The Mahogany Menace
A member of the historical “Mosquito Fleet” of WWII
78′ Higgins Motor Torpedo Boat:

Laid down 19 August 1943 by Higgins Industries, New Orleans, LA

Launched 12 October 1943

Completed 23 March 1944, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THIRTY (PTRon 30) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Robert L. Searles, USNR

PTRon 30 had action in the English Channel area during the period June 1944 to June 1945. It was then returned to the United States for reconditioning and reassignment to the Pacific, but the war ended while the squadron was still in New York

The “Mahogany Menace” was placed out of service 15 November 1945

Sold 18 June 1948

Cut down to 65 feet and eventually became the Beachcomber IV, a Fire Island ferry.

Specifications:

Displacement 56 t.

Length 78′

Beam 20′ 8″

Draft 5′ 3″

Speed 41 kts.

Complement 17

Armament: One 40mm mount, two 21″ torpedoes, two twin .50 cal. machine guns, one 37mm mount and one 20mm mount

Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.

PT-48 History

PT-48 was laid down as ELCO hull 3334 on 6 June 1941 at their yard in Bayonne New Jersey. She was broken-in around New York from September through December 1941 when she was shipped first to Panama, then in October 1942 to Tugali.

In short order:

14 October 1942: Engaged a Japanese destroyer at 200 yards on her first mission.

29 October 1942: Came under fire from four Japanese destroyers.

6 November 1942: Fired four torpedoes at a destroyer, observing two hits.

9 November 1942: A Japanese sub fired a torpedo at PT-48, which luckily missed.

13 November 1942: Fires four torpedoes at USS Portland, thinking she was a Japanese ship. Luckily they missed.

6 December 1942: Attacked a surfaced submarine (along with PT-37, with indeterminate results.

24 December 1942: On patrol with PT-46, attacked a Japanese transport observing two explosions.

27 December 1942 to 30 January 1943: Patrols every few days in the islands.

1 February 1943: PT-48 is bombed and strafed, fired four torpedoes at Japanese destroyers, and was forced to beach and abandon the boat on Savo Island. Miraculously, the destroyers failed to find her and she was pulled of the beach and put in dry-dock for two weeks of repairs.

3 July 1943: Moved to the Russell Islands after a few months out of commission, she was on patrol with PT-109 with LT J G Kennedy in command when she was damaged by high seas, rescued with a hand pump by PT-109, and overhauled again. From August 1943, she worked as a virtual ake invasion – speakers on her bows broadcasting troop noises and landing craft-sounds, carrying balloons to attract enemy radar, blinking signal lights etc. She survived this hazardous duty.

PT-486 History

80′ Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

Laid down 27 July 1943 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ

Launched 16 October 1943

Completed 25 November 1943

Placed in service 2 December 1943 and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FOUR (PTRon 4) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Francis D. Tappaan, USNR

PTRon 4 was the training squadron, based at the MTB Squadrons Training Center, Melville, R.I. It was the largest squadron, having a peak of 28 boats in service at one time. When the training center was decommissioned early in1946, PTRon 4 was assigned to the Operational Development Force, and based at Solomons, Md. It was the last squadron to be decommissioned, and its boats, PT’s 613, 616, 619, and 620, which remained in service under the Operational Development Force, were the last World War II PT’s in service in the Navy

Placed out of service 6 January 1946

Reclassified as a Small Boat, C105335, 27 August 1946

Acquired in 1954 by Captain Otto F. Stocker of Ottens Harbor, Wildwood, NJOttens Harbor, Wildwood, NJ and named Sightseer

Before being acquired by Fleet Obsolete, she was being restored as PT-109

Specifications:

Displacement 56 t.

Length 80′

Beam 20′ 8″

Draft 5′

Speed 41 kts.

Complement 17

Armament: One 40mm mount, four 21″ Torpedoes and two twin .50 cal. machine guns

Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shaftsEngines were changed to two General Motors 6-71 diesels and one Superior diesel engine. Changed again to two Detroit Diesel (General Motors) 871N diesels and finally replaced by two General Motors V12-71 diesels.

PT-615 History

80′ Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

Laid down 14 March 1945 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ

Launched 18 July 1945

Completed 5 September 1945, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FORTY TWO (PTRon 42) under the command of Lt. Comdr. James A. Danver, USNR

PTRon 42 was the only squadron commissioned after the cessation of hostilities. Although assigned to the Pacific Fleet, it was never shipped to the Pacific

After being placed out of service 28 January 1946, PT-615 was reclassified as a Small Boat C105341 and used as a pleasure yacht by actor, Clark Gable

Specifications:

Displacement 56 t.

Length 80′

Beam 20′ 8″

Draft 5′

Speed 41 kts.

Complement 17

Armament: One 40mm, four 21″ torpedoes, one 37mm deck gun, one 20mm mount and two twin .50 cal. Browning machine guns

Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.