Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two

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Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two
AllegianceFlag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
BranchFlag of the United States Navy (1864-1959).svg  United States Navy
Operating Base PT Boat Base Taboga Island
Torokina PT Boat Base
Naval Base Noumea
Naval Base Espiritu Santo
Equipment PT boats
Engagements Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal campaign
Solomons campaign
Ironbottom Sound
The Slot
Navy PT Boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two, Washington Navy Yard DC December 1940 Navy PT Boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two, Washington Navy Yard DC December 1940 or January 1941 (50274163838).jpg
Navy PT Boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two, Washington Navy Yard DC December 1940
Patrol torpedo boat PT-30 PT 30 off Sand Island during operations at Midway, May 21, 1943.jpg
Patrol torpedo boat PT-30
PT-9 torpedo boat in Washington DC in 1940 PT-9 torpedo boat Washington DC 1940.jpg
PT-9 torpedo boat in Washington DC in 1940
Patrol torpedo boat PT-59 afrer gunboat conversion Solomon Islands PT-59 after conversion.jpg
Patrol torpedo boat PT-59 afrer gunboat conversion Solomon Islands
The crew of PT 59 inspects the wreckage of the Japanese submarine I-1, sunk on 29 January 1943 at Kamimbo on Guadalcanal by HMNZS Kiwi and Moa after Operation Ke I1Sub.jpg
The crew of PT 59 inspects the wreckage of the Japanese submarine I-1, sunk on 29 January 1943 at Kamimbo on Guadalcanal by HMNZS Kiwi and Moa after Operation Ke

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two (MTBRon 2) was a United States Navy PT boat squadron first based at Panama Sea Frontier in December 1941 with 11 new Elco Naval Division boats. Before Panama deployment MTBRon 2 tested new PT boats in Florida and the Caribbean. In fall 1942 with six of MTBRon 2 77-foot Elco boats and six 80-foot Elco boats were shipped to the South Pacific War operating against the Tokyo Express in the defense of Guadalcanal in the Solomons campaign. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two was commissioned November 8, 1940 and decommissioned November 11, 1943. On November 8, 1940, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two duty was to test new PT boats after the PT Boat design competition. [4] A Plywood Derby was held to see which PT boat design was the best. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two did testing in March 1941 in a boat run from Key West to New York. During the trip there was heavy weather with 8-to-10-foot (2.4 to 3.0 m) waves. The waves broke high over the PT boat's bows. All PT boats had sort of structural failure, was due to poor ballast attachment, some due to design problems. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron One also took part in the testing. After the Plywood Derby testing, MTBRon 2 tested the first 70-foot Elco boats in Florida and the Caribbean under the command of Lt. Comdr. Earl S. Caldwell, USN. In December 1941, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two was given 11 new 77-foot Elco boats and sent to Panama Sea Frontier, to protect the Panama Canal. The boats were loaded on the Aircraft Transport ship, USS Hammondsport (AKV-2), [5] and USS Kitty Hawk at Brooklyn Navy Yard for the trip Panama. The PT boats were base out of PT Boat Base Taboga Island. On 10 Oct. 1922, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two with six 77' Elco boats and six 80' Elco boats, were was shipped to the South Pacific on the Liberty ship SS Roger Williams. The Roger Williams arrived at Naval Base Noumea on 11 Nov. 1942. PT-111 and PT-112 were loaded aboard Tallulah (AO-50) for the trip to Noumea. [6] The boats PT-38, PT-46, PT-48 and PT-60 were shipped on the ships USS Lackawanna (AO-40) and Tappahannock (AO-43) departing on August 29, 1942, arriving at Noumea on September 19, 1942. [7]
The PT boats operated between Noumea and Naval Base Espiritu Santo, which had two bases. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two was give the task of attacking the enemy ship in the Tokyo Express at night. The Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two was active in the Solomon Islands campaign in the defense of Guadalcanal. PT boats work to protect Lunga Point and Tulagi, Guadalcanal. [1] John Kennedy transferred to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 on 23 February 1943 which was based at Tulagi Island in the Solomons at that time. [7] Kennedy arrived at Tulagi on 14 April and took command of PT-109 on 23 April 1943. On 30 May 1943, some MTBRon 2 PT boats, with PT-109 were sent to the Russell Islands in preparation for the New Georgia campaign. After the Landings on Rendova, PT 109 was sent to Lumbari Island. Japanese destroyer Amagiri traveling at 40 knots as part to of the Tokyo Express cut PT-109 two. [8] [9] Other PT boats were lost: PT-111 was sunk by gunfire of the Japanese destroyer Kawakaze off Guadalcanalon 1 February 1943, near Savo Island and Cape Esperance, Russel J. Wackler was killed in attack. [6] [10] PT-112 was sunk off Guadalcanal, in Ironbottom Sound, by the Japanese destroyers Hatsukaze and Tokitsukaze on 11 January 1943, with no loss of life. Hatsukaze was severely damaged by a torpedo from PT-112. [11] [12] PT-43 was destroyed by its crew to prevent the boat from being capture on 11 January 1943 at Guadalcanal. PT-43 had suffering damages from Japanese destroyer Tokitsukaze the previous day. On 7 November 1942 PT-43 (Nicknamed Prep Tom and Deuce) hit a Japanese destroyer with two torpedoes off Koli Point. [7] [13] [14] PT-37 was destroyed 1 February 1943 by Japanese destroyer Kawakaze off Guadalcanal [15] PT-60 was damage in action on 14 October 1942 around 2:30 AM, grounding after attacking a Japanese destroyer, she was repaired at PT Boat Base Taboga Island. [16] Some of MTBRon 2 boats operated out of Torokina PT Boat Base. [17] On February 11, 1943, PT-60 under Lt. Jack Searles took a US Army intelligence team including Major General Alexander Patch to inspect the wreckage of Japanese submarine I-1 sunk in Kamimbo Bay off Guadalcanal. During the submarine I-1 mission PT-59 ran aground and had to be assisted off a reef. [16] PT-44 was destroyed by enemy warships on 12 December 1942 shortly after midnight. PT-44 was hit by gunfire from Japanese destroyers Suzukaze and Kawakaze southwest of Savo Island at Iron Bottom Sound. PT-44 lost two officers and seven enlisted men. [18] By 8 February 1943 Japanese ships depart Guadalcanal. [6] [18] [19] [3]

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two (2)

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two(2)- MTBRon 2(2) was commissioned March 23, 1944 and decommissioned September 21, 1945. MTBRon 2(2) was sub division of MTBRon 2(2) made for duty in the English Channel. MTBRon 2(2) operated in the English Channel from May 1944 to October 1944. MTBRon 2(2) did 20 special missions, including special operations landing personnel and supplies in enemy-occupied territory. With just three PT boat it was not given it own Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron number, the smallest MTBRon 2 in the war. [1]

MTBRon 2 commanders

MTBRon 2 assigned PT boats

Surviving boat

Of the PT boats in Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two only one boat survived. At the end of the war PT boats were not needed and they used vast amount of fuel, so almost all were scrapped at the end of the war. Patrol torpedo boat PT-48 was the only Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two boat to survive. She is a Fleet Obsolete Kingston, New York for restoration. Fleet Obsolete is vessel restoration nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that rescues and restores rare artifacts and boats from the World War II era. [62] [63]

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "HyperWar: At Close Quarters [Appendix A]". www.ibiblio.org.
    2. ↑ "HyperWar: At Close Quarters [Part I]". www.ibiblio.org.
    3. 1 2 Barbin, Harold L. (November 23, 2010). Beachheads Secured Volume I: The History of Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats, Their Bases, and Tenders of World War II June 1939-August 31, 1945. Xlibris Corporation. p. 400. ISBN   9781450003643.
    4. ↑ "NH 44949 Navy PT Boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two". public2.nhhcaws.local.
    5. ↑ "Aviation Transport Ship (AKV)Photo Index". www.navsource.org.
    6. 1 2 3 4 "Pacific Wrecks - PT-111". pacificwrecks.com.
    7. 1 2 3 "Pacific Wrecks - PT-48 "Prep Tom / Deuce"". pacificwrecks.com.
    8. ↑ "HyperWar: At Close Quarters: PT Boats in the U.S. Navy". www.ibiblio.org.
    9. ↑ "Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, USNR". public2.nhhcaws.local.
    10. 1 2 "PT-111". www.navsource.org.
    11. ↑ "Pacific Wrecks - PT-112". pacificwrecks.com.
    12. 1 2 3 "PT-112". www.navsource.org.
    13. ↑ "Pacific Wrecks". pacificwrecks.com.
    14. 1 2 "PT-43". www.navsource.org.
    15. 1 2 "PT-37". www.navsource.org.
    16. 1 2 3 "Pacific Wrecks - PT-60 (BPT-12, PTC-28)". pacificwrecks.com.
    17. ↑ "Pacific Wrecks". pacificwrecks.com.
    18. 1 2 3 "PT-44". www.navsource.org.
    19. ↑ "US Navy Motor Torpedo Boat Operational Losses". public1.nhhcaws.local.
    20. ↑ "PT-71". www.navsource.org.
    21. ↑ "PT-72". www.navsource.org.
    22. ↑ PT-199 navsource.org
    23. ↑ PT-8, navsource.org
    24. ↑ "PT-9". www.navsource.org.
    25. ↑ "PT-10". www.navsource.org.
    26. ↑ "PT-11". www.navsource.org.
    27. ↑ "PT-12". www.navsource.org.
    28. ↑ "PT-13". www.navsource.org.
    29. ↑ "PT-14". www.navsource.org.
    30. ↑ "PT-15". www.navsource.org.
    31. ↑ "PT-16". www.navsource.org.
    32. ↑ "PT-17". www.navsource.org.
    33. ↑ "PT-18". www.navsource.org.
    34. ↑ "PT-19". www.navsource.org.
    35. ↑ "PT-20". www.navsource.org.
    36. ↑ "PT-22". www.navsource.org.
    37. ↑ "PT-23". www.navsource.org.
    38. ↑ "PT-24". www.navsource.org.
    39. ↑ "PT-25". www.navsource.org.
    40. ↑ "PT-26". www.navsource.org.
    41. ↑ "PT-28". www.navsource.org.
    42. ↑ "PT-30". www.navsource.org.
    43. ↑ "PT-32". www.navsource.org.
    44. ↑ "PT-34". www.navsource.org.
    45. ↑ http://www.navsource.org/tmarchives/12/05036.htm
    46. ↑ "PT-38". www.navsource.org.
    47. ↑ "PT-39". www.navsource.org.
    48. ↑ "PT-40". www.navsource.org.
    49. ↑ "PT-42". www.navsource.org.
    50. ↑ "PT-45". www.navsource.org.
    51. ↑ "PT-46". www.navsource.org.
    52. ↑ "PT-47". www.navsource.org.
    53. ↑ http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/05069.htm
    54. ↑ "PT-48". www.navsource.org.
    55. 1 2 3 "PT-60". www.navsource.org.
    56. 1 2 "PT-110". www.navsource.org.
    57. ↑ "PT-114". www.navsource.org.
    58. ↑ "PT-145". www.navsource.org.
    59. ↑ "PT-116". www.navsource.org.
    60. ↑ "PT-147". www.navsource.org.
    61. ↑ "PT-148". www.navsource.org.
    62. ↑ Radigan, Joseph M. (2012). "PT-48". navsource.org. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
    63. ↑ "Fleet Obsolete Restoration Project". Fleet Obsolete Restoration Project.

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