16-240 Garand Picture of the Day - McHale's Navy

[Mark in Rochester]

The real PT 73

•Laid down 25 December 1941 by Higgins Industries, New Orleans, LA
•Launched 24 July 1942
•Completed 12 August 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THIRTEEN (MTBRon 13) under the command of Comdr. James B. Denny, USN
•MTBRon 13 participated in the Aleutian campaign from March 1943 to May 1944. Transferred to the Southwest Pacific, the squadron had action at Mios Woendi, Dutch New Guinea; Mindoro, P.I., and Brunei Bay, Borneo. It alsobased for a time at Dreger Harbor, New Guinea, and San Pedro Bay, P.I., but had no action from these bases. As part of Task Unit 70.1.4, Squadron 13 was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for action at Mindoro fromDecember 15 to 19, 1944•Grounded 15 January 1945 off Lubang Island, Philippines and destroyed by her crew to prevent capture.

PT-73 Under the command of Lt(jg) William R. McQuilkin and PT-75 had delivered supplies to the Mindoro guerrillas at Abra de Ilog and taken their leader aboard for the night's patrol. Close off Lubang Island, N.W. of Mindoro, PT-73 ran hard aground on an uncharted reef.
LCDR Rowe, the guerrilla leader, said there was a garrison of about 300 enemy troops on the nearby island. Fearing an attack if the boat’s location became known, McQuilkin ordered the boat stripped and abandoned.

After removing all important documents and equipment from their boat, the crew, of PT-73 was taken aboard PT-75 and the stranded hulk was torched to prevent capture.

Information

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[RichardX]

Mark thanks for the picture and info.

I was curious though, how did a MTB squadron move from the Aleutians to New Guinea? Or for that matter from the US to the South Pacific?

[Bob Seijas]

Any chance of a bigger photo? I could use it in the Journal for Plinking.

[Mark in Rochester]

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/File:McH_08.jpg

---------- Post added at 08:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:56 PM ----------

Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino in January 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut, the son of Italian immigrants and the grandson of Count Paolo Boselli. after graduating high school in 1935, he was selling vegetables off the back of a truck when he saw a U.S. Navy recruiting poster, which led to enlistment. Borgnine credited the Navy with making a man out of him, and provided the background for his character in the famous TV show McHale's Navy.

Ernest Borgnine in the Navy



The apprentice seaman remained in the Navy for ten years (including one hiatus), from October 1935 to October 1941, and then from January 1942 to September 1945. His first tour was served on board the four-stacker U.S.Lamberton (DD-119). During the 1930s the Lamberton operated out of San Diego, towing targets for surface combatants, submarines, and aircraft, a role that was to serve her well during World War II. She also participated in experimental minesweeping exercises and was redesignated DMS-1 (minesweeper, destroyer) in November 1940.

In 1941 Borgnine left the Navy, only to reenlist after Pearl Harbor. From January 1942 until the end of the war he served in the USS Sylph (PY-12), a converted yacht devoted to antisubmarine-warfare activities throughout the war. Operating first out of Tompkinsville (New York) and then New London (Connecticut), the Sylph patrolled for German U-boats during 1942, a devastating year for American merchantmen off the East Coast. In the fall of 1943 she was assigned to Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and a year later to the naval base at Port Everglades, Florida, along with her unit, the surface division of the Atlantic Fleet's Antisubmarine Development Detachment. She was used mainly for training sonarmen and testing and researching new sound and antisubmarine equipment. The Sylph and her unit contributed greatly to the U.S. victory over Germany's "gray wolves."

During his naval service Borgnine rose in rank from seaman to gunner's mate first class. Upon his discharge in 1945, he was allowed to wear the American Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, and the World War II Victory Medal.

[Mark in Rochester]

[Paul S.]

Mark thanks for the picture and info.

I was curious though, how did a MTB squadron move from the Aleutians to New Guinea? Or for that matter from the US to the South Pacific?

I am as well.

[Mark in Rochester]

After shakedown Jack Kempner sailed PT 109 to the Norfolk Navy Yard, from where in early August the entire squadron was loaded aboard Liberty ships and transported to Panama.

[Bob Womack]

Have you ever wondered why the Norfolk Navy Yard is located in Portsmouth, VA.? There's a good, historical reason. The first shipyard built in Norfolk was the Gosport Shipyard, opened November 1, 1767 under the auspices of the British Crown. In 1775 the Colony of Virginia seized the property as the revolution ramped up. In 1779, while in operation under the new Commonwealth of Virginia, the shipyard was burned to the ground. The Federal Government bought the shipyard in 1801 and built Dry Dock One, making it the first one in the Americas.

In 1861, fearing that the Confederates would seize the shipyard, its commander had it burned to the ground. An abandoned hulk, the USS Merrimack, was burned to the waterline and scuttled in the entrance way to the dry dock. When the Confederates took the shipyard they refloated the wreck of the Merrimack, built new doors, floated Merrimack's remains into the dry dock, and rebuilt the wreck into into the ironclad CSS Virginia. That ship fought the USS Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads. The confederates burned the shpyard when they left in 1862. Sound familiar? When the shipyard was retaken by Union troops, it was renamed Norfolk Naval Shipyard for the county in which it resided.

In the late 1950s and 1960s the area underwent a geopolitical upheaval as many smaller cities attempted to accession the lands from the counties around them. Portsmouth, VA. negotiated with Norfolk County and acquired its shoreline adjoining the shipyard on the western bank of the Northern Branch of the Elizabeth River, opposite modern-day Norfolk. Wisely there was no attempt to change the name of the already-established Navy Yard.

Bob

[RichardX]

Thanks! I knew that would be a long journey in a small boat.