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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: my tulagi
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HI EVERYONE I AM CONFUSED ABOUT THE TULAGI REFERENCES.THIS IS THE TULAGI I REMEMBER.WE WENT FROM GUADALCANAL TO TULAGI BY PT BOAT.WENT ENTERRED GTHE CHANNEL; GOING INTO TULAGI.AT THE END OF THE CHANNEL WE BORE RIGHT AROUND THE END OF IT .THETRE WAS A SIGN ON THE RIGHT THAT SAID CALVERTVILLEWE WERE TOLD THAT THIS AREA WAS A SUB BASE.WE TURNED RIGHT AND WENT A SHORT WAY FURTHER DOWN THE CHANNEL.ON THE LEFT THERE WAS ONE PIER THAT WE DOCKED AT. WE ;EFT THE BOAT AND WALKED FROM THE PIER ONTO METAL AIRPLANE TREADS THAT WERE USED TO COVER THE MUD.ON THE LEFT WAS A TORPEDO/MACHINE SHACK.ON THE RIGHT THERE WERE A LOT OF SHACKS BUILT UP ON STILTS ANDN FURTHER TO THE RIGHT WAS A HEADF BUILT OUT OVER THE WATER.WE WENT TO A "SHACK" ON THE RIGHT AMIDST THE OTHER ONES.THIS HAD ARMY COTS IN IT.WE BUNKED THERE/WE WERE THEN TAKEN TO A SJCK FURTHER DOWN THE TREADS.THERE WERE LITTLE TABLES THERE AND A SIGN BOARD INSIDE.A LT JG GAVE US WRITING PAPER AND FORMS TO FILL OUT.THESE WERE FOR US TO FILL OUT OUR LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS AND INSURANCE FORMS SHOWING OUR BENIFICIARIES.WHAT A GREETING THAT WAS.THIS PLACE WAS DIRTY,MUDDY AND LOADED WITH INSECTS AND BUGS.AND ANIMALS..THE JAP PLANES CAME OVER EVERY NIGHT AND DROPED BOMBS AROUND THE HEAD AREA.THEY SEEMED TO KNOW WHERE IT WAS AND BLEW IT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN WE WERE THERE.WE WERE TOLD not TO PITCH TENTS AROUND THE OUTSIDE PERIMIER CLOSE TO THE JUNGLES ADGE AS THERE WERE STILL JAPANESE HIDDEN AROUND THE AREA. A COUPLE OF GUYSWERE KIL;LED IN THAT AREA. DOES ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER TULAGI LIKE THIS?

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 - 8:06am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm



Hi Earl,

Those of us who who really want to know about what you fellows experienced during your wartime service appreciate your descriptions of PT boat life very much. Thanks.

When did you arrive at Tulagi, and how long did you stay there?

Gene Kirkland





Posted By: comcardiv1 | Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 - 9:42am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



HELLO GENE I ARRRIVED IN TULAGI NOVEMBER OF '43 AND STAYED THERE ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE BEING SHIPPED "UP THE LINE."

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 - 12:03pm
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm



Earl:

Tulagi, which I am sure you know is just off the Southern Coast of Florida Island. The Japs occupied Tulagi on May 3, 1942, hoping to set up a seaplane base nearby. The Ships in Tulagi harbor were raided by planes from USS YORKTOWN the following day in a prelude to the battle of the Coral Sea.

US Forces, primarily the 1st Marine Raiders landed on August 7th and captured Tulagi after a day of hard fighting. After it's capture, the Island hosted a fleet of PT BOATS for about a year, as well as other ancillary facilities. A small 20-bed dispensary was operated on Tulagi until it's closure in 1946. The Island also formed a part of Purvis Bay, which hosted many US NAVY ships during 1942 and 1943.

After the war, the colonial government moved to Honiara to utilize the infrastructure left by American forces. Tulagi became a quite provincial capital. The facilities left in the area by the US NAVY are still used to this day, with ponttons and overhaul areas on the Island still used for small craft. Today may people scuba dive in the area on the wrecks of USS Aaron Ward, USS Kanawha, and HMNZS Moa. Wrecks from Iron Bottom Sound are not much further off.

I would love to see pictures of that area today if someone had them. I hear it is really beautiful, and many areas that the boats operated from are still there. Earl, I just love hearing your stories......



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 - 12:19pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Hi Earl:
We were only at Tulagi twice during my stay in the Solomons. Once late October 1943 for only one night and second time the first week of January 1944 for about a week or so. I don't remember much about the base, we never stayed on the base only on the boat. We were at the dock getting torpedoes and new engines during the day. I do remember the dock floor made of airport runway metal and the arched sign over - "CALVERTVILLE - THRU THESE PORTALS PASS THE BEST MTB FOLTILLA IN THE WORLD". I also remember a number of grass huts at end of the dock on the beach and the torpedo shack was one of them. We tied up at bouys out from the dock at night. I recall going across the bay to a fresh water hole where we could bathe, wash our clothes and clean up. We were never bombed while I was there.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 - 7:34pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm



If I can ever eventually figure out my new computer and scanner, I'll post several seldom-seen photos of Tulagi I've found, including one of Admiral Halsey's famous huge sign with a bloodthirsty message on it that greeted new arrivals ("Admiral HALSEY says 'KILL japs, kill japs, KILL MORE JAPS! You will help kill the yellow bastards if YOU DO YOUR JOB WELL'").



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Mar 14, 2008 - 5:44am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



THANKS GUYS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS . C.J. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING MY MEMORIES OF TULAGI.THE BASE ITSELF WAS NEVER BOMBED.THE ONLY THING THAT WAS HIT WAS THE OVER THE WATER HEA TO THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE BASE.THE JAPANESE PILOT WAS NICKNAMED "p--- CALL CHARLIE.I WAS WRONG WHEN I SAID WE WERE BOMBED EVERY NIGHT.ATTRIBUTE IT TO AGE.SORRY.I MIGHT HAVE A PHOTO OF THE TORPEDO/MACHINE SHOP.WILL HAVE TO SEE IF I DO.DREW I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR PHOTOS OF TULAGI.MAY HELP BRING SOME OF MY MEMORY BACK OF THE BASE.f.a.,SR THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS.

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Mar 14, 2008 - 6:57am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm