PT 45-Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three
September 1942-January 1943

Crew:

Lt. (jg) Lester H. Gamble            Boat Captain
Ens. Sidney Rabekoff                 Executive Officer
CQM Clarence Schrock              Quartermaster
SC1/c L.V. Hummer                   Ship�s Cook
TM1/c S.J. Lott                         Torpedoman
GM2/c Roy L. Beckers               Gunnery
MM1/c C.P. Johnson                 Engineering
MoMM2/c H.C. Gilgore             Engineering
MM1/c R.E. Anderson               Engineering
MM2/c R.J. Dibling                   Engineering
RM2/c J.E. Rolfing                    Radioman
S1/c R.P. Collins                       Deck Force

13 Sept. 1942                            Hoisted and secured aboard SS Joseph Stanton
14 Sept.                                    Underway
17 Oct.                                     Arrived Noumea, New Caledonia, boat lowered into water.
20 Oct.                                      Underway for Espiritu with PT�s 37, 39, 61,
                                                 USS Trevor and USS Zane.
22 Oct.                                      Arrived at Espiritu.
23 Oct.                                      Enroute to Florida Island in company of PT�s and USS Trevor.
25 Oct.                                      0600 hrs. Arrived at Tulagi. Patrol that night, no contact.
26 Oct.                                      0645 hrs. Ran aground entering harbor.
29-30 Oct.                                 Patrol, no contact.
1-3 Nov.                                    Patrol, no contact.
7-9 Nov.                                    Patrol, no contact.
10 Nov.                                     Patrol-sighted enemy ship of Cape Esperance. Fired two aft torpedoes,
                                                 scored one possible hit. Retired behind smoke.
11 Nov.                                     Patrol-no contact.
12 Nov.                                     Patrol-sighted enemy but lost due to rain squalls.
                                                 Observing naval battle between US task force and enemy.
13 Nov.                                      Patrol-sighted enemy ships, fired two torpedoes, observed two explosions,
                                                 results undetermined.
14 Nov.                                      Patrol-no contact.
8 Dec.                                        Patrol-no contact
11 Dec.                                      Patrol-fired four torpedoes at enemy DD�s. Observed two
                                                  explosions and a lot of flame. (Later determined that IJN destroyer
                                                  Terutsuki was sunk by the PT�s.)
12 Dec.                                      Patrol-no contact.
17-18 Dec.                                 Patrol-no contact.
24 Dec.                                      Patrol, with PT 40. Mistakenly fired upon and bombed (near misses)
                                                  by three US dive-bombers. Two men wounded.
25-28 Dec.                                  Patrol-no contact.
31 Dec.                                       Patrol-no contact.
2 Jan. 43                                     Patrol-sighted enemy destroyers, illuminated by DD searchlight.
                                                  Opened fire with .50 caliber machine-guns, shot out searchlight. Fired two
                                                   after torpedoes, observed explosion, returned to base.
3 Jan.                                          Entered drydock.
8 Jan.                                          Left drydock�out of commission.
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