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| USN 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 5' 4 x 21" Torpedoes 1 x 40mm gun 2 x Twin .50 cal MG  Justin Taylan 2003 |
Ship History Built by Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ. Laid down February 19, 1943 as a 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched April 28, 1943 as PT-338. Completed May 18, 1943 in the U.S. Navy (USN). Wartime History Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 24 (MTBRon 24) and shipped as cargo across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Nicknamed "Satan's Bitch" and later "Devil Chaser" and finally "Gray Ghost" and later "Heaven Can Wait". This PT Boat operated from Dregger Harbor PT Boat Base on the north coast of New Guinea. Mission History On March 6, 1944 during the evening departed Dregger Harbor PT Boat Base along with PT-337 under the command of captain Lt.(jg) Carl T. Gleason. The pair proceeded northward into enemy territory to search for enemy barges in Hansa Bay. On March 7, 1944 at 2:00am the pair were idling outside Hansa Bay then spotted targets close to shore on radar and attacked two luggers moored together, but heavy machine gun fire opened up from the beach area. Lost due to shore battery gunfire was PT-337. Afterwards, operated from Mios Woendi PT Boat Base. Later, operated in the Philippines from Mindoro. Fate On January 27, 1945 ran aground off Semirara Island off Luzon at roughly 12°06'N, 121°23'E. On January 31, 1945 irreparably damaged by the grounding is destroyed by demolition squad. References NARA Report of Action of PT 338 night of March 6-7 1944 pages 1-29 Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy Motor Torpedo Boat Operational Losses "PT-338 badly damaged by grounding, scrapped, Mindoro, Philippine Islands, 28 Jan. 1945." Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Casualties: U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Vessels, Sunk or Damaged Beyond Repair during World War II, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945 "PT-338 grounded, 27 January 1945, and destroyed as a result of grounding, not in enemy waters, Semirara Island, Philippine Islands, 31 January 1945." At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy (1962) pages 224-225, 238, 411, 471, 488, 563 (index PT-338) NavSource - PT-338 Contribute
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