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NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-31

Destroyed 20 January 1942
77' Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Laid down 13 March 1941 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Launched 2 June 1941
  • Completed 8 July 1941 and placed in service with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron ONE (MTBRon 1) under the command of Lt. William C. Specht, USN
  • MTBRon 1 was the first squadron commissioned, and originally was made up of experimental boats
  • Transferred 12 August 1941 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE (MTBRon 3) under the command of Lt. John D. Bulkeley, USN
  • MTBRon 3 was the only MTB squadron engaged in the defense of the Philippines
  • Damaged 19 January 1942 when her engines fail because of what is believed to be sabotaged gasoline and she runs aground on a reef north of Mayagao Point, Bataan, Philippines
  • Burned by crew to prevent capture 20 January 1942 at 14º45'N, 120º13'E.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 40 t.
  • Length 77'
  • Beam 19' 11"
  • Draft 4' 6"
  • Speed 41 kts.
  • Complement 15
  • Armament: Two twin .50 cal. Browning M2 machine guns in Dewandre turrets and four 21" torpedoes
  • Propulsion: Three 3,600shp Packard V12 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PT-31 148k U.S. Navy photo Jim Kurrasch, Battleship Iowa, Pacific Battleship Center
    PT-31, 34, 35 & 41 148k Original photo: c. September 1941
    Guadalupe (AO-32) bound for the Philippines with a deck cargo of six PT boats (PT-31, PT-32, PT-33, PT-34, PT-35 and PT-41) of MTBRon 3
    Replacement photo: 2 September 1941
    Photo by ELCO Naval Division, Electric Boat Company, Bayonne, NJ    		 Original photo: Robert Hurst
    Replacement photo: Richard Jaslovsky
    PT-31, 34, 35 & 41 117k c. September 1941
    PT-31, 34, 35 and 41 in the well deck of the tanker Guadalupe, while on their way to the Philippines
    Photo from PTBM    		 Robert Hurst
    Boat Captains
    01LT Robert Bolling Kelly, USN - USNA Class of 1935
    Awarded the Navy Cross (1942), Army Distinguished Service Cross (1942), two Silver Stars (1942/1943) and the Legion of Merit (1945) - Retired as Captain    		December 1941
    02LT Edward Grover DeLong, USN - USNA Class of 1937
    Awarded the Navy Cross (Posthumously)-(1942) and the Silver Star (Posthumously)-(1942)    		January 1942
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-31
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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