Posting from personal diary that Radioman 3rd Class Ernest J. Mesaros of the PT-308 - June 29, 1944 - 70 years ago today – 16th Mission - Up at 1200. Had chow and crapped out. Underway at 19:30 with the 05, 09. When reaching south Elba, the 05 engines conked out & had to return so we took the lead. We started patrol between Italy and Elba. At 2400 we had GQ spotting two small targets on Elba we closed & I challenged. Not answering we shot 40mm at them. They started to fire return 20mm fire. We were 15 miles off & some came close. One dropped behind & the other faiv so we kept on one target. It was half moon & very bright out & only once were we in its light. Closing again we fired our mortar flare to light them which we did & let all our fire power go. Convinced it was hit after seeing a life raft. The 09 picked up survivors while we shielded. Leaving 4 for us. They picked up 10, total 14 prisoners, 2 German, 12 Italian. We left target and returned at 0600. Turned over prisoners to Frenchy. Most of them were kids and happy to be captured. I ate & hit the sack at 0800. We believed target was an E boat. From the MTB Squadrons War Diary – 29 June 1944 Movements: PTs 210 and 217 Arrived Bastia from Maddelena PTs 559 and 560 Arrived Bizerte from Maddalena PTs 304 and 310 Arrived Maddalena from Bastia. Missions: Mission No. 356: PTs 201 (Senior Officer, Lieutenant D.M Craig, USNR) and 211 patrolled south of Elba. No surface activity was encountered during patrol. Mission No. 356: PTs 308 (Senior Officer, Lietuenant J. Newell, USNR) 305 and 309 patrolled between Cape Vita and Falcone Rock. The PTs attacked two MAS boats (Italian PTs) one mile north of Portoferraio in a running gun battle lasting one hour and forty minutes. The leading MAS boat escaped after being damaged by 40mm hits. The second MAS boat was abandoned by its crew. One of the 14 survivors was an Italian Lieutenant Commander in charge of the MAS flotilla operating out of Spezia. See MTB Ron 22 Action Report No. 6. CONFIDENTIAL FCS-15/A16-3 Serial: 5 From: The Commanding Officer. To: The Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet Via: (1) Commander Boat Squadrons, Eighth Fleet (2) Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Northwest African Waters Subject: Action Report No. 6, night of 29/30 June 1944. Part 1 Summary 1.Pursuant to order received from Senior Officer Inshore Squadron, Royal Navy, PTs 308 and 309, while on routine patrol between Cape Nita, Elba and Cape Falcone located two enemy MAS boats going into Portefarraio Harbor. PTs challenged and, receiving no reply, attacked. The enemy fled north. The PTs engaged them in a running gun battle. The lead MAS boat although receiving one or two 40mm hits managed to escape. The second MAS boat was hit in its engine room by 40mm fire. Its crew attempted to scuttle it and then abandoned it. Fourteen survivors of the abandoned boat were rescued and brought to Bastia where they were turned over to French authorities. The MAS boat was recovered the following day and brought into Bastia, Corsica. No damage or casualties were sustained by PTs. 2. a) Force: Division Commander, Lieutenant J. Newell, USNR. PT 308 Boat Capt. - Lt. (jg) C. Murphy, USNR Boat Exec. - Ensign V. Peak, USNR PT 309 Boat Capt - Lt. (jg) W. Barber, USNR Boat Exec - Ensign W. Pleasants, USNR b) Mission: To patrol area between Cape Vita, Elba and Cape Falcone, Italy. c) Enemy Contacts: Two Italian 60 foot MAS boats manned by Italians with exception of German radioman and signalman d) Weather: Clear, second quarter moon, wind force 1 to 2, sea calm. Part II Narrative 1.PTs 308, 305 and 309 departed from Bastia at 1930 to patrol area between Cape Vita, Elba and Cape Falcone, Italy. PT 305 prior to arriving at patrol area suffered a propeller casualty and returned to Bastia, arriving at 0043. PTs 308 and 309 arrived at patrol area at 2300 and commenced patrol in easterly direction towards Cape Falcone. 2. 2345 as PTs turned to a reciprocal course, a radar target was picked up at four miles distance bearing 285 degrees T and a course of 180 degrees T. PTs immediately commenced tracking target and at 0017 PTs gained visual contact but were unable to determine its type. The enemy was then situated a half mile off them in the moonlight PTs moved in on a line of bearing and, when within 800 yards from the enemy each turned to the right 90 degrees so as to train all guns on the enemy boats and challanged. 3.The PTs, receiving no reply, opened fire with all guns. The enemy went to full speed out of the northeast side of Portoferrio Bay and headed due north. The PTs immediately gave chase at full speed. As soon as the enemy bore 065 degree T distance 800 yards PTs opened fire. The enemy also opened fire and a running gun battle ensued for 10 miles. 0035 the stern MAS boat began to lose speed and PTs reversed course to attack it. PTs illuminated it with star shells, fired from their 60mm mortars and made three gunnery runs, closing to 600 yards on each run. Receiving no more return fire, PTs closed it to 30 yards and discovered the MAS boat dead in the water with survivors clinging to a life raft nearby. PTs picked up the survivors. They were fourteen, making up the MAS boats entire crew. One of the survivors was the squadron commander of the Italian Flotilla of MAS boats operating from Spezia. 4. A fire had been started in the MAS boat in the crews attempt to scuttle it. In view of this, and the fact both PTs had expended all of their 40mm ammunition the decision was made to return to base. The next day the MAS boat was discovered still afloat by air reconnaissance. PT 306 was dispatched with a boarding party which boarded her, put the fire out, which was still burning in her engine room and towed it back to the PT base at Bastia, Corsica. PART III Materiel Performance 1.a) Communications: Radios performed satisfactorily. b) Engineering: No Engineering casualties were experienced c) Radar: Radar performed satisfactorily. d) Gunnery: One stoppage in a bow 20mm caused when a cartridge ruptured. This ruptured cartridge was due to a dented magazine was prevented the spring from exerting enough pressure to expend the round. All other guns performed satisfactorily. PTs expended the following ammunition: 40mm, 296 rounds of HE, 40 rounds of AP, 960 ro1unds of HE; .50 caliber 800 rounds. 2. Enemy Fire: Each enemy craft carries one stern Italian 20mm gun and 10 automatic rifles. The enemy crafts fired and estimated 1000 rounds of 20mm ammunition and 200 rounds of light automatic rifle ammunition. PART IV Battle Damage 1. PTs suffered no hits from enemy fire. 2. Hits were observed on the enemy MAS boat that managed to escape. It possibly sustained one or two casualties and some . damage to the boat. The MAS boat that was later captured was hit with two 40mm shells, one of which exploded in the engine . room putting both of the MAS boats main engines out of commission. The other 40mm shell exploed in the chart room. Several 20mm and .50 claiber shells hit along the hull causing no . significant damage. Of the fourteen survivors, two were wounded. PART V Conclusion 1. No comment PART VI Personnel performance and casualties 1. The performance of all personnel was satisfactory. 2. There were no casualties. R.J. Dressling, Lieutenant Commander, U.S.N., Commanding co: Cominch Comnavnaw MTBSTC, Melville, R.I. Pictures below are photocopies of the MAS boat captured. The three photos on the bottom are from a roll of undeveloped film that was confiscated from one of the captured sailors, showing one sailor attempting to camouflage the MAS boat before capture..
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 05:19:57 +0000
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