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| USN 77' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat 40 Tons 77' x 19' 11" x 4' 6" 2 x Twin .50 cal MG 4 x 21" Torpedoes  USN September 1941 |
Ship History Built by Electric Boat Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ. Originally planned as PT-33 but reclassified as PTC-13. Laid down March 25, 1941 as as Motor Boat Submarine Chaser PTC-13 but later in the month reclassified as a 77' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched June 10, 1941 as PT-33. Completed July 11, 1941 and placed into service in the U.S. Navy (USN). Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 1 (MTBRon 1). Next, on August 12, 1941 assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 (MTBRon 3). On August 16, 1941 one of six PT Boats loaded as deck cargo aboard USS Guadalupe (AO-32) including PT-31, PT-32, PT-33, PT-34, PT-35 and PT-41 to the Philippines. During September 1941 begins operating from Cavite Navy Yard. Wartime History On December 10, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, Japanese planes bombed Cavite Navy Yard and cause heavy damage. After the raid, the surviving PT Boats helped transport injured personnel to the hospital at Cañacao. Next, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 (MTBRon3) moved to Sisiman Bay on the Bataan Peninsula. Mission History On December 24, 1941 departs Manila Bay for an overnight patrol south of Manila Bay with USS Pillsbury (DD-227) and ran aground on a coral reef 5 miles northwest of Cape Santiago and roughly Lat 13°46'N Long 120°40'E. On December 25, 1941 three attempts were made by PT-31 and PT-41 to tow the grounded vessel off the reef but they were unsuccessful. Afterwards, everything usable was removed from the PT Boat and stripped for usable parts. Fate On December 26, 1941 at 8:30am on a coral reef roughly 5 miles north of Cape Santiago, PT-33 was set on fire to destroy it and prevent it from being captured by the Japanese. References At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy pages 3, 8, 450, 486, 488 (Page 3) "Squadron 3 to do the best it could with its six boats, PT's 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 41." (Page 8) "PT 33, patrolling south of Manila Bay with the Pillsbury on the night of December 24, went hard aground on a coral reef 5 miles north of Cape Santiago. On Christmas Day, PT's 31 and 41 made three attempts to pull the 33 boat off the reef, but could not move her. At 0830 December 26, after everything useful had been stripped from the boat, PT 33 was set afire to prevent her from falling into the hands of the enemy." Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy Motor Torpedo Boat Operational Losses "PT-33 destroyed to prevent capture, off Point Santiago, Philippine Islands, 15 Dec. 1941." Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Bataan and Corregidor December 1941–May 1942 "Torpedo boats: PT-31, PT-32, PT-33, PT-34, PT-35, PT-41" NavSource PT-33 (photos) Contribute
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