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-247

Destroyed 5 May 1944

78' Higgins Motor Torpedo Boat:

Laid down 4 November 1942 by Higgins Industries, New Orleans, LA

Launched 8 January 1943

Completed 25 May 1943, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWENTY (PTRon 20) under the command of LCDR Glenn R. Van Ness, USNR

PTRon 20, assigned to the South Pacific, had action at Treasury and Bougainville

The "Gato Negro" was destroyed by enemy shore batteries 5 May 1944 off the southeastern coast of Bougainville. Caught in the open and moving at low patrol speeds through the dangerous reef-lined waters, the PT-247 was

struck several times by the artillery fire before her crew could attempt to evade their attackers. With her wooden hull severely damaged and a gasoline fire quickly growing out of control, the crew of PT-247 armed their torpedo

warheads and abandoned ship. Swimming clear of their stricken vessel, all of her crew were picked up by other PT's before PT-247's torpedoes were detonated by the intense fire onboard, sending her to the bottom.

Specifications:

Displacement 56 t.

Length 78'

Beam 20' 8"

Draft 5' 3"

Speed 41 kts.

Complement 17

Armament: One 40mm mount, two 21" torpedoes, two twin .50 cal. machine guns, one 37mm mount and one 20mm mount

Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.