Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-145

Destroyed 4 January 1944

80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Laid down 18 July 1942 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Launched 14 October 1942
  • Completed 17 October 1942, placed in service and assigned 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
  • Transferred in January 1943 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWO (MTBRon 2) under the command of Lt. Allen H. Harris, USNR
  • Late in 1942 MTBRon 2, with six 77' Elco boats and six 80' Elco boats, it was shipped to the South Pacific, where it was active in the Solomons campaign, engaging in many strenuous night actions with
    the Tokyo Express in the defense of Guadalcanal
  • Transferred 1 June 1943 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWELVE (MTBRon 12) under the command of LCDR John Harllee, USN
  • MTBRon 12, assigned to the Southwest Pacific, had action in New Guinea waters at Morobe, Dreger Harbor, Hollandia, and Mios Woendi, and in the Philippines at San Pedro Bay and Ormoc. It also
    based for a time at Kana Kopa, New Guinea, but had no action from this base. MTBRon 12 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for action in the New Guinea area from October 1943 to
    March 1944
  • The "Shark" was damaged by grounding 4 January 1944 off Mindiri, New Guinea and destroyed to prevent capture.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 56 t.
  • Length 80'
  • Beam 20' 8"
  • Draft 5'
  • Speed 41 kts.
  • Complement 17
  • Armament: One 40mm, four 21" Torpedoes and two twin .50 cal. machine guns
  • Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image
    Size Image Description Source
    Niagara 234k Niagara (AGP 1) burns after being attacked by Japanese aircraft east of Cape Surville, San Cristobal Islands [Solomon Islands], on 23 May 1943. PT-146 is alongside the stern (port) while
    PT-147 moves up to the starboard side, aft. The tender sank later that day. Other boats (PT-144, PT-145, PT-148, or PT-110) maneuver to pick up other men from the doomed ship
    National Archives photo 80-G-68537
    Mike Green

    Boat Captain
    01ENS Oliver J. Schnieders, USNR - Awarded the Silver StarJanuary 1944
    Courtesy Joe Radigan

    There is no DANFS history available for PT-145
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Index Back to the Motor Torpedo Boat (PT) Photo Index

    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster

    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History