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USN MTBS 12 PT-Boat Elco 80' 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 5' Two torpedoes Twin .50 cal MG 37mm gun (bow) 20mm cannon 40mm Bofors (stern) ![]() ![]() Louis Bonniol 1944 |
Captain Lt. Cyrus R. Taylor "Cy / The Cypress", O-122496, USNR (WIA, died June 25, 1944) Mt. Vernon, NY Executive Officer Lt. Hubert S. Cutler, USNR (survived) Third Officer Ensign John Ladd (survived) Cook/40mm Bofors Loader SC1c Elisandro Romero "Cookie", 5536323 (survived) Belen, NM 40mm Bofors Gunner MMM1c Louis E. Bonniol "Bonny" (WIA, survived) Providence, RI Quartermaster "Scotty" (survived) Mechanic MoMM1c Lawrence R. Mansfield, 3757528 (survived) Crew Tonan (survived) Radio Sparks (survived) Gunner Bradford (survived) Torpedo TM1c Wallace Fred Seaver "Warhead", 6689283 (survived) Gunner Sheldon (survived) Gunner Rozamalsky "Hippo" (survived) Gunner White (survived) Passenger Chief Commissary Steward Raymond Bierman (survived) Monterey, CA Passengers Captain Victor Cook, U. S. Army, 201st CIC (survived) Passengers SSgt Carl R. Thien, U. S. Army, 201st CIC (survived) Passengers Sgt Art Zinsmaster, U. S. Army, 201st CIC (survived) Passengers Dee Paulus, Dutch liaison (survived) Passengers ? (survived) Passengers ? (survived) Passengers ? (survived) Passengers ? (survived) Passengers ? (survived) Scuttled June 25, 1944 at 4:30am Ship History Built by Electric Boat Company (Elco) in Bayonne, New Jersey. Laid down November 30, 1942. Launched on February 11, 1943. Commissioned February 27, 1943. Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twelve (MTBS 12). Assigned to Captain Lt. Cyrus R. Taylor nicknamed "Cy" or "The Cypress" by his crew with Executive Officer (EO) Torbert H. Macdonald. In the South West Pacific Area (SWPA), PT-193 PT Boat was nicknamed "The Witch" by the crew. Later, after the boat's success in combat, the crew renamed it "Bitchin' Witch". On the left side of the bridge was a scoreboard with hash marks. Wartime History During August 1943, this PT Boat was based at Morobe PT Boat Base. During December 1943 operated from Dregger Harbor near Finschafen until January 1944 then operated from Kiriwina PT Boat Base on Kiriwina Island. On February 24, 1944 PT-193 and PT-146 arrived at Saidor Harbor at 2:00pm and departed for the first daylight patrol along the north coast of New Guinea towards Madang and reached Enke Point bordering Astrolabe Bay around dusk. Near Enke Point, both boats were fired on by a shore battery and machine guns. Turning away from shore, the two boats released a smoke screen and departed while firing at the positions through the smoke. When they stopped a 5" shell landed between the two boats, forcing them both to accelerated further out to sea as four other shells impacted behind them, three close astern. Finally, seven miles offshore both boats reduced speed. Overnight, the pair patrolled off Madang but found no targets. Returning to Enke Point, they attacked the same position at night, using light from shore made a starboard strafing run and received no return fire. During the night of March 12, 1944 to March 13, 1944 PT-193 under the command of Lt. Cyrus R. Taylor and PT-196 under the command of Lt(jg) Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Jr. departed on a patrol. During the night, they were attacked by a Japanese float plane that dropped a bomb that landed 150 yards astern of PT-193. Gunners aboard the PT-Boats fired at the aircraft and claimed it as shot down. Afterwards, both Taylor and Vanderbilt earned the Silver Star for this action. During 1944 placed into dry dock and the propellers were replaced and other servicing performed. Briefly operated from Hollandia and traveled via Wakde before reaching Mios Woendi PT Boat Base on June 6, 1944. Mission History On June 24, 1944 at 4:20pm at Mios Woendi PT Boat Base embarked a team from U. S. Army 201st Counter Intelligence Corps (201st CIC) plus an extra passenger, Bierman, a friend of the ship's cook. Before the mission, PT-193 Captain Lt. Cyrus R. Taylor and PT-331 Capitan Lt(jg) Kermit W. Montz had a conference with a U. S. Army team about their mission to land at Bani Point on Noemfoor Island and locate and bring back a friendly native to assist in planning the upcoming U. S. landing on the island. At 4:30pm PT-193 under the command of Lt. Cyrus R. Taylor with PT-331 under the command of Lt(jg) Kermit W. Montz departed Mios Woendi PT Boat Base bound for Biak. After dark, the PT Boats began their the mission, but PT-193's batteries were dead and required PT-331 to start the engines. Proceeding westward, PT-193 ran without lights until the batteries were sufficiently charged. On June 25, 1944 around midnight PT-193 reached the designated landing beach on Noemfoor Island. The U. S. Army with two sailors from the PT Boat paddled ashore in a rubber. Ashore, they signaled they arrived safely and after 45 minutes ashore, they located a friendly native and convinced him to come back with them and afterwards paddled back to PT-193. Pacific Island Odyssey by Carl R. Thien page 60: "At about midnight we found the beach we were looking for and Dee Paulus and Art Zinsmaster made a landing along with two sailors from the PT. It did not take long for Paulus to find a native and talk him into coming back with us to Biak." After successfully completing their mission, the PT boats patrolled the north coast of Noemfoor Island to search for Japanese targets. After midnight, they entered passageway into a wide bay, with a Japanese gun position at the western point of the bay. Taylor spotted two Japanese luggers or barges and led the attack with PT-193 leading with PT 331 following. The PT Boats performed a starboard run from astern of the targets. One failed to sink but caught fire and began burning brightly near shore. The PT boats made a second run, spotting a third barge. During this run at approximately 1:30am PT-193 ran aground few hundred yards from shore off Bani Point on the same coral reef the burning barge was stuck atop. Taylor attempted to reverse the engines, but it did not free the boat and burned out the reverse gear. He also jettisoned both torpedoes in an attempt to lighten the boat but was still stuck. Calling for PT-331 to come to their aid, a tow line was swum out by a crew member of each boat in the hopes that PT-193 could be towed off the reef. Meanwhile, the fire from the burning barge illuminated the entire area and a Japanese gun ashore opened fire, but luckily the shells fell short. Unable to free hit boat, Taylor ordered the boat scuttled and the crew and passengers to be transfered aboard PT-331 and for PT-193 to be scuttled. Secret materials were destroyed and the guns were disabled and thrown overboard. Sinking History After the explosion, PT-331 launched its rubber raft to rescue the wounded crew members still aboard when PT-193 exploded. The rescue party included SC1c Elisandro Romero who volunteered to paddle back to the blazing vessel despite heavy surf to rescue Taylor and another crew member. Due to the rough seas, it took 45 minutes for their raft to reach the boat and return safely. Wreckage Michael Seaver (son of Wallace Seaver) Justin Taylan (grandson of Carl R. Thien) Seeking Former Crew or Relatives Contribute
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