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| USN 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 5' 4 x torpedo tubes 1 x 40mm cannon 1 x 37mm cannon 1 x 20mm cannon 2 x Twin .50 cal MG |
Ship History Built by Electric Boat Co., Elco Works in Bayonne, NJ. Laid down January 8, 1943 as Elco 80' Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched March 17, 1943 as PT-323. Commissioned April 6, 1943 in the U.S. Navy (USN). Wartime History On April 8, 1943 assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twenty-One (PTRon 21) under the command of Commander Selman S. Bowling. On July 16, 1943 transits the Panama Canal. Next, transferred to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and based at Morobe PT Boat Base then Dreger Harbor PT Boat Base on New Guinea. On December 18, 1943 during the night PT-323 under the command of Ensign James F. Foran with PT-369 patrolled up the Huon Peninsula from Wandokai. On December 19, 1943 in the early morning hours, while the PT Boats made a second attack run against a barge, PT-369 ran aground. Afterwards, PT-323 attempted to throw tow lines to the PT Boat but the lines broke and made a radio call for more support. Meanwhile, PT-323 spotted another barge and made an attack and sank it. An hour later, eight more barges past and oped fire on PT-323 that returned fire plus PT-369. Experiencing engine trouble, PT-323 remained on station for another two hours until PT-195 arrived and helped free the grounded boat and towed it back to base. During the night of January 8, 1944 to January 9, 1944 PT-320 under the command of Ensign Joseph W. Burk and PT-323 under the command of Ensign James F. Foran engaged ten barges loaded with troops and shore batteries a mile north of Mindiri on the north coast of New Guinea. During the port attack run, three barges were sunk including one that exploded when hit by 40mm fire from PT-323. On March 15, 1944 during the landings at Lorengau on Manus, PT-323 under the command of Lt(jg) Emery M. Newton had U.S. Navy Captain Karl J. Christoph, senior Naval officer in the Admiralties as an observation boat for the operation. On April 3, 1944 PT-323, PT-365, PT-331 and PT-364 covered the landings by LCV and LCM barges landing on Rambutyo Island and Tong Island. Next, began operating from Mios Woendi PT Boat Base (Camp Taylor) between Biak and New Guinea. On August 18, 1944 PT-323 under the command of Lt(jg) Emery M. Newton, Jr. and PT-329 attack against the western side of Mansinam Island off Manokwari followed by RAAF Beaufighters. The pair fired on four barges and destroyed a fifth but also came under fire from shore batteries and machine gun fire. Shell fragments hit PT-323 and wounded a crew member. Next, operated from Leyte in the Philippines and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On October 25, 1944 during the Battle of Surigao Strait, three PT Boats led by Lt. H. G. Young including PT-328, PT-329 and PT-323 under the command of Herbert Stradler plus patrol the northern sector of Surigao Strait and stationed south and east of Amagusan Point on Leyte. At 6:30am, PT-323 became seporated and spotted destroyer Asagumo damaged and dead in the water plus nearby Battleship Fuso burning a few miles to the south. Spotted, Asagumo opened fire at 3,000 yards while PT-323 made three torpedo runs, firing a torpedo on each run with the third hitting the stern of Asagumo then departed as other warships entered Surigao Strait and sink the damaged destroyer at 7:22am. Wartime History On December 10, 1944 in the afternoon, PT-323 under the command of Lt(jg) Herbert Stadler and PT-327 were underway for a patrol with PT-528 and PT-532 following 200 yards began a patrol of Magarin Bay off San Jose on Mindoro. The four PT Boats were targeted by four Japanese planes with two making kamikaze suicide attacks. One plane made a kamikaze attack and crashed into PT-323 amidship. Aboard, Lt(jg) Herbert Stadler (C.O.) and Ensign William I. Adelman (X.O.) were killed with 11 other crew members wounded including two U.S. Army passengers aboard. PT-323 was the first PT Boats sunk by kamikaze attack during World War II. Another plane made a kamikaze attack against PT-528 but it managed to turn and the plane crashed 25 yards astern in the wake exploding on impact. References NARA "Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Sixteen: Action Report, PT 323 10 December 1943" At Close Quarters (1962) pages 215-216 (December 18-19, 1943), 220-221 (January 8-9, 1944), 228 (March 15, 1944), 231 (April 3, 1944), 258-259 (August 18, 1944 Mansinam), 387 (October 25, 1944), 394 (December 10, 1944 kamikaze) 395 (photo), 469, 487, 488, 494, 563 (index PT-323) (Page 487) "[PT] 323 destroyed by enemy aircraft (suicide attack), Mindoro. P.I., December 10, 1944" *Page 488) "Sunk by enemy aircraft (by suicide attack): PT's 300, 323." NavSource PT-323 Contribute
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