Quake brings WWII PT boat up from ocean floor

[Hondo]

Next thing you know a quake will bring up the lost Dutchmen mine lol
Still this is interesting news, P.T. boats were awesome

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Wreckage from a World War II torpedo boat was tossed up from the sea in the Solomon Islands after a powerful 8.1 earthquake hit the area in early April, an official said Friday.

Jay Waura of the National Disaster Management Office said the explosive-laden boat was exposed when reefs were pushed up three meters (10 feet) above sea level by the April 2 quake, which caused a devastating tsunami in the western Solomon Islands that killed 52 people.

The Solomons' coastline is still littered with decaying military wrecks from World War II, including the torpedo patrol boat commanded by U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

"My team members believe that this boat could have been one of those U.S. torpedo boats such as the famous PT-109, which the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy had served aboard during the war," Waura said.

Kennedy's boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in the Blackett Strait in August 1943 off Gizo, the main town of western Solomon Islands. The Solomons' main island, Guadalcanal, was the scene of fierce World War II fighting.

Waura said people on Rannonga island showed his team the wreckage sitting on dry ground.

"We were amazed by this finding, as previously this wreckage had long been sitting under the sea and rusting in peace without anyone knowing about it," New Zealand Press Association quoted Waura as saying.

Only the boat's hull with its deadly cargo of explosives remained intact, he said.

Waura said a Solomon Islands Police Force bomb disposal unit would be sent to the island to safely detonate the explosives.

Kennedy was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy serving in the Pacific when his PT-109 was cut in two by the Japanese destroyer. Two crew were killed, but Kennedy and the vessel's other survivors clung to the wreckage before swimming to a nearby island. The experience earned Kennedy the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

Wreckage from PT-109 was found in 2002 by shipwreck hunter Robert Ballard, who also found the Titanic as well as other notable sunken ships.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/27/quake.pt.boat.ap/index.html

 

[52Styleline]

That is amazing that a wooden boat would survive under salt water for half a century. Thanks for the post.

 

[Lincsong]

You never know what will appear out of the blue (sea that is.)

 

[Jay]

"We were amazed by this finding, as previously this wreckage had long been sitting under the sea and rusting in peace without anyone knowing about it," New Zealand Press Association quoted Waura as saying.

I didn't think plywood boats got rusty...

 

[Diamondback]

Yeah, there's been a wave of raising some of the shallower wrecks to breakup for scrap.

Shame, so many abandoned and scuttled ships (like the U-boats sunk postwar in Operation Deadlight) could be raised and turned into museums; instead, priceless historical artifacts are being turned into razor blades.

Just makes me sick to my stomach. (Where's the 'vomit' emoticon?)

 

[Lincsong]

What about all the poor little sea creatures that called that place home? Where will they live now?

 

[Story]

More info

Solomon Islands residents are hoping to confirm they have found the shipwreck of a World War Two PT Boat.

Radio Australia's correspondent, Campbell Cooney, reports the wreck was discovered following last month's earthquake and tsunami in the Solomons.

Remains of a boat, exposed after the earthquake raised one side of the island three metres out of the ocean, are believed to be a 'PT'.

The United States 'Patrol Torpedo' boats were light, fast and heavily armed.

During the Second World War the US Navy used them extensively in Solomon Islands to attack Japanese shipping.

If the boat found in the Solomons is a PT, it would have been on the Ranonga Island reef for over 60 years.

Western Province dive operator Danny Kennedy told Pacific Beat he has investigated, measured and photographed the remains.

"Most things actually line up to be quite possibly a PT boat which would be what they call one of the Elco classes," Mr Kennedy said.

The data, and material from the wreck has been sent to the United States for verification.

The most famous of the US PT Boats was PT 109, commanded by then future US president John F Kennedy, which was rammed and sunk in 1943.

Lieutenant Kennedy and the other survivors were later rescued by men from the island of Ranonga.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1920305.htm

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

I'll join Diamondback on this one.

Prien

 

[jamespowers]

Interesting. I would love to see pictures of it before they blow it up. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[Miss Neecerie]

That is amazing that a wooden boat would survive under salt water for half a century. Thanks for the post.

Half a century is nothing......


I present the Mary Rose:

The only surviving 16th century warship on display anywhere in the world, the Mary Rose was one of the earliest ships to carry heavy guns. A favourite of King Henry VIII, she sank off Portsmouth in 1545 during an engagement with a French invasion fleet, in full view of the King, the screams of the men onboard, ringing in his ears.

The rediscovery of the Mary Rose during the 1970s and her raising in 1982 were seminal events in the history of nautical archaeology, watched by a worldwide audience of over 60 million people and remembered by a generation.

The hull of the Mary Rose, which is currently undergoing an active conservation process to preserve her for all time, can be viewed by the visiting public. Thousands of personal, domestic and military objects were recovered, many of which are on display in the Mary Rose Museum, a truly unique and fascinating insight into Tudor times.


http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/dockyard/maryrose.php



I went and saw the Mary Rose myself and its impressive just how much was still preserved and basically intact. The key is -never- letting it dry back out...they spray salt water continually.

 

[Hondo]

Thank you for posting that regarding the Mary Rose, I believe I read or saw something somewhere regarding the Mary Rose and recovery, well worth while task and tribute.

As for the P.T. boats or any thing to salvage “razor blades” ? If you can not restore/recover the whole craft leave it alone, fvery true, leave it all to the little sea creatures who call it home, and for those who gave their lives.
I read some where about The Arizona in Pearl Harbor linking oil, polluting the waters, something has to be done to stop it before it in dangers the rest of Pearl Harbor. It would be terrible, but risky to remove the ship, maybe someone will know how to remove all that gas/oil without damaging the ship or harbor.

 

[Jay]

They call it "the tears of the Arizona."

 

[Diamondback]

The simple fix would be to put up a containment boom around the ship and siphon the slick off every so often. Tourists wouldn't like it much, but it's not real likely that divers would find her original fueling ports to attach pipes to...

The Deadlight boats aren't graves, but if they're going to be raised, they should be going to museums. I have mixed feelings about recovering the Mary Rose and the Hunley, too... it just comes off as being disrespectful of the dead for some reason in my gut. There are reasons diving is verboten on Ark Royal, and heavily limited on Bismarck...

 

[jamespowers]

The simple fix would be to put up a containment boom around the ship and siphon the slick off every so often. Tourists wouldn't like it much, but it's not real likely that divers would find her original fueling ports to attach pipes to...

The Deadlight boats aren't graves, but if they're going to be raised, they should be going to museums. I have mixed feelings about recovering the Mary Rose and the Hunley, too... it just comes off as being disrespectful of the dead for some reason in my gut. There are reasons diving is verboten on Ark Royal, and heavily limited on Bismarck...

Good idea for the Arizona.
The Hunley and the Mary Rose are another thing though. They are not only ships that people died on but they are also one of a kind historical crafts that would forever be lost to the elements if they were left where they are. The same would be true of the Merrimac. I think they are going to raise that as well---it was not sunk in battle though. The Yankee Cheesebox on a raft played an important part in this country's history.

Regards,

J

 

[Diamondback]

Good idea for the Arizona.
The Hunley and the Mary Rose are another thing though. They are not only ships that people died on but they are also one of a kind historical crafts that would forever be lost to the elements if they were left where they are. The same would be true of the Merrimac. I think they are going to raise that as well---it was not sunk in battle though. The Yankee Cheesebox on a raft played an important part in this country's history.

Okay, maybe a compromise by having signage about "this gallery is also a tomb--please be respectful", sorta like the signs at the Alamo--not that any except a few respect them, which is another skivvy-ripper in my book...:rage:

CSS Virginia's been gone a long time, but Monitor could be raised/displayed with the same idea as for Hunley--men did die on her, too, just not in combat.

 

[Story]

Meanwhile, back at the topic

Turns out, it was a Jap barge
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/barge/ranongga.html

 

[Lincsong]

Turns out, it was a Jap barge
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/barge/ranongga.html

A Mitsubishi????

I thought the most famous PT Boat was the PT 73 of McHale's Navy?

 

[Lincsong]

That tank on the USS Arizona has been leaking for 65 years and Oahu is still there, still going strong. Leave it be. There's no environmental damage, just some environmental nuts wanting to mess with something many people hold sacred.