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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: William Maul
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We have all seen this awesome color photo taken of this tough looking Sailor with the links of 50 caliber machine gun shells. Only recently did I learn that his name was William Maul. According to Sean Tracy who sent me his name said he was one of the nicest, most humble men I ever met. I built him a 35 scale model of his boat and he was so proud of it. The pic on the right is when I took him and a few other heroes on a paddle wheeler around one of our big lakes. I asked the skipper if an old PT boater could take the helm and here is the result of that request. Bill served with Ron 10 and was the CO of PT-164. Not sure why Bill Maul is dressed as an enlisted man in the color photo, as he graduated as an Ensign in Melville Class 8 (11/15-12/31/1942, Most RON 10 Officers were in this class, Barney Ross was in his class, as were several Enlisted men ), also the photo is taken on PT 107 RON 5, it is part of the group of photos July 1942, off New York.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 - 6:42am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Thanks Frank, good to know his name. He is one tough looking sailor.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 - 7:47am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Frank;
After 164 was bombed, Maul took over as Skipper of PT 170.

Reference: page 136 At Close Quarters

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 - 1:28pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I don't want to sound like a old stick in the mud, but I question whether the PT sailor and William Maul are the same guy. Although they do sort of look alike.

William J Maul, Jr, went into the Navy in July 1942, was commissioned Ensign around October 1942 and was at MTBSTC starting around November 12,1942. and was assigned to RON 10 upon graduation Dec 31, 1942.

PT 107 was commissioned July 3, 1942, to RON 5.and was in Panama in September 1942. I don't think the 107 was in that paint scheme at that time. So I don't know when their paths would have crossed.

The thing that gets me is, like what was said, why would he be dressed like an enlisted sailor? With tattoos all over his arms?

I believe, if that is in truth the 107, that the sailor is Willie H D Monk, Torpedoman 2nd Class, who was on the 107 from commissioning up to June 1943..

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 - 6:28pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Sometimes we are at the mercy of what we are told by an older veteran. It is possible that memories have faded and they actually believe some of the tall tales that they have been telling all of these years to be what actually happened. I have had this happen to me once or twice. It is not on purpose deception since if you tell the same story long enough you tend to believe it yourself. Perhaps this is another example? I cant think of any reason why a boat captain Officer would put on Enlisted uniform just to pose for a picture! Not in my Navy. This is only my opinion for what it is worth!

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Oct 7, 2022 - 11:18am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

duplicate message oops
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Oct 7, 2022 - 11:31am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

I know Jerry. The one thing that wasn't made clear, was did William Maul say that was him? Or did someone else identify the sailor as Maul - or a misheard Monk - and assume it was the same guy?

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Oct 7, 2022 - 1:03pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Itā€™s simple to clear up. If he is still alive, letā€™s check Mr. Maulā€™s arms for tattoos. Which 99.9% of WW2 Officers did not have.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 8, 2022 - 10:53am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I have been trying to reach Sean Tracy who knew Bill very well, who might be able to shed some light

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 8, 2022 - 12:49pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

A high res copy of the photo can be found here: [url]https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-13000/80-G-K-13624.html[/url]

Title: A well - Tatooed Pt Boat Crewman
Caption: Handles belts of .50 cal. Machine gun ammunition, on board a PT Boat on training duty at Melville, R. I. during World War II. Note: Depth charge at left. Color coded bullet tips, in ratio of one red to three black.

Can't make out much of the name:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 9, 2022 - 5:05pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

A. F. Green?
B. F. Green?

Something similar, maybe?

Posted By: Joe Reese | Posted on: Oct 9, 2022 - 5:12pm
Total Posts: 85 | Joined: Aug 2, 2022 - 11:02am

That is great. Based on my analysis of the name on the shirt and compared to the list of PT boaters, I would say that it reads F F Green - for Frederick Franklin Green. He was in RONs 2, 4 and 34. Had been in for a while (his last enlistment was listed as 1936). He was a Guner's Mate 1st Class when he was in PTs, and rising up to Chief GM (Oct 1, 1943) when he was in RON 4.

We need to analyze the picture and see if we can determine which boat this picture was taken on.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 6:44am
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Great job guys solving the mystery! Did anyone notice the loading sequence on the belt of 50 cal? tracer 1-2-3 tracer 1,2,3 tracer so every 4th round is tracer. I remember somebody asking that question in the past.

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 7:42am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Well done Charlie, I think you may have nailed it. [:-cheers-:]

Another shot of him on PT 62 maybe: [url]https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-13000/80-G-K-13626.html[/url]

Title: 20mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun
Caption: In action on a Pt-boat's afterdeck, during training maneuvers off Melville, Rhode Island, during World War II. Note well - tatooed man handling 20mm magazine in center. Stenciled lettering on magazine indicates that this may be PT-62, which was at Melville in 1942-43.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 9:17am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

I believe that was me Jerry, a manual typo caused me to make some graphics show a 1:1 ratio... Not good for the barrels! I believe you straightened me out on that, once again thanks.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 9:42am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Great Job everyone! I think we solved the mystery sailor. I don't see a full picture of PT 62 online anywhere. Unfortunately, there is no deck log of PT 62 of the timeframe that he was there. I'm sure when he made Chief (Oct 43), he probably moved to the base force.

I did see that when he was in RON 2, he was on PT 59.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 11:54am
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Navsource has a pic of this scene on PT-62 page, also, a bit more zoomed out.

https://www.navsource.org/archives/12/120506201.jpg

Posted By: Joe Reese | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 3:25pm
Total Posts: 85 | Joined: Aug 2, 2022 - 11:02am

Is this him, on pg 14, #2, and then pg 24 #1

Commander, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron, 7th Fleet, Philippine Sea Frontier, Ordnance Stock Control Unit, 9/1/44-10/28/45

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/190149296

Posted By: Joe Reese | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 4:40pm
Total Posts: 85 | Joined: Aug 2, 2022 - 11:02am

Yep. That's him. The receiving station 3964 is Tacloban, Leyte, P.I.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 4:53pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Thank you, Charlie!

I was just googling a bit, haven't found much but these interested me.

The first is a pdf, so I won't upload the whole thing, but the name popped up around 1/3 of the way down the center column, on the lower half of pg 21, in the contact center.

The second of these is a newspaper archive locked behind a paywall. I included this because I know a lot of the papers are interconnected, and on the off chance someone already has archive access, there may be something of use in it, though from the date it looks like one of those "our neighbor has shipped out" articles.

I'm really surprised at how little there seems to be on the web about him, although I guess it could be that he dropped the middle name or initial in civilian life, and there are a gazillion Fred Greens out there.

Posted By: Joe Reese | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 5:47pm
Total Posts: 85 | Joined: Aug 2, 2022 - 11:02am

Itā€™s not PT 62. Itā€™s an 80ā€™ ELCO most likely one of the RON 4 boats, probably 140,141, 314 or 315.
There is another photo we discussed years ago, on the messageboard years ago. That photo was wide angle and showed the 20MM of a this guy holding the PT 62 ammo magazine. Everyone, including me, thought it was PT 62, until Al once again, stated the obvious, identifying the boat as an 80ā€™er, by the 20MM depression rail.

Remember Guys???

Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 - 7:53pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Well crapcakes, I even correct it on the "PT Photos" link on my site:

Per Ted Walther, this is an Elco 80' boat.
Per Jeff Davidson, based on visible hardware this may be a boat in the 159 to 186 range.

Thanks Ted, yep I forgot all about it.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 11, 2022 - 6:03am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

See Jeff, I knew someone would remember.
I go with Charlie, the name on his shirt is ? F. Green
So F. F. Green it is. Plus his time in service would equal all those tattoos. Nobody that came through Melville as a new guy would have that many, this guy is an Old Salt! Who probably help train C.J. and Arthur!
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 11, 2022 - 7:25am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

You're right Ted, he just might have helped train them!

I forgot to credit Joe also for his guess of the last name "Green". Good job!

Hopefully Frank will be able to verify Charlie's research.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 12, 2022 - 12:44pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am