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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
PT 310
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I am interested in contacting anyone who may have served on PT 310 with my father in the Mediteranean. My father passed away in 2005. He was a gunners mate 2c.
I have numerous pictures that my father took that may be of interest to those who served with him. I would also like to get in touch with those who served with my father.
Posted By: IAFF2377 | Posted on: Jun 17, 2008 - 6:03pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Let me be the first to welcome you to the boards! What was your father's name? My grandfather served in the Med as well, but in Squadron 15. They would have (in the first couple of months that your dad's squadron was in the theater) been operating in and out of the same bases.
As for the pictures - we love them here and would always appreciate anything you can share. Plus, there are a couple of members with sizeable photo collections - you might find some new photos of the 310 simply by asking. Good luck!
Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Jun 17, 2008 - 7:02pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Here a link to the Defenders of America, the group associated with PT's 305, 309 and 761. They have a great photo collection from your father's Ron in the Med:
http://www.defendersofamerica.org/DOANM_WWII_Photos.cfm
Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Jun 18, 2008 - 3:53am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Hi,
My father also served on PT 310 but he also passed away. I would be very interested in conversing with you. My email address is rdlams@verizon.net
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 9, 2009 - 9:00am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
I have one photo of the 310 nested with some Ron 15 boats.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 9, 2009 - 2:07pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
Will...Thanks for the photo! Unfortunately none of the photos that I have show the nickname of the 310. Thanks, Roger
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 7:15am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Does anyone have other photos showing the 310 and/or it's nickname?
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 7:17am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
I think the name for PT 310 was "The Fascinating Bitch". I was on the PT 302 named the 2% as 2% of the Navy never got the word.
PT 309 was Frankie as Frank Sinatra took the crew to dinner before the baot went overseas.
I will look through my photos and see if I can find the names of the other boats in Ron 22.
Go get 'em.
Posted By: Arthur Frongello | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 7:51am
Total Posts: 33 | Joined: Nov 7, 2006 - 4:49am
Thanks, Arthur!
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 9:46am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
I have been in communication with Roger Rook. He sent me a pic of the 310 boat at dock and we were trying to read the name on the front. It looks like it says "Snout Buster". After thinking about it for awhile and also one of the recent post refreshing my memory I remembered my father telling me a new skipper came aboard and changed the name to "Fascinatin Bitch". The new skippers name may have been Basso?
As I told Roger, I have lots of pics, I just have to get them scanned into my computer. My father had lots of stories also. One I remember distinctl.y he told me was about the 311 boat hitting a mine. The front half of the boat was left floating with the radar mast exposed. They were ordered to sink the remainder of the boat to keep the radar mast from getting into enemy hands
Another that I remember him telling me was of the actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr skippering a boat in the squadron. Though I do not know which boat or if my recollection is 100% correct.
My dad told me the 310 boat was involved in the sinking of two german ships. He made and painted two small swastikas that were hung on the boat to signify the victory. Dad gave these swastikas to the PT boat museum in Fall River.
A few distinct pictures that I remember ( I am at work do not have them in front of me) are of dead Germans that they pulled out of the water. Also two Germans that were taken prisoner and were forced to sit on the very front of the boat till they got to port. My dad took a small automatic handgun somewhere in the 25 or 32 caliber range off one of the prisoners. I still have that weapon.
I am sure as I look thru the pics I will remember some more of the stories.
Posted By: IAFF2377 | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 10:13am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Dear IAFF
Please contact me at mosquitofleet@comcast.net Thanks very much
Frank J Andruss Sr.
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 11:15am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
I have a photo showing Douglas Fairbanks in the cockpit of what is captioned the 303 boat... I also show the FASCINATING BITCH as being PT-306, but the names changed around a lot.
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 1:05pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
You know what, guys? Maybe the 310 was named KRAUT BUSTER. It would have made sense, and that S could maybe be a K in the pictures (if you squint real hard) lol...
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Sep 11, 2009 - 1:08pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
I have a photo from my father that is annotated "Some of the Crew - PT 310".
In the photo are two officers who my father identified as " Mr. Wallace" and "Mr. Basso"
Looks like its "Fascinatin Bitch"
Clyde, "Mr. Basso" is in the top row 3rd from the left in the photo I sent you.
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 13, 2009 - 8:29pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Just found another photo which identified the "British Commander" of the 310 as "Mr. Wallace"
The photo also shows the 310 with the two swastikas.
Also found this reference on the net :
16 December 1944
Motor torpedo boat PT-310, in company with a British motor torpedo boat, attacks four north-bound F-lighters a mile off Point Sestri; the allied craft claim one F-lighter probably sunk and one damaged.
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 13, 2009 - 8:36pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Will, although "KRAUT BUSTER" would make sense I just don't see it in the photo.
If you magnify the name and compare the "S" in the first unknown name with the "S" in BUSTER they look identical.
So I would have to say that the boats name at the time of the photo is still unknown and as follows:
"S ? ? U T B U S T E R"
Could be Snout or Scout or somehting else. Time will tell. Someone must have a photo somewhere.
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 13, 2009 - 8:51pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Roger and Will,
I looked at the old website Defendersofamerica.org and it says Larry Noble (who was the XO of PT306) says the "Fascinatin Bitch" was the name of PT306 not PT310. Here is an explanation from his memiors he wrote, named aptly enough "The day of the Bitch"
"Larry Noble was the Executive Officer of PT306 and the Commanding Officer of PT313. Now before anyone gets too upset at us about this story's title, that was what they had named PT-306 ('Fascinatin Bitch' - see upper right photo in Larry's album on page 19). This is Larry's highly detailed accounting of some of their actions. It also explains many of the sad and disturbing photos you see in Bill Pleasants' album. You should also be aware that Larry has just provided us with his WWII photo album to put online. As of Memorial Day 2001, it is complete."
EXCERPTS FROM "THE DAY OF THE BITCH"
(No rights reserved-no contrary opinions or statements allowed)
Observations on the course of events as they concerned PT Ron 22, seen from the deck of the 306 (and 313) through the sometimes bleary orbs of its exec from roughly Dec. '43 to April '45.
Just to make things clear what name what what boat. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Sep 14, 2009 - 4:20pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Jerry,
Thanks...at the time of the post that you are referencing I had not reviewed all of the posts and upon doing so realized the error of my conclusion.
Roger
Posted By: Roger D Rook | Posted on: Sep 14, 2009 - 7:33pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered