Posted on 03/31/2011 9:19:38 AM PDT by EveningStar
The only functional, restored, PT boat left in the world! Operating out of Portland, Oregon.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
I heard that the McHale's Navy PT-73 was the chase boat for THE flight of the Spruce Goose.
Tim Conway just happened to be promoting an appearance yesterday, and said that a lot of the boat shots were on cardboard sets.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/CloseQuarters/index.html
Full text and pictures on-line at link
PT-694, a U.S.-built Vosper & Co. 73-foot (22 m) boat, was used in the television show McHale’s Navy, which featured the comic exploits of a fictional PT boat crew on “PT-73”. Until the mid-1990s, the boat was in private hands in Wilmington, California. The owner kept it seaworthy and ran it around from time to time. Unfortunately, while awaiting transit to San Francisco, the boat broke loose of its mooring in Santa Barbara, washed up on the beach, and was destroyed.
¨McHale!¨
Sure! Navy guys let me straphang on a search and rescue training op back in 2005 before they gave these to the Philippine Navy. They were a lot of fun to ride on for a short period, but at speed over rough seas, they would beat you up.
This picture is from Camp Navarro, Zamboanga, Island of Mindanao, RP.
The one at the stern is a Bofors 40mm anti aircraft cannon. Don’t have any idea ablut the popgun up at the bow.
They should start building these again, or at least fast missle boats. The sight of pirates filling their pants when they see these beasties coming would be YouTube gold.
Russia returned lend lease PT boats to the USN at Kiel Germany in the summer of 1956. The Weser River Patrol at Bremerhaven Germany sent 2 or 3 boats to Kiel to meet them and I went as the radio operator. I was station in Bremerhaven Germany at Comm. Unit Eight (NGB). There were one or two more trips to Kiel to receive all PT’s that were part of the lend lease program. For more info e-mail me at
robertbobbyedmond@hotmail.com
Robert EX USN RM2
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