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| USN PT-Boat Elco 80' 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 3' 6" 1 x 40mm gun 4 x 21" Torpedoes 37mm gun 20mm cannon 2 x Twin .50 cal MG  USN August 29, 1942 |
Ship History Built by Electric Boat Co. (Elco) in Bayonne, New Jersey. Laid down May 6, 1942 as 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched August 3, 1942 as PT-124. Completed August 20, 1942 and placed into service in the U.S. Navy (USN). Wartime History Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Six (PTRon 6). Loaded aboard a ship and ferried across the Pacific to Noumea then towed to Guadalcanal. Nicknamed "Hogan's Goat" and later renamed "Who Me", possibly "Who Me?" with a question mark. On February 1, 1943 under the command of Lt. Clark W. Faulkner all available PT-Boats depart during the night on an overnight patrol between Savo Island and Cape Esperance to intercept Japanese warships of the "Tokyo Express" with PT-124 and PT-123 patrolling 3 miles south of Savo Island. At night, PT-124 fired both torpedoes at a destroyer 1,000 yards away and claimed two hits that caused it to burst in flames. For his actions, Faulkner later earned the Navy Cross for this and prior actions. This PT Boat operated from Rendova, Vella Lavella and Treasury. On August 22, 1943 under the command of Lt. (jg.) Leighton C. Wood departs Lever Harbor PT Boat Base on a daylight patrol to Kolombangara Island with air cover. At 7:30am as part of the second group, PT-124 covered the entrance of Webster Cove (Vovohe) as PT-108 and PT-125 entered and when inside came under machine gun fire from many positions ashore and both sustained crew casualties but manage to escape. On September 4, 1943 damaged by Japanese planes off Meresu Cove on western Kolombangara Island. On September 30, 1943 departs Lever Harbor with PT-126 and PT-116 on an overnight barge hunting patrol and strafed Japanese barges near Ropa Point on the north eastern shore of Kolombangara until dawn. By sunrise, all friendly vessels were supposed to withdraw from the area to avoid mistaken identity. At 7:40am three F4U Corsairs from Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) "Black Sheep" from Munda Airfield spotted the three PT-Boats and swooped down to investigate. The lead Corsairs recognized them as PT Boats and radioed the two others "Don't fire as they are our own PT boats." One of the PT Boats fired a recognition flare while two F4Us waggled wings in recognition, but for unknown reasons, F4U pilot Alexander opened fire, hitting the stern of this boat. In defense, all three PT Boats returned fire and shot down his Corsair. The friendly fire incident resulted in Ensign John F. Daley, USNR (WIA, died) gunner GM1C Thomas M. Ross, 3828119 (MIA) and engine room MoMM2 Bertis I. Paul (KIA). Afterwards, the wounded crew from this boat were evacuated aboard PT-124 to Lever Harbor. During October 1943, while on patrol with PT-125 encountered two Japanese in a native canoe that were attempting to paddle from Kolombangara to Choiseul. When they resisted capture, they were shot. On November 3, 1943 in the morning, Commander Henry Farrow arrived with eight PT-Boats including PT-124 to setup a PT Boat base on Puruata Island. Also known as Torokina PT Boat Base due to its proximity to Cape Torokina on Bougainville. On December 18, 1943 during the night, PT-124 and PT-187 moored off Puruata Island were both slightly damaged by a Japanese bomb but were able to go out on patrol the next night. On December 18, 1943 during the night, PT-124 and PT-187 were both slightly damaged by a Japanese bomb off Puruata Island but both were able to go out on patrol the next night. On May 29, 1944 assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Ten (PTRon 10) and operated from Treasury, and Nissan Island (Green). During July 1944 departs Nissan Island (Green) with personnel from Air Technical Intelligence Unit (ATIU) including Captain Tolbert and Michael J. Freeman on a patrol to Nuguria Atoll to investigate G4M1 Betty ditched in shallow water. While the PT Boat loitered nearby, the pair uses two dinghies to paddle up to the bomber, took at least three photographs and recovered a bag with documents found inside the fuselage above the water level. Next, transfered to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and operates from Dreger Harbor, Mios Woendi, Morotai, Samar, Zamboanga and Tawi Tawi. Fate On November 11, 1945 stripped of usable parts and scuttled off Samar Island in the Philippines. Afterwards, officially struck from the Navy Register. References NavSource - PT-124 Hall of Valor - Clark Woods Faulkner (Navy Cross citation) At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy pages 103 (February 1, 1943), 135-136 (August 22, 1943), 138 (September 30, 1943), 137 (October 1943), 141 (December 18-19, 1943), 457 (PT-124), 461 (80' Elco PT-124) Behind Enemy Lines (1997) pages 210-213 (July 1944 Nuguria Atoll) Contribute
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