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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 |
Captain Lt(jg) Craig C. Smith Crew Ensign John F. Daley (WIA / KIA) Gunner GM1C Thomas M. Ross, 3828119 (MIA / KIA) CA Engine Room MoMM2 Bertis I. Paul (KIA) Ship History Built July 1942 at Bayonne, New Jersey. Assigned to PT Boat training center at Melville, Rhode Island. Ferried across the Pacific by transport ship to Noumea, and towed to Guadalcanal. During April 1943, Lt(jg) John F. Kennedy assumed command of PT-126. Wartime History On September 30, 1943 this PT boat, plus PT-124 and PT-116 conducted an overnight barge hunting mission, strafing barges near Ropa Point on the north eastern shore of Kolombangara, where they remained until dawn. All friendly vessels were supposed to be withdrawn from the area to avoid mistaken identity. At 7:40am three F4U Corsairs from VMF-214 "The Black Sheep" flying from Munda Airfield spotted the three PT-Boats, and swooped down to investigate. The PT Boat a recognition flare. Two of the F4Us waggled wings in recognition, but F4U piloted by Robert Alexander opened fire, hitting the stern of this boat. The three PT boats returned fire, and shot down the Corsair. The wounded crew from this boat were evacuated aboard PT-124. Fate On November 24, 1945 stripped of usable parts and scuttled off Samar Island in the Philippines. On November 28, 1945 struck from the Navy Register. Memorials Ross was officially declared dead on September 30, 1944. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Bertisis buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at plot D, grave 178. References At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy pages 138, 434-435, 457, 461 FindAGrave - Bertis Irvin Paul (grave photo) Contribute
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