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Ship History Built by Electric Boat Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ. Laid down April 3, 1942 as 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched July 9, 1942 as PT-115. Completed July 29, 1942 and delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) and placed into service with Motor Torpedo Squadron Six (MTBRon 6) and shipped overseas to the South Pacific. Nicknamed "Pest" and later "Hogan's Goat". Wartime History On December 31, 1942 arrived at Tulagi PT Boat Base and immediately went into action against Japanese Tokyo Express patrols off Guadalcanal. On January 10, 1943 under the command of Ens. Bartholomew J. Connolly, III with PT-48 and PT-115 patrolled to the east of Savo Island. Neither PT Boat made contact with the enemy. On January 14, 1943 under the command of Ens. Bartholomew J. Connolly, III patrolled with PT-39 two miles south of Savo Island. During the night, visibility was nil with heavy rain. PT-115 saw gunfire from ships, saw a pair of destroyers and closed to 1,000 yards and fired all four torpedoes and saw a yellow flash followed by a yellow glow that was believed to be a hit then withdrew under inaccurate enemy gunfire fire. On January 29, 1943 under the command of Ens. Bartholomew J. Connolly, III patrolled with PT-37 three miles northwest of Cape Esperance. Passing the Savo-Esperence area, bombed and strafed by enemy planes without damage and were trapped between enemy destroyers on three sides during what was the Japanese evacuation. PT-115 got within 500 yards of a destroyer, fired two torpedoes then reversed course and thought both hit, fired two more torpedoes then reversed course again while under gunfire from all sides. Reducing speed to loose his wake, the fire became inaccurate and escaped in a rain storm then beached on the west coast of Savo Island. After dawn, backed off and returned to base. On January 7, 1944 PT-115 and PT-181 were blown on a reef off Torokina on Bougainville. When USS LCI 67 tried to tow them off but broached on the same reef. During May 1944, Motor Torpedo Squadron Six (MTBRon 6) was decommissioned and PT-115 was transfered to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On May 29, 1944 assigned to Motor Torpedo Squadron Twenty-Five (MTBRon 25). On August 25, 1945 in the morning sixteen PT Boats got underway from Morotai PT Boat Base for a rendezvous with the commanders of the Japanese forces on Halmahera Island. The force was led by PT-115 under the command of Lt. Comdr. Theodore R. Stansbury (C.O. MTBRon 25) with Major General Harry H. Johnson, commander 93rd Infantry Division (Colored) and his staff. As arranged by radio, the PT Boats rendezvoused with two Japanese barges near Miti Island off northeast Halmahera Island. The Japanese sent General Ishii's chief of staff and operations officer. Upset the General had not come as expected, the Japanese were instructed to bring their commander the next morning. Fate On November 9, 1945 placed out of service, stripped and sunk off Samar. References At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy (1962) pages 99 (January 10, 1943), 101 (January 14, 1943), 103-104 (January 29, 1943), 147 (January 7, 1944), 441-442 (August 25, 1945), 457, 471 NavSource - PT-115 Contribute
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