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NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-21

77' Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Laid down 2 December 1940 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Launched 11 April 1941
  • Completed 13 June 1941
  • Placed in service 21 June 1941 and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron One (MTBRon 1) under the command of Lt. William C. Specht, USN
  • MTBRon 1 was the first squadron commissioned, and originally was made up of experimental boats
  • Transferred 22 December 1942 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE (2), (MTBRon 3[2]) under the command of Lt. Hugh M. Robinson, USN
  • MTBRon 3(2) was the first squadron to arrive in the Solomons, and fought many strenuous engagements with the Tokyo Express at Guadalcanal. PT's 21, 23, 25, and 26 were stationed at the island of
    Funafuti, in the Ellice Group, until the middle of 1943. These boats, known as Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, Division 2, were under command of Lt. Jonathan F. Rice, USNR, while on this
    detached duty
  • Transferred 27 September 1943 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWO under the command of Lt. Alvin P. Cluster, USN
  • The "Black Jack", ex-"Sad Sack" was struck from the Navy Register 11 October 1943 because of obsolescence
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 40 t.
  • Length 77'
  • Beam 19' 11"
  • Draft 4' 6"
  • Speed 41 kts.
  • Complement 15
  • Armament: Two twin .50 cal. Browning M2 machine guns in Dewandre turrets, one .30-06 cal. Lewis machine gun and four 21" torpedoes
  • Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard V12 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PT-21 57k 30 April 1942
    Officer in photos believed to be LT William C. Specht, USN
    Photos from National Archives film 428-NPC-635 "PT Activities, Pearl Harbor"    		 David Wright
    PT-21 44k
    PT-21 48k
    PT-21 46k
    PT-21 46k
    PT-21 213k 30 April 1942 Joe Radigan
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-21
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