|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USN PT-Boat Elco 80' 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 5' 1 x 37mm gun 1 x 20mm cannon 2 x Twin .50 cal MG 4 x 21" torpedoes 1 x 60mm mortar  Deydenfrost via Impact  USN August 1, 1943 |
Ship History Built by Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco) in Bayonne, New Jersey. Laid down on September 9, 1942 as Elco 80' PT Boat. Launched November 24, 1942 as PT-164. Commissioned December 8, 1942 in the U.S. Navy (USN). This PT Boat was painted with a dazzle camouflage scheme. Wartime History Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Ten (MTBRon 10, PTRon 10, Squadron 10). This PT Boat was transported overseas to the South Pacific. Nicknamed "Fubar". This PT Boat operated from Rendova PT Boat Base (Lumbari Island / Todd City) conducting combat missions in the Central Solomons. On July 20, 1943 PT-164 with PT-168 and PT-166 patrolled to the south of Ferguson Passage. Returning from the patrol, the PT Boats were spotted and attacked by four B-25 Mitchells believing they were enemy vessels, as they were briefed that no friendly vessels in operating in the area. During the attack, gunners aboard PT-166 and PT-164 returned fire. Each PT Boat was hit. Aboard the PT Boats one officer and ten men were wounded. During the attack, PT-166 caught fire and the crew abandoned ship before the vessel exploded. Damaged by the PT Boat's defensive fire, B-25C "The Worry Bird" 41-13153 crashed nearby. Afterwards, PT-164 rescued the crew of PT-166 then returned to base. Meanwhile, PT-168 went to the crash site of the bomber and rescued the three surviving crew. Sinking History On August 1, 1943 both PT-164 and PT-117 were docked together at Rendova PT Boat Base (Lumbari Island / Todd City) off Lumbaria Island. inside Rendova Harbor. At dusk, a Japanese air raid by eighteen planes targeted the area. A bomb hit. A bomb hit PT-164 in the bow destroying the boat. PT-117 was damaged in the bow and later abandoned and two men killed. The bomb blast knocked two torpedoes off PT-164 that activated and ran erratically inside Rendova Harbor until both came onto the beach without detonating. Afterwards, the shipwreck was photographed showing the wrecked bow. References Impact "Moral: Don't be Trigger Happy" volume 2 no. 5 May 1944 pages 36-37 [Page 36] Artwork "Double Tragedy off Munda Point" by A. Deydenfrost [Page 37] Double Tragedy off Munda Point last year [July 20, 1943] is reconstructed from the narrative of a pilot back from the S. W. Pacific. A B-25 crew, on patrol, failed to identify two [three] U.S. torpedo boats [PT-166, PT-168 and PT-164]. The boats possibly had opened fire on him. The B-25 came down and strafed, sinking a boat [PT-166]. Then a Navy fighter pilot capped the tragedy of errors. He may have made a mistake in identification or might have thought the B-25 [B-25C Mitchell 41-13153] to be Jap-operated. At any rate he shot it down." At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy (1962) pages 119-120, 121 (photos), 461, 487, 488, 562 (index) NavSource - PT-164 Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 Photo Archive Map July 20, 1943 |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
