PT Boats in WWII - Personal Connection

[Seahawk]

My Step Father in Law (is there such a thing?) was over for dinner this week end.

He is 89 and while he may have lost a little zip on his fastball, he is sharp and engaging.

He was a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania when WWII broke out. He applied for Naval Aviation Cadet training was accepted: He competed pre-flight and basic and made it as far as NAS Glenview before he washed out - instrument flying was, in his words, "a bit of a problem".

In those days failing flight school meant you went to the fleet as an ordinary seaman. In his case, he went to quartermaster school and then to the Pacific for three years on a PT Boat. He was the navigator.

For the first time he talked a bit more in depth on where he was and what PT boats he was on: He was attached to SQN 25 and served on PT 344 and 349. So I looked them up. See below.

He was over again yesterday and I showed him the pictures I found on various sites. He was very touched. His 90th is coming up and I'll get them printed for him. He also wants me to come over and help him find all is stuff (pictures, etc.) from WWII. "All in a box somewhere."






More to follow when I find his "stuff". While he was there, he is not in any of the pictures above.

[Neilk]

What a great story. The last picture is amazing... the contrast of war and and kids continuing with everyday life.

[DonDavis]

Excellent! Looking forward to the rest of the story.

[oldE]

Remember reading "PT 109" as a kid, then re-reading while doing my history degree.

I'm not sure if you'd have to be very brave or otherwise to go into action in a vessel fueled with high-octane av gas with people shooting tracer at you!

On second thought, darned brave!

I was pleased to guess they were both Elco boats.
Wasn't there a thread on here a year or so ago about some vets refurbishing an old PT in the North West US?

Thanks for the story and the pics.

Best
Les

[Jim Richards]

Thanks for sharing this with us, Paul.

[look 171]

Paul,

I am not sure if it is too much to ask, but if there are pics can we see them if possible and only if its ok with your step FIL

[VincentVega]

Cool story.

Pretty amazing boats. Sad that most were destroyed but understandable.

[Seahawk]

Sometimes things just work out. My late morning meeting was cancelled so I had a few minutes to putz around.

I decided to do a deeper scan on Reif's first PT Boat, 344.

I find this on a PT Boat forum from 2007: "Happy Thanksgiving to my friends in RON 25, especially in PT 344, and their families. - Joe Deegan"

Followed by this:

"Hi Joe, My father, Ray L. O'Conner, served with you on the PT 344 and he was thrilled to hear you are a member of the PT Boat, Inc. He doesn't have a computer (he's 81 years old now and in poor health....bad lungs). The Navy Dept. doesn't have any of his PT Boat records, all they have is his Korean War records. He wants me to relay a message to you......he said you were the best executive officer the Navy could ever have. He feels proud to have served with you during WWII. I hope you will be able to respond to this message. He wants so much to hear from you, if possible. I am so proud of my father and you and all the other PT Boat sailors who gave so much and received so little for all you accomplished. I am so thankful for the PT Boat, Inc. organization. Your heroic actions will never be forgotten. God bless you and keep you in His care....Beverly

Then, lastly, from Joe Deegan's daughter, a posting in response to the above with Joe's phone number and address.

I decide to give Mr. Deegan a call.

He is home. Although I could have been any scam artist looking to separate Joe from his money, he quickly asks the name of my Step Father in Law.

He remembers Reif very well, said, "From Philadelphia, right?"

Yes, Sir.

"He was one sharp cookie, quiet, efficient and a great quartermaster and I trusted him always with the navigation, not a easy job..."

Wow. Interesting in that Reif's General Quarter's station is on the bridge, right next to the XO. We talk for about 25 minutes and he gives me his daughters email address so I can send her Reif's phone number.

"I always enjoyed talking with him...a fine man. I'd like to again."

You bet, Joe.

What a great morning.

[Jim Richards]

That's very cool, Paul.

[Rikao4]

your gonna make his day..
they have bond that few understand..

Rika

[Jim Bremner]

Great men!

I hope to be that sharp in my 80's

[white85carrera]

Paul,

Great story unfolding and thanks for digging into this deeper and sharing.
Great morning, indeed.

You are going to be his favorite step-son-in-law, if you are not already.

[dafischer]

That's a wonderful thing you're doing Paul.

[matt711]

Absolutely fantastic story. I was able to something similar with my grandfather who was with the 4th Marines during WWII. The fact that we were in Florida at the time made things pretty simple, so many old WWII vets retired down in Florida. They are dying way too fast these days.

Love the PT boat, always reminded me of the Navy version of those "desert rat" Jeeps and Land Rovers. I grew up putting around the back country of the Florida Keys in a surplus 28 foot motor launch my grandpa bought from the Navy.

[asphaltgambler]

Man those thing are real Hotrods! - big engines and big gas tanks!

[Tobra]

Cool, you need to get him to tell you all about it while he still can.

I saw a picture of my uncle Jack on the internet at Pearl, pulling sailors out of the water, from the Nevada I think. He said the only thing that ever gave him nightmares was trying to pulls someone out of the water and their burned skin came off, you have to get under their arms it seems.

[speeder]

That's just amazing.

[daepp]

[daepp]

[daepp]

It just occurs to me that they ran on gasoline. Another reason those were some very brave men.