To Lieut. Commander Brinkley Bass and Lieut. CommanderClyde Hopkins McCroskey, Jr., who gallantlygave their lives during World War II. They were braveseamen and good friends.

Photographs used on the cover are courtesy of the U.S. Navy.This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not beresold, lent, or otherwise circulated in any binding or coverother than that in which it is published—unless prior writtenpermission has been obtained from the publisher—and withouta similar condition, including this condition, beingimposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Copyright © 1963 by Bern Keating. This edition is publishedby Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines,Inc., by arrangement with G. P. Putnam’s Sons.4th printing January 1969Printed in the U.S.A.

CONTENTS

1. The First PTs: Facts and Fictions 1

2. Attrition at Guadalcanal 13

3. Battering Down the Gate: the Western Hinge 51

4. Battering Down the Gate: the Eastern Hinge 71

5. Along the Turkey’s Back 92

6. The War in Europe: Mediterranean 125

7. The War in Europe: English Channel 170

8. The War in Europe: Azure Coast 181

9. I Shall Return—Round Trip by PT 201

Appendix 1. Specifications, Armament, and Crew 249

Appendix 2. Losses Suffered by PT Squadrons 250

Appendix 3. Decorations Won by PT Sailors 251

Historical material in this book comes from actionreports, squadron histories, and other navalrecords on file at the historical records section inArlington, Va. Most valuable was the comprehensivehistory of PT actions written by CommodoreRobert Bulkley for the Navy. The Bulkley historywas in manuscript form at the time I did researchfor this book. The broad outline of naval historycomes mostly from the History of U. S. Naval Operationsin World War II of Samuel Eliot Morison.I am grateful to several PT veterans for their generouscontribution of diaries, letters, anecdotes, etc.,which have been drawn on for human interest material.Among these kind correspondents are: JamesCunningham of Shreveport, La., Roger Jones ofNassau, Bahama Islands, Lieut. Commander R. W.Brown of Scituate, Mass., Capt. Stanley Barnes ofthe War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., James Newberryof Memphis, Tenn., and Arthur Murray Preston,of Washington, D. C. The officers of Peter TareInc., a PT veterans organization, have been helpful.

1.
The First PTs: Facts and Fictions

In Marc

BU KİTABI OKUMAK İÇİN ÜYE OLUN VEYA GİRİŞ YAPIN!

Sitemize Üyelik ÜCRETSİZDİR!