The Living History Battlefield provides a realistic “set” for living history reenactments of battles between American and Japanese forces on islands in the Pacific. Perry told stories of his time serving on it to the small crowd that gathered including his family, Museum visitors and local press. The former TM2c was allowed to board the vessel, which he declared was just as he remembered it. In March of 2020, 94 year-old Dale Perry who had served on PT 309 visited the Museum. PT 309 – Oh Frankie - actually served in the Mediterranean, not the Pacific. Thousands of islands and narrow water passages characterized the geography of General Douglas MacArthur’s Southwest Pacific Area where PT boats proved effective. Six boats lashed to the deck of an oiler bound for the Philippines managed to fire 4,000 rounds at the attackers. 50-caliber machine guns, PT gunners claimed two low-flying torpedo planes as kills. There were PT boats at both Pearl Harbor and Manila when Imperial Japanese aircraft attacked. Battle experience showed that PT boats were most effective at interdicting small coastal supply craft. PT 309, a Higgins boat manufactured in New Orleans, is moored next to the tender.ĭesigned for torpedo attacks on much larger ships, PT squadrons fought in both the Pacific and European theaters. The PT (Patrol Torpedo) Boat exhibit is designed to give visitors a sense of what it would be like to be aboard a PT tender that supplied and repaired PT boats.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |