In 196061, when robert donovan interviewed him for the book pt109. Specifications, 1942 elco 80 patrol torpedo pt boat manufacturer elco naval division of the electric boat company, bayonne, new jersey length per the navy build manual. That night, pt109 was commanded by kennedy with ensign leonard jay thom as executive officer. William doyles pt 109 is a masterfully written book on john f. Make offer new revell pt109 pt boat commanded by ltjg john f. Q2 when the pt109 american patrol boat, under the command of lieutenant john f. The remaining nineteen ships kept going until they met the pt patrol between guadalcanal and savo. A pt boat short for patrol torpedo boat was a torpedoarmed fast attack craft used by the united states navy in world war ii. As mentioned, 199 total higgins 78foot boats were eventually built and these included designations pt71 to pt94, pt197 to pt254, pt265 to pt3, pt450 to pt485, pt564 and pt625 to pt660. Motor torpedo boat 109 pt109 was laid down 4 march 1942 by the elco works naval division of the electric boat company in bayonne, new jersey. Kxjey urebe zwehe wrytu heyfs krehe goyfi wtttu olksy cajpo botei zontx bybnt goney cuzwr gdson sxbou ywrhe baahy usedq the key used was royal new zealand.
Pt109 was one of the latest models of a socalled miracle weapon an 80foot plywoodandmahogany speedboat armed with torpedoes and machine guns. Drewitch was injured on june 30, 1943 when a depth charge was dislodged and came through the deck landing on the bunk above him. See the official report, sinking of pt 109 and subsequent rescue of survivors, prepared 22 august 1943 by lt. Sinking of pt 109 and subsequent rescue of survivors source. Pt 109 william doyle paperback harpercollins publishers. Islands involved in rescuing kennedy and his crew after a japanese destroyer sank their patrol torpedo boat in 1943. And the crew of pt boat 109 pt meaning patrol torpedo had just taken a hardearned lunch break from their work of fitting out pt109 at the brooklyn yard. Pt109 earned famed under the command of lieutenant junior grade john f.
On august 2, 1943, pt 109 was struck by the japanese destroyer amagiri and the entire crew was thrown into the pacific. I found the pt 109 deck plan to be underutilized in the game as it is now. Pt 109 was released on june 19, 1963, just five months prior to kennedys assassination, and grossed 5. Kxjey urebe zwehe wrytu heyfs krehe goyfi wtttu olksy cajpo botei zontx bybnt goney cuzwr gdson sxbou ywrhe baahy usedq the key used was royal new. It was a very dark and quiet night on the 2nd of august. Online resource for all things navy 802 cornaga ave far rockaway, ny 11691 phone. First deployed to the south pacific in august 1942, pt109 was already warweary by the time lt. Kennedy, was struck by the japanese destroyer amagiri near the solomon islands. Kennedy, was sunk by a japanese destroyer, a message was received at an australian wireless station in playfair code. I also wonder if some of the flaws in this kit was the cause. So, the hero of the hour is the early batch pt109 patrol torpedo boat.
He served under kennedy, then a 26yearold lieutenant junior grade and skipper of the patroltorpedo craft. Pt 41 was a unit of the sixboat motor torpedo boat squadron three based in the philippines at the outbreak of war with japan in december 1941. Sixty years later, the story of pt109 still captivates national. Higgins pt boat patrol torpedo patrol boat motor torpedo boat. Pt boat world dedicated to the history and the future of the pt boat torpedoboats including us, british and kreigsmarine pt boats, inc. Dr robert d ballard, who discovered titanic, bismarck and dozens of other lost ships, announces that he has found pt 109, john f kennedys wartime. Kennedy when it was rammed by the japanese destroyer amagiri on august 2, 1943. However, it was not until the late 1930s that the us navy commenced the development of their patrol torpedo or pt boat program. The motor torpedo boat elco 80ftclasspage contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated to this ship. Fifteen pt boats patrol torpedo boats had set out to engage, damage. Kennedy joined the us navy in 1941 and was stationed in the solomon islands in the south pacific during world war ii. Ive heard some people say the water pickups for cooling didnt work half the time and some parts would break off way too easilly.
O god, thy sea is so great and my boat is so small. Pt 105 by dick keresy, hunters in the shallows and the navy history of pts, at close quarters. A national geographic expedition has found the wwii patrol boat that became a cornerstone of the kennedy legend. When the pt109 american patrol boat, under the command of lieutenant john f. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its.
I thought this was a very good book covering both the actual sinking of pt109. Westholm took the 109 off lunga point on guadalcanal in company with charlie tilden in pt 36. If ptboat veteran ted robinson is to be believed, however, the notion that kennedys. The pt boat, or the mosquito boat as they were sometimes known, was originally envisioned for attacking larger warships with torpedoes using its stealth ability, highspeed, and small size to launch and survive. No other pt patrol torpedo boat was lost in the search area. Patrol torpedo boat pt109, captained by lieutenant at 2.
Kennedy r, were photographed off guadalcanal in july 1943. Pt109 was one of fifteen boats on patrol on the night of 12 august 1943, sent to intercept japanese warships in the straits. In the wake of the sinking, kennedy worked tirelessly to get the survivors ashore. Patrol torpedo boat pt109, captained by lieutenant john f. Download here pdf file mark 7 torpedo director, description and instructions. To ask other readers questions about pt 109, please sign up. On this day in 1943, a japanese destroyer rams an american pt patrol torpedo boat, no. It was a far cry from a flop, but the studio had much greater hopes for the picture and its returns were disappointing. Travel aboard our pt 109 boat patrol on the upper dells of the wisconsin river. The rescue of pt109 caption the crew of patrol torpedo boat pt109, including u.
Commanding the patrol torpedo craft pt pt 109, lieutenant kennedy and his crew participated in early allied war campaigns. Navys motor torpedo boat pt 109, splitting the craft nearly in half. An american epic of war, survival, and the destiny of john f. Pt109 joined mtb squadron five and shifted to panama, replacing. All three of these men were injured on previous patrols and were not on board when the pt109 was sunk. On the night of august 1, fourteen boats were ordered into blackett strait from the rendova pt base in anticipation of the bougainville express running into vila.
This boat differs from the later versions in her armament. I would prefer being able to have an advanced version of the game where i can assign crew to each position, track their skills and casualties. The pt109 was going at very low speed with only one engine to minimize the wake which might be detected by japanese patrol aircrafts. White, usnr, motor torpedo boat flotilla one intelligence officers, naval historical center, washington d. If you like the game, check out pt boat simulator, a littleknown 1994 updated version of this underdog, from the same designer. Highly recommended for experienced skippers and armchair naval commanders. The seventh 40ton motor torpedo boat mtb built there, she was launched on 20 june, delivered to the navy on 10 july 1942, and fitted out in the new york naval shipyard at brooklyn. And while there are a few similarities between that classic and this. This could easily be the patrol boat version of target for. The story of pt109s sinking was featured in several books and a 1963 movie, pt 109, starring cliff robertson. On november 2, 1943, pt59 commanded by lt john fitzgerald kennedy evacuate forty plus us marines including several dozen wounded men from biggers force from the. Patrol torpedo boat pt579 pt588, revell 05165 2019.
During october 1943 operated from the pt boat base at liapari island vella lavella. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. Pt109 was a pt103 class motor torpedo boat built for the us navy in 1942. Plus, the location of the find is consistent with historical accounts of the pt109 bows drift. Robert green 11162003 pt 109s crew must have been asleep. It may not be as actionpacked or intuitive as the venerable 688 attack sub, but pt109 has its unique appeal and gameplay. Kennedy took command of pt59, after pt109 was sunk. The saga of the boats collision and sinking and the subsequent rescue is well worth researching. Over the years, mcmahon often told the story of the night of aug. A revealing and breathtaking account about what happened to john f. Sea explorer uncovers kennedys pt 109 the new york times.
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