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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: Question about Melville PT Boat Training Base Historic Site
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=5284

Back in 2013 I visited Battleship Cove and Melville on sort of a PT Boat pilgrimage and visited Melville to see what was there. This was after the fire that burned several of those big quonset hut warehouse buildings. I went to eat at what was then called The Melville Grill (Now called The Gulfstream Bar and Grill) and had dinner, and then went to take some photos of the 40mm bofors gun and a torpedo with a bronze memorial plaque and flagpole that was on display there by the waterfront. Recently, I went onto Google Maps Street view and tried to see how Melville looks today and apparently the Safe Harbor New England Boatworks has removed the memorial items and placed a swimming pool and some beach cabanas there instead. Can anybody local verify this? Maybe Charlie Jones has some info? What became of the PT Boat Memorial? I am sort of angry.
Here are the pics I took that day with my buddy Jason Lobo and Joe Reese who posts here regularly. The first shows the 40mm Bofors, then me in front of the Melville Grill then the old bronze plaque in front of a flagpole and finally the torpedo with Jason riding on the torpedo and Joe in the background. All these things seem to be missing now and I wonder what happened to them?

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jan 8, 2024 - 1:45am
Total Posts: 1486 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Hi Jerry,
I looked at Google Earth and see the same thing you do. I sent a message to Safe Harbor to see if they know what became of it. If they write back I'll let you know. Good luck!
Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Jan 8, 2024 - 10:03am
Total Posts: 1680 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

My wife and I took a trip in March 2022 to visit the PT boat at the Cove for a private tour then stopped at Melville to see the memorial. When we arrived I was shocked to see that both the Torpedo and Bofors cannon were gone but the plaque was still there. I was upset about this and called Alyce of PT Boats INC immediately to inform her. Alyce was shocked and very upset that the memorial changed and PT BOATS INC WAS NEVER NOTIFIED!!! Alyce did not have any clue as to what happened and she was looking into it but I never heard more about this issue ( I know she passed away). Here is a picture of the area, notice the grass is all gone and replaced with what looks like marble block. This picture was taken March 2022.

Posted By: Travis B | Posted on: Jan 8, 2024 - 2:45pm
Total Posts: 129 | Joined: Nov 23, 2019 - 10:11am

Thanks Travis! Maybe somebody from PT Boats Inc can enquire about the torpedo and the gun. They cant just take it and do whatever they want to with that stuff, it belongs to the veterans who donated it as a memorial. Surely somebody lives nearby and can check into this? I found the email address to Safe Harbor Marina (The marble sidewalks lead up to their front door, and the memorial is located between their building and the harbor) so I am guessing they may have been the people who know what happened to the gun and torpedo. Here is the email address from Google Maps: hello@shmarinas.com

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jan 9, 2024 - 4:10pm
Total Posts: 1486 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

I never did hear back from them, Jerry. If I do hear something I will let you know.

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Jan 9, 2024 - 8:01pm
Total Posts: 1680 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

I called Safe Harbor New England Boatworks last week and spoke with the receptionist. I asked her about the remodel outside and the missing items from the original memorial. She then asked for my contact info and said she was going to look into it and speak with the owners of the business and get back to me. I gave it two weeks then tried calling back however this time I got a voicemail. Not sure it PT Boats INC will take this further and get law enforcement involved.

Posted By: Travis B | Posted on: Jan 20, 2024 - 12:44pm
Total Posts: 129 | Joined: Nov 23, 2019 - 10:11am

I was looking through some old PT Boats Inc Newspapers and see the original donation was funded and built in 1973. Boats Newberry was instrumental in that.

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jan 21, 2024 - 12:21pm
Total Posts: 1486 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

MAYBE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE FORUM SHOULD UNIDATE TH BUSSINESS WITH PHONE CALLS UNTIL WE GET SOME ANSWERS !!

Scott Campbell 2nd gen,PT 248
Ron 20

Posted By: Scott C | Posted on: Jan 21, 2024 - 12:24pm
Total Posts: 114 | Joined: Nov 20, 2019 - 4:34pm

PT Boats Inc would be the most logical party to initiate any actions. Since they are the original donors of the memorial.

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jan 21, 2024 - 12:27pm
Total Posts: 1486 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm