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Topic: Set 1 - 5 new Melville Photos from Frank Adruss |
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Dick
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 Posted on: Mar 14, 2008 - 8:16pm
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MORE MELVILLE PHOTO'S from Frank Andruss:
#34. Work being done on this 77 Footer at Melville using the Crane to move around Cabin Trunk.
#35. This 77 footer has certainly been gone thru. It looks to be cannibalized and is sitting in it's cradle. Notice the Ball Field near the waters edge.
#36. Workers handling PT Boat Fuel Tanks dock side. Notice the Packard Engine on the dolly.
#37. Everything looks to be shipshape at Melville. Even the picket fence is painted. Not sure which road this is. Might be North Road on the Base.
#39. Classroom Training at Melville. This was taken in September 1944. Rules of the Road.
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Wayne Traxel |
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Posted on: Mar 15, 2008 - 7:40am
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Good Morning Dick and Frank, Again I thank the two of you for making all these great photos possible.
Pictures 34 and 35 really caught my attention.
Picture 34 shows a later 45-68 series 77' footer and is truely an interesting shot. Haven't a clue as to the boats idenity.
Say Dick, Could you please enlarge the front and starboard side portion of the charthouse on Picture 35? Have enlarged it on my scanner and it appears to be 39 but these 59.5 year old eyes are uncertain of the true numbers on this first series 77 footer.
Also noted 2, 80 foot Elco masts behind the first grouping of torpedoes tubes.
Again these are really great shots. Thank you Frank for offering them and Thank you Dick for displaying them.
Wayne Traxel |
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TED WALTHER |
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Posted on: Mar 16, 2008 - 7:22pm
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It certainly looks like PT 38, however, I have no documentation that PT 38 was shipped back to Melville. PT 38 and PT 61 were reclassified together as small boats on the same day, 16 Feb. 1944. Small boat C-73996 on 2/16/44. Used as pilot boat CNAB Noumea (New Caledonia). Worn out and replacement requested 1/18/45 by ComServRonSoPac. Probably scrapped in New Caledonia.
I am almost sure she stayed out there. I have a copy of the 2 Jan 1944 structural survey of all the remaining 77' Elco's. The only 1st series boats I have being shipped back from Guadalcanal were PT 39 and PT 40. PT 39 later had an explosion in the engineroom and she was rebuilt by MTBRTU personnel with a late 77' series cabin. this is they way she looked when she went on her war bond tour in New York City Jan 1945.
PT 47, 48, and 59 were also returned to Melville and repaired/rebuilt by MTBRTU personnel. Regardless of what it appears to be, she has to be PT 39.
Take care,
TED
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Frank J Andruss Sr
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Posted on: Mar 17, 2008 - 4:07am
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Ted
Dick's close up shot clearly shows the black numbers of 38 on the cabin side. Is it possible that the documentation could have been wrong all these years. I see no logical reason why anyone would re-paint that number on the boat. Thoughts anyone?
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Wayne Traxel |
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Posted on: Mar 17, 2008 - 4:18pm
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Based on similair info I too thought as Ted, that this boat was PT-39, however after viewing Dicks enlargement I'm convinced that this boat is PT-38. Now I'm wondering what became of 38 and and if other 77 footers made it back to the states.
Wayne Traxel |
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TED WALTHER |
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Posted on: Mar 18, 2008 - 9:51pm
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Frank;
I am very interested in this new development about PT 38, I wish Bob Searles was still with us because I believe he was back at Melville around the time of this photo, give or take a few months, Getting RON 30 ready to go to the Pacific. I am sure he would have noticed his old boat. But who knows?
I have seen some strange things in the Navy, and I know World War II must have been just as strange logistically speaking, i imagine all sorts of stuff was shipped back when officially declared surplus or destroyed.
SO I was thinking, putting aside structural damage reports and surveys, why would they only ship 5 boats back? When they usually shipped them in a group of 6. Could it be possible 38 came back too? Numerically it would fit(38, 39, 40, last 3 boats of the First series. 47, 48, 59, Last three boats around Tulagi/Russells/Rendova of the second series). We know PT 60 made it all they way up to Green Island, where she supposedly was damaged in a storm, and PT 61 became SEA BISCUIT, a small boat/VIP transport/utility boat/Hack. A friend reminded me tonight PT 8 /YP 110 is a classic example of this. It was supposed to be destroyed in 1945-46, but it wound up being used by the Navy as a weapons and propulsion test platform until 1966! Do you have anymore 77' Elco photos at Melville you could post? What do you think about my theory?
Take care,
TED
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Frank J Andruss Sr
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2008 - 4:03am
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Ted
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and PT 38 is there for all to see. How it ended up at Melville is anyone's guess. In one of the pictures I posted, you will notice another boat with a part of the cabin trunk being put on or being taken off. I noticed a large crate in the photo which seems to be a shipping crate of some sort. My question is what boat is this and what are they doing to her. Could be some type of overhaul. Unless we find someone who was there and knows the story, I suppose we will have to guess. By the way, I will be posting 10 more Melville photo's soon.
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TED WALTHER |
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2008 - 5:21am
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Frank;
I can't wait to see your new photos. I have to head to work now but will get back to you later.
Take care,
TED
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29navy
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2008 - 10:10am
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Here are two pictures of PT-40 and another 77-footer arriving at Melville. Unfortunately, the second boat is facing away so you can't see the number. All these 77-footers were assigned to MTBRTU to use in hull repair training.
Charlie
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Frank J Andruss Sr
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2008 - 10:46am
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Charlie
Those Huts to the left of the photo are still present today, as are the two buildings to the far right of the photo. I would love to know where the main gate entrance was during the War. In my several trips to the site, you come down the hill, and there is an access road with a gate that is blocked. I am not sure if this was used during the War or if it was the Main gate. With all the changes, it is hard to visualize when you are there.
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