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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: WHILE WE ARE TALKING.....
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3077

Does anyone yet know the actual boat assignments of the following:
Lt. J. Paul Austin,RON 25,
Ens. Howard Baker, RON 44
Lt. Charles A. Black, RON 21,
Lt. Michael J. Holovak RON 7 AND RON 8,
Cdr. Henry Ringling North, RON 15,
Cdr. Paul T. Rennell RON 1 AND RON 21, (I think, without looking at my stuff, Rennell was on PT 21, RON 1)
Lt. Preston L. Sutphen, Jr., RON 29 AND RON 36,
Lt. (later LCDR) Harold Thorkilsen
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 3, 2013 - 3:35pm
Total Posts: 3091 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Sorry, Ted. Nothing that I can find about specific boats.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Mar 3, 2013 - 9:31pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Is that the Stuphen of Stuphen glass?

Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 5:55am
Total Posts: 287 | Joined: Dec 19, 2010 - 11:45pm

Ted,
Found this bio on LT Austin. Mentions he was intelligence oficer and was uninjured in a friendly fire incident with PT 346.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Paul_Austin[/url]
Gary

Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 6:08am
Total Posts: 252 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am

A Lieut. Paul T. Rennell USNR of Greenwich, Conn was on Ron 21's PT-327.
Doesn't say whether he was CO or XO but being a full Lieut. I'd guess at skipper.

Wayne

Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 8:15am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am

Ted, in my records I have Lt. J. Paul Austin as an intelligence Officer with the Squadron............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 8:36am
Total Posts: 3547 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Lt Black in addition to later marrying Shirley Temple was also an intelligence officer and reported to have gone out on over 100 missions. Could find no reference to a specific boat. Were the intel guys actually assigned to specific boats?
Gary

Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 9:26am
Total Posts: 252 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am

Gary;
No they were not, they were part of the RON HQ/Command section.
Thanks for the added info.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 10:37am
Total Posts: 3091 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted,
Is LT Preston Sutphen the son of the head design engineer of Elco, Preston Sutphen? I was unaware he had a son. That would be pretty cool is he was the skipper of an Elco PT Boat that his father designed! Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 10:45am
Total Posts: 1498 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Is this: Lt. Preston L. Sutphen, Jr., RON 29 AND RON 36, the same Sutphen as Sutphen Glass fame?

Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 11:00am
Total Posts: 287 | Joined: Dec 19, 2010 - 11:45pm

Garth,
From PT Trivia here on this site
.
Preston L. Sutphen, Sr., (deceased) Vice President Electric Boat Company, builder of PTs

Lt. Preston L. Sutphen, Jr., (deceased) son of Sutphen Sr.; Rons 29 and 36

Not sure about the glass maker.
Gary

Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 11:31am
Total Posts: 252 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am

This was Preston Sutphen's son that was attached to PT BOATS. At one time, I was in touch with his Wife, Martha, who was then living in Sag Harbor in Long Island. I had a visit set up with her, and was to take the Cross Sound Ferry to this Summer home, when she fell ill. I never did get to see her, but do have both of the Telephone numbers. Maybe I can get in touch with the family.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 11:38am
Total Posts: 3547 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

FYI
I have since found out CDR Henry Ringling North, worked for the O.S.S. in Italy, in conjuction with RON 15 and BJU-1(Commanded by Douglas Fairbanks)and the Salerno operation.
PT 202 RON 15, brought Ringling North and 30 commandos to the beach. Also on the boat with North and Fairbanks, was then New York Herald Tribune war correspondant John Steinbeck.
CDR Henry Ringling North later also worked with CDR Ian Fleming's SOE led 30 Commando.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 11:51am
Total Posts: 3091 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Lt. Holovak shown as skipper of a PT Boat in the Pacific. Only 2 boats PT 129 and 130 were part of Rons 7 and 8. May give a starting point to narrow the search.
Gary

Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 11:57am
Total Posts: 252 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am

I only ask because Kennedy received a gift of a Supthen Glass statute that signifies his wartime experiences to the White House. I was just wondering if THAT was the connection?

Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 12:18pm
Total Posts: 287 | Joined: Dec 19, 2010 - 11:45pm

Ted,

Henry North was the 'Finance Officer' for the OSS contingent in Italy. He probably rode a number of Ron 15 boats in the Med during their numerous operations. I think the OSS started using Ron 15 in Palermo for Operation McGreggor, the capitulation of the Italian Navy to the Allies. And I guess it worked !

Steve

Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Mar 4, 2013 - 5:38pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am

Also, I thought the glass PT presented to JFK by Peter tare was from
Steuben Glass.

Steve

Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: Mar 5, 2013 - 4:06am
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am

Steve

Your are correct, the glass pt boat with Presidential seal was a Steuben glass design, which sat on Kennedy's desk, and is now at the Kennedy Library.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Mar 5, 2013 - 4:16am
Total Posts: 3547 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

OK. I was mistaken. Oh well.

Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Mar 5, 2013 - 5:26am
Total Posts: 287 | Joined: Dec 19, 2010 - 11:45pm