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NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-68
ex-BPT-20
ex-PT-68
ex-PTC-36

Destroyed 30 September 1943
77' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Planned as PTC-36
  • Reclassified PT-68 in June 1941
  • Laid down 27 August 1941 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Reclassified BPT-20 prior to completion
  • Launched 13 November 1941
  • Transfer to Great Britain canceled and reclassified PT-68 in December 1941
  • Completed 13 January 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FOUR (MTBRon 4) under the command of Lt. Rollin E. Westholm, USN
  • MTBRon 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
  • Transferred 1 October 1942 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron EIGHT (MTBRon 8) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Barry K. Atkins, USN
  • MTBRon 8, assigned to the Southwest Pacific, had action in New Guinea waters at Tufi, Morobe, Kiriwina, and Aitape; at Rein Bay and Talasea on New Britain, and in Philippine waters at Mindoro,
    Zamboanga, and Tawi Tawi. The squadron based for a time at Kana Kopa, Dreger Harbor, and Mios Woendi, New Guinea , and at San Pedro Bay in the Philippines, but had no action at these bases
  • Grounded 1 October 1943 at Vincke Point, Huon Peninsula, eastern New Guinea and destroyed to prevent capture.

    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-68 96k c. 1942
    Narragansett Bay, RI
    PT-68 running at 45 kts.
    PT Boats, Inc. photo    		 Mike O'Neil
    PT-68 221k c. 1942
    Narragansett Bay, off Melville, RI
    Photo from the book "Knights of the Sea"    		 Jerry Gilmartin, MMC(SW), USN, Ret.
    Boat Captains
    01LTJG Robert L. Childs, USNRMarch 1943
    02LTJG Robert F. Lynch, USNR - Awarded the Silver StarSeptember 1943
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-68
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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