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prepared by Aryeh Wetherhorn
Here is a brief summary, mostly from the Naval War College battle analysis. (The book is over 800 pages long!) The graphics are scanned from the book.
PT operations were intended, first and foremost, to provide information about approaching Japanese forces.
Only after reporting were the boats allowed to consider attacking. This was spelled out in their orders.
The 3 tenders were based in San Pedro Bay. Watchaprague later moved to Liloan Bay at the North end of Panoan Island.
Oyster Bay and Willoughby remained in San Pedro Bay.
The Pts that went with Watchaprague were:
127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 146, 150, 151, 152, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, and 196 (MTBRON 12 and most of MTBRON 7)
During the day prior to the night battle several boats were active on special assignments:
PTs 128 and 130 patrolled area 109 engaging (and sinking) enemy barges and small craft.
PTs 150 and 191 did the same in areas 109 and 114
PTs 127 and 196 supported guerilla forces from areas 101 and 102 shooting at Japanese bases ashore.
PTs 491 and 495 were sent to Homonhon Island to support guerillas
PTs 192 and 195 landed members of a 6th army recon unit ("Alamo Scouts") on Mindanao.
Operations map available here
Commanding officers and section commanders, (and boat nick-names, where known, in brackets) as follows:
Oyster Bay LCDR Walter W Holroyd
Willoughby LCDR A J Church
Wachapreague LCDR H A Stewart
152 LTJG Joseph A. Eddins (F) Lt Weston C. Pullen COMMTBRON 12
[Lack-a Nookie]
130 LTJG I. D. Malcolm
[New guinea Crud]
131 ENS Peter R. Gadd
[Tarfu] - Tarfu a common acronym for "Things are really fucked up"
127 ENS Dudley J. Johnson (F) LTJG J. A. Cady
128 ENS G. J. Azarigian
129 ENS A. D. Leeson
151 ENS J. M. Ladd (F) LTJG D. H. Owen
146 ENS B. M. Grosscup
190 ENS E. S. Haughen
196 LTJG J. R. Beck (F) LT R. G. Mislicky
150 LTJG W. J. West
194 LTJG T. C. Hall
192 LTJG K. W. Denman (F) LCD T. R. Stansbury
191 LTJG Nelson Davis
195 ENS W. S. Diver
134 LTJG Edmund F. Wakelin (F) LCDR Robert Leeson COMMTBRON 7
[Eight Ball]
132 ENS P. H. jones
137 LTJG Isadore M. Kovar
494 LT J. H. Moran also section leader
497 LTJG J. C. Beckman
324 ENS H. F. Dumas
523 LT R. W. Orerell (F) LCDR Francis D. Tappaan COMMTBRON 36
524 LTJG J. P. Wolf
526 LT D. Hamilton
490 LTJG John M. McElfresh also section leader
[Little Bitch]
491 LTJG Harley A. Thronson
[Devil's Daughter]
493 LTJG Richard W. [Bill] Brown
[Carole Baby]
327 ENS K. B. Sharpe (F) LT Carl T. Gleason COMMTBRON 21
321 ENS L. E. Thomas
326 ENS H. L. Terry
495 LT F. H. Olton (F) LT Arthur M. Preston COMMTBRON 33
489 ENS H. A. Gregg
492 LT M. W. Haines
320 LT G. W. Hogan also section leader
330 LTJG E. H. Reeks
331 ENS W. P. West
328 LT H. G. Young also section leader
323 LTJG H. Stadler
329 LTJG J. L. Mee
List of 7th Fleet Motor Torpedo Boats
PT Boat Numbers as involved in Surigao Strait
Surigao Strait Motor Torpedo Boats
Communications was a serious problem. Many sighting reports were sent, but without verification of receipt.
Some boats had other materiel problems: radars and radios not functional. This is why some boats did not participate,
and others failed to deliver contact reports. All PTs worked on the same MF voice net (3120 KHz) which was
designated as "PT Common". Two LCI(G)s of the fire support group were assigned to patrol near Wachapague and also
functioned as communications relays. This voice circuit was very likely highly overloaded, and with the added
problem of accurate maintenance of voice radio logs it is possible that some reports might have been received,
but not logged. It is unquestionably true that it was hard to establish radio contact and that reports sent without
receipt (and there were many) had to be regarded as not having been delivered. When PT-131 was unable to get off a
receipted contact report she closed PT-127 from an adjoining patrol sector in order to relay the report.
In this respect, she overcame the conditions indicated in her nickname, "Tarfu".
Actual attacks might be thought a bit disappointing. Only two torpedoes scored.
The hit on Abukuma was an accident. The torpedo was aimed at a different target, but missed. At the time of launch Abukuma was not even visibile from the attacker, PT-137. The hit on Asagumo was obtained when the DD was already badly damaged and almost immobile. Even then, PT-323 launched three torpedoes in three separate attacks and only the last one hit. Asagumo was finished off by Destroyers.
But keep in mind that this was night, in waters full of friendly ships, and the primary mission was to report, not attack.
Bottom line: PTs made reports despite problems, and fired 34 torpedoes for 2 hits. Enemy fire hit 10 boats,
including 493, 130, 152, 137, 194, 321, 490, and 491, ultimately sinking PT-493. US Casualties were 3 killed and 20 wounded. Among the wounded were both officers of PT493, LTJG Brown and ENS Robert E. Carter.
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