, Mr. Chase is holding a sandwich.

I never noticed the aft turret limiting stop brace going straight down to the top of the day cabin before.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 7:15am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff I do not think we ever did figure out what the signs mean, and proof is in the photo on the aft gun mount. Funny how you can see a photo so many times and not notice something like that. I do it all the time

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 9:38am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Yep, I don't remember ever seeing Mr. Chase's lunch before either. I'd guess that the support rod was like a few other items seen in this photo, unique to the 103 at least for the 80' boats. Like the searchlight bracket, mast, and antenna mount. I have an image of PT 107 that shows the "normal" support which makes a right angle and bolts to the turret body.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 6:01am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Great photo and pass, Frank. Thanks for posting them!

Didn't Montgomery tear up the port side of the 103 during this launch? I seem to remember a photo of the port forward tube knocked out of place and the hull scraped, attributed to Montgomery...

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 7:43am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Jeff . . .

Again your eagle eyes with laser like focus again amaze me. While you alerted us to the support rod, searchlight bracket, mast, and antenna mount, differences. You fail to comment on whether or not, Mr. Chaseâ€™s sandwich, was a Tuna-Fish on White, or better yet, Corned Beef on Rye with deli Mustard and Pickles . . .
'[:-laughing-:]' '[:-laughing-:]' '[:-laughing-:]'

Jeff, thanks for posting the overlooked items, that once note, are immediately apparent. Yeah I saw them, I did, I did.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 2:22pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Once again I've done it Dick, it is baloney! Yep sure seems like a load of baloney to me!:

It doesn't seem to be sitting well with the gentleman seated on top of the aldis locker:

I wonder if this is after they went out and he's suffering a bit of seasickness...

Here's the shot of the damage Drew, nothing like banging up a brand new boat model to make your day:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 7:27am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff, I think this is a spam sandwich lol.........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 9:41am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

I donâ€™t know Jeff. . . Mr. Chase appeared to be a fashionable man with stylish taste and impeccable grooming. So Iâ€™m thinking, even my own favorite standby â€œBaloneyâ€, wouldnâ€™t be found in his wheelhouse. As you can see, Mr. Chase always looked very dapper in his photographs - where in this photograph, he is wearing an official Sam Spade trench coat, with a World War I leather Flight Cap, complete with a Sandwich in hand - [b]Clearly a man at ease and in charge . . . .[/b] a connoisseur of fine foods and living . . . not a baloney ragged tagged kid like myself, thinking baloney was a prime cut of beef and weenies were even a cut above that ! Well, thats what my Mom told me, hummm.

However . . . the balding gentleman behind him to our left, appears to be having quite an issue of holding down his sandwich by his looks. And the gentleman in the foreground, at the helm, seems to be struggling himself. Notice how he his holding tightly on to the side armor plating and trying desperately to guide his arm forward without, shall we say, upchucking. Can we say[b]â€ ptomaine â€œ[/b].

What is really curious . . . is the officer standing on the port side here, with that s*it-eating grin on his face, as he looks back and gives a wink to the boatâ€™s cook. See, he wanted to man the helm.

Frank . . . canâ€™t be spam, heck that was for special occasions like Easter Sunday Dinner, we always had Ham, but it was spelt with an S & P instead of a H. Mom always did her best, raising four small children on her own. Heck, we always had baloney, weenies, spam, bulgar wheat, Bisquick, and powdered milk in the cupboard.

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 1:19pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

The photo of the bent torpedo tube was not caused by Montgomery, he got the other side! Here is the story of both sides, [url]http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1351[/url] I like how Dick Keresey said about those early days of the 80 footers, " Almost all boat captains were called 'Crash' at one time or another. In the early days while learning how to operate PT boats, we were like novice wranglers trying to tame wild horses -- we all got thrown a couple of times."

Posted By: Stearman | Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 8:08pm
Total Posts: 150 | Joined: Nov 1, 2017 - 9:38pm

Dick I think your right, Chase with a Baloney sandwich? Not on his watch. We are forgetting the poor guy on the starboard side of the boat with the dark Navy jacket that has apparently sent his lunch into the boat basin. The Navy Officer laughing at all of this unfolding is Assistant Supervisor of Ship Building at Elco F. W. Rowe hoping the cameras don't catch the smell of Chases sandwich causing more upheaval

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 - 6:54am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Also, the Officer with the sunglasses is LT. Henry â€œRobert â€œ Montgomery USNR, at the time of this photo, he was Executive Officer of RON 5.

As for the Chase sandwich, it could be Prosciutto and Provolone with Dijon mustard from Benantiâ€™s Italian Deli on West 22nd Street in Bayonne.

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 - 10:56am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Hah I wouldn't be surprised if it was indeed Spam Frank. That would explain all the queasiness Dick spotted!

Your Mom sounds like she was a great, tough person that did what she had to to raise all of you Dick. Heck, I had a hard enough time with just one...

Thank you Stearman, I had forgotten about that thread!

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 - 11:51am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Ted . . .
I think you nailed it - leave it to you to come up with facts, as we flounder around!

Jeff . . .
Yes, Jeff. Like most women put in that spot, she would work non-stop to provide what she could and go without herself. And I was the baby of the family and never realized we dirt poor until high school.

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 - 2:19pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

This is why even famous actors like Montgomery wanted in on PT service. PT Boats drew lovely ladies like bees to nectar!:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 - 4:34pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

First time I've ever seen a photo of anyone actually sitting on the little triangular seat in the corner of the cockpit armor (Irwin Chase?).

Obviously the damage to the port side of the 103 didn't happen on the launching, as the life rings on the outer cockpit bulkhead are different in each photo.

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Mar 25, 2021 - 3:40pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Nice catch Drew. I wonder why they used the life ring as a sign.

The photo of the blonde lady at the wheel, there is something unusual in the port inside corner of the armor. Maybe something to do with the searchlight? There was usually nothing there except for the angle brackets holding the plates together:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 26, 2021 - 7:53am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Maybe because it was easy to swap life rings as Test ID.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Mar 26, 2021 - 6:32pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

That sounds logical, thanks Spoc... er, Will.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Mar 27, 2021 - 11:38am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am