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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Patroling off Choiseul
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In late November 1943 we were operating out of Vella La Vella. One night P.T.242 was sent to patrol the Jap held coast of Choiseul. The section leader was LT. Commander Brackett executive officer of Ron 19. He was riding with us. We had been on station for a while, idleing a couple of mile off coast looking for activity. The charthouse crew (radioman and quartermaster) reported a pip on the radar a mile or so away. They called the officers down in the charthouse to take a look. Yep it was a pip moving about 5 to 6 knots. Everyone jumped to General Quarters and was ready for action. It was a dark cloudy night - poor visibility as we approached the pip. We lookouts with binoculars finally spotted the object - sure looked like it was moving. This was one of our first patrols. We were not a seasoned crew at that time - so everything looked spooky. (Bracket was sort of an excitable character too) We pulled in to approx. 40 yards and opened up with all the guns. We really put the lead to it. Enough to sink about anything. I put 2 cans (500 rounds) of 50 cal. from my turret alone. We received no return fire -nothing- and it still floated. We moved in very cautiously to see what we were shooting. We pulled alongside a huge tree. It still had green leaves on it. How it got that far out from shore we never knew. We sure shot it up good. This just goes to prove in the dark of night in enemy waters, everything is not always as it appears.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Mar 29, 2008 - 9:32am
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

HI C.J. HOW TRUE.HOORAY ONE FOR OUR SIDE

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Mar 29, 2008 - 1:10pm
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm

Thanks Earl: I am sure you have had that spooky uneasy feeling in some of those dark nights.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Mar 31, 2008 - 1:03pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm

HI C.J. YEP,SURE DID.ESPECIALLY PATROLING OFF NEW IRELAND.
ONE NIGHT IT WAS SO DARK AND CLOSED IN ,WHILE WE WERE ON PATROL, A PBY PLANE WAS RIGHT OVER US BEFORE WE EVEN KNEW IT WAS THERE,.WE WERE REALLY SOCKED IN THAT NIGHT.GOOD THING IT WAS ONE OF OURS.
WE HAD ALSO T0 WATCH FOR TREES THAT HAD BEEN "SPIKED"(TRIMMED TO A POINT AND SUNK IN THE PATROL AREAS.PROBLEM WAS WE COULDN,T SEE THEM UNLESS IT WAS A VERY LOW TIDE. EVEN THEN IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THEM AT NIGHT.

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Apr 1, 2008 - 12:09pm
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm