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Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive


MTBRon THREE Burgee

PT-41
ex-PTC-21
ex-PT-41

Destroyed 15 April 1942

77' Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Originally planned as PT-41 but reclassified as a Motor Boat Submarine Chaser, PTC-21
  • Reclassified back to PT-41 in March 1941
  • Laid down 30 April 1941 as by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Launched 8 July 1941
  • Completed 23 July 1941 and placed in service with 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 12 August 1941 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE (MTBRon 3) under the command of Lt. John D. Bulkeley, USN
  • MTBRon 3 was the only PT squadron engaged in the defense of the Philippines. Among its important missions was the evacuation of General Douglas MacArthur from Corregidor in March 1942
  • General MacArthur decided to escape Corregidor by PT boat to Mindanao and fly to Australia from Del Monte on a B-17 Flying Fortress. General MacArthur arranged for himself and his family and
    military entourage of 13 officers, two naval officers and a technical sergeant to travel on four PT boats of Lt. Bulkeley's MTBRon 3, based at Bataan. He also ordered three B-17's to fly from Australia to Del Monte airfield on Mindanao. At dusk on 11 March 1942 General MacArthur on PT 41, and Rear Admiral Rockwell on PT-34, were led through U.S. minefield and the Japanese defenses by
    PT-41 bound for Mindanao. They finally cleared the minefield by 2115 hours
  • Embarked in PT-41 under the command of Lt. Bulkeley were:
    General Douglas MacArthur
    Mrs Jean MacArthur
    Arthur MacArthur
    Ah Cheu (Arthur's nurse)
    Major General Richard K. Sutherland, Chief of Staff
    Captain Harold G. Ray, USN, RADM Rockwell's Chief of Staff
    Lieutenant Colonel Sidney L. Huff, Aide, and
    Major C. H. Morehouse, Medical Officer
  • Transported Philippine President Manuel Quezon and 13 members of his party from Dumaguete, Negros, to Oroquito, Mindanao 19 March 1942, after a 240 mile voyage
  • Transferred to the Army 13 April 1942
  • Destroyed by the Army 15 April 1942 at Lake Lanao, Philippines to prevent capture.

    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 and four 21" torpedoes
  • Propulsion: Three 3,600shp Packard V12 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image
    Size Image Description Source
    PT-41 57k 1:20 scale model of PT-41 by Pat Matthews Pat Matthews
    PT-41 45k Builder's model of PT-41 in 1/16 scale on display at the MacArthur Museum, Norfolk, VA
    U.S. Navy photo
    Robert Hurst
    PT-41 343k Packard engine and model of PT-41 made by Alex Johnson on display on the first floor of the Springfield [MA] Museum Frank J. Andruss
    PT-41 327k
    PT-41 317k Alex Johnson's model of PT-41
    PT-41 157k c. August 1941
    Aboard Guadalupe (AO 32) bound for Manila
    .
    PT-31, 34, 35 & 41 148k Original photo: c. September 1941
    Guadalupe (AO-32) bound for the Philippines with a deck cargo of six PT boats (PT-31, PT-32, PT-33, PT-34, PT-35 and PT-41) of MTBRon 3
    Replacement photo: 2 September 1941
    Photo by ELCO Naval Division, Electric Boat Company, Bayonne, NJ
    Original photo: Robert Hurst
    Replacement photo: Richard Jaslovsky
    PT-31, 34, 35 & 41 117k c. September 1941
    PT-31, 34, 35 and 41 in the well deck of the tanker Guadalupe, while on their way to the Philippines
    Photo from PTBM
    Robert Hurst
    PT-41 144k Lieutenant Commander John D. Bulkeley, USN receives the Medal of Honor from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, circa July 1942. Bulkeley was awarded the medal for heroism while he commanded MTBRon 3 during the Philippines Campaign, December 1941 - April 1942.

    Medal of Honor citation of Lieutenant Commander John Duncan Bulkeley, USN. (with a minor typographical correction of the text printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 162):
    "For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as Commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE, in Philippine Waters during the period 7 December 1941 to 10 April 1942. The remarkable achievement of Lieutenant Bulkeley's Command in damaging or destroying a notable number of Japanese enemy planes, surface combatant and merchant ships, and in dispersing landing parties and land-based enemy forces during the 4 months and 8 days of operation without benefit of repairs, overhaul or maintenance facilities for his Squadron, is believed to be without precedent in this type of warfare. His dynamic forcefulness and daring in offensive action, his brilliantly planned and skillfully executed attacks, supplemented by a unique resourcefulness and ingenuity, characterize him as an outstanding leader of men and a gallant and intrepid seaman. These qualities coupled with a complete disregard for his own personal safety reflect great credit upon him and the Naval Service."
    U.S. Navy photo NH 44324

    Naval History and Heritage Command

    Boat Captains
    01ENS George Emerson Cox, Jr., USNR - Awarded the Navy Cross (1942), Army Distinguished Service Cross (1942), two Silver Stars (1942/1943) and the Philippine Distinguished Conduct StarJanuary 1942
    Courtesy Joe Radigan

    There is no DANFS history available for PT-41
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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