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Topic: Tulagi Island Base force |
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Nathan W
New Member
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Posted on: Nov 5, 2025 - 10:31am
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Good afternoon,
I am a new member and I am looking for some supporting information or pictures on base force activities, particularly carpenters stationed in the Solomon’s.
I was lucky enough to find Frank Andruss and was able to help me out and give me some information, including getting into his FB group where I found some good stuff!
Back story of why I am interested.
I joined the Navy because of my grandfather and I recently (kinda recent - 2019) got out of the Navy and was looking at pictures and documents about my grandfather who passed away in 2014. And of course as one does, I started to get more interested in his Navy career now than I was when he was here. One of life’s many regrets!
Anyways I am not particularly looking for anything personal about my grandfather, I am more looking for information and pictures about what he would have been doing while stationed at Tulagi or what daily life was like during the war or even at Melville.
Of course if anyone has anything with his name or anything like that it would of course be really cool. I was able to find some muster reports etc. on Fold3, but that’s about it, I’ll post some of his information below.
From what I can tell, my grandfather, James Doyle Wilson, was a carpenter assigned to the PT Boat Squadron 5 stationed at Tulagi Island in the Solomons during WWII and ended his career as a Chief Carpenter’s Mate assigned to Melville Island, Rhode Island, as an instructor to teach hull repair.
Anything would be helpful and very much appreciated as multiple of this grandkids joined the military because of him and I am sure they would love anything I can share with them.
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Total Posts: 2 | Joined:
Nov 5, 2025 - 9:38am | IP
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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 Posted on: Nov 10, 2025 - 1:30pm
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Hello Nathan,
I looked up his name in Knights of the Sea, and could not find any listing for a James D Wilson. I did find a James E Wilson, who was a Torpedoman from Kentucky. At the back of the biography section is just an Alphabetical listing of all known PT Boaters and there are several Wilsons, listed as follows in order: AG Wilson, Albert L Wilson, Alex L W, Dave L W, Elwood S. W, Eugene G W, G Dana W, Harold D W, James E Wilson, James J Wilson, John T W, Julian M. W, Kenneth E W, Max L W, P. Lee W Jr, Parker W, Paul S W, Raymond W, Robert G W, Robert L W, Robert Lee W, S Lewis W, Walter W, and Wesley Wilson. Perhaps he went by one of these alternates besides James D Wilson? This list is by no means a complete list so don't be disheartened. Perhaps Charlie Jones might be able to track him down better than I can, since he has access to higher quality and more records than I do. Good luck in your search!
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 restoration crew,
Retired MMC(SW) USN
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR |
Total Posts: 1515 | Joined:
Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm | IP
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Jerry Gilmartin
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Nov 12, 2025 - 3:16pm
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Addendum just found a Raymond D Wilson GM on PT298 RON16
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR |
Total Posts: 1515 | Joined:
Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm | IP
Logged
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