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PT Boats• The US Navy called them Patrol Torpedo Boats - PT's
Although much plywood was used in construction of the PT boat, the hull itself was two layers of mahogany planking laminated over wood frames. A layer of airplane fabric, impregnated with marine glue, was ironed in between the two layers. It was designed for speed: Looking squat and beamy dead in the water, as it gains momentum the bow lifts as much as 50% out of the water throwing a great wave and rooster tail astern.... A thing of beauty! 75 feet long, with a 20 foot beam, the PT could go 45 knots with a full load of 3,000 gallons of fuel, a full armament of torpedoes, depth charges and deck guns, and a crew of ten. The Portland boys are well on their way to restoration of PT 658. Mahogany planking has been donated. The machinists at Cascade General are renewing gearboxes and drive trains. The three V-12 1500-hp Packard engines are restored and awaiting at dockside. One of the Portland group is Bryant Larson. He commanded PT 109
out of Tulogi, Guadacanal Island through April 1943 when his crew
was rotated. Bryant barely remembers turning over the keys to
the new commander, a Bostonian later to be known by his initials
... JFK. But, to this day he is clearly annoyed that 'this chap
sank my boat.'
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The
PT boat became a press favorite and glamour item during WWII,
commencing with its prominence in newsreels as rescuing General
McArthur in the Philippines and, of course, later catching the
public's fancy as part of John F. Kennedy's life experiences.
In reality, as far as the crewmen were concerned, it was a 'miserable
little bugger.' Their memories of the PT: Very rough riding, cramped
quarters, loud, noxious 100 octane aviation fuel fumes. Further,
it was very dangerous duty. PT boats were regarded by the Navy
as expendable. They were commonly used to draw enemy fire, exposing
enemy gun positions. As the Navy's smallest, fastest, most maneuverable
of all fighting craft in WWII, they were used for frequent, close
range contact with enemy naval vessels, darting into convoys to
discharge their torpedoes. PT boat crews suffered more casualties
than any other surface units and were the most highly decorated
sailors in the US Navy.