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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 gun 2 x Twin .50 cal MG |
Ship History Built by Electric Boat Co. (ELCO) in Bayonne, New Jersey. Laid down May 13, 1942 as 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched August 10, 1942 as PT-126. Completed August 27, 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 "String Rabbit Shirt", "Acey Deucy" and finally "Miss Gwin". On September 30, 1943 under the command of Lt(jg) Craig C. Smith departs Lever Harbor with PT-124 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. On May 29, 1944 assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Nine (PTRon 9) and operated from Rendova, Lever Harbor, Treasury, and Green Island. Next, transfered to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and operated from Dreger Harbor, Mios Woendi, Morotai, Samar, Zamboanga and Tawi Tawi. On May 27, 1945 one of nine PT Boats covered by eight RAAF P-40N Kittyhawks plus four U.S. Navy PBM Mariners on a strike against targets inside Sandakan Harbor off Borneo. During the two hour 30 minute attack, the PT Boats ran at 35 knots as they entered the narrow harbor entrance and laid smoke while fired on by machine guns and shore batteries. During the attack the PT-Boats strafed while PT-126, PT-154 and PT-155 each fired two torpedoes at installations in the harbor area targeting the dock and small boats tied up in the face of enemy fire from machine guns and shore batteries. Fate On November 11, 1945 stripped of usable parts and scuttled off Samar Island in the Philippines. On November 28, 1945 officially struck from the Navy Register. Memorials Daley died September 30, 1943. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Postwar, he was buried at Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Fountain Springs, PA. Ross remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. and was officially declared dead September 30, 1944. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Bertisis died September 30, 1943. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Postwar, he was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at plot D, grave 178. References At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy pages 138 (September 30, 1943), 434-435 (May 27, 1945), 457 (PTRon 6), 461 (PT-126), 561 (index PT-126) FindAGrave - John F. Daley (grave photos) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas M. Ross FindAGrave - GM1 Thomas Milton Ross (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Bertis Irvin Paul (grave photo) Contribute
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