PT Boat Episodes: At General Quarters in the Pacific and a Five-Month Yachting Cruise in the Atlantic with a Young MTB Captain - Tapa blanda

Merriam Press Military Monograph 55. Fourth Edition (March 2012). Several tales told by a former PT boat officer, some typical, some not so typical, of action and service in both the Pacific and Atlantic. Most of the photographs and illustrations have never been published before and show many details of the boats. Contents: * Aground Off a Japanese Held Beach: The grounding of PT 168 off the Sepik River in New Guinea, with PT 163 pulling 168 off just before daybreak—shortly before a plan was to be executed for the 163 to take aboard the 168 crew, and then fire at, and blow up the 168—if the 168 was still aground at dawn. * Close Encounter with a Japanese Motorized Gunboat/Barge: PT 163 is strafed and "strikes its colors" (inadvertently) in an encounter with Japanese gunboat barges off the coast of New Guinea, resulting in the 163 being raked from bow to stern and holed in every compartment except the tank (high octane gas) compartment and the 163's Chief Engineer is asphyxiated (includes official action report). * A Challenge In the Night: PT 163 disobeys briefing orders and challenges "enemy" ship off Morotai in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and even though the challenge was not answered, the mystery ship was not torpedoed. If the ship had been Japanese, however, the captain of PT 163 could have been court-martialed for not following briefing instructions: "Attack any ships/craft you encounter—there are no 'friendlies' expected in your patrol area." * No Gunner Opened Fire—Luckily: PT 163 off Halmahera Island in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) comes close, on a very dark night, to shoot at and sink a huge dugout canoe—with as many as thirty native men and boys in it. * Last Action on the U.S. East Coast: PT 316—with no ammunition aboard—is ordered by Naval Operating Base Newport to find and "take appropriate action" against a German submarine reported off Nantucket Island in the closing days of the war with Germany. * A Five Month Yachting Trip: The five month "yachting" trip of PT 603 in 1945—New York to New York including stops (among other places) in Charleston, Jacksonville, Miami, Havana, Key West, Pensacola, New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis, Chicago, Michigan City (Indiana), Tampa, Norfolk, Washington, D.C., and Atlantic City. * The Skipper of PT 603 Was Almost Had: While operating out of the PT shakedown base in Miami, the Captain of PT 603 was almost "had" by horny crew members. * Return to Civilian Life * Back to PTs—Sort of... * Crew of PT 163, April to December 1944 * Typical Action Reports: Report of Action of PT 163, Night of 25-26 September 1944 and Report of Action of PT 163, Night of 22-23 October 1944 * Fred W. Schork's Bronze Star Medal * Last Patrol for Former Crew Members * 42 photos * 2 illustrations * 3 documents * 4 maps.