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Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-66



Call sign:
Nan - Item - Xray - Sugar

ex-BPT-18
ex-PT-66
ex-PTC-34

77' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Planned as PTC-34
  • Reclassified PT-66 in June 1941
  • Laid down 20 August 1941 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Reclassified BPT-18 prior to completion
  • Launched 5 November 1941
  • Transfer to Great Britain canceled and reclassified PT-66 in December 1941
  • Completed 22 January 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FOUR (MTBRon 4) under the command of Lt. Rollin E. Westholm, USN
  • MTBRon 4 was the training squadron, based at the MTB Squadrons Training Center, Melville, R.I. It was the largest squadron, having a peak of 28 boats in service at one time
  • Transferred 1 October 1942 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron EIGHT (MTBRon 8) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Barry K. Atkins, USN
  • MTBRon 8, assigned to the Southwest Pacific, had action in New Guinea waters at Tufi, Morobe, Kiriwina, and Aitape; at Rein Bay and Talasea on New Britain, and in Philippine waters at Mindoro,
    Zamboanga, and Tawi Tawi. The squadron based for a time at Kana Kopa, Dreger Harbor, and Mios Woendi, New Guinea , and at San Pedro Bay in the Philippines, but had no action at these bases
  • The "Box Cars", ex-"Cheetah" was reclassified as a Small Boat 23 February 1945
  • 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 and four 18" torpedoes
  • Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard V12 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PT-66 72k
    PT-66 195k PT-66 at speed somewhere in the South Pacific
    PT Boats, Inc. photo    		 Mike O'Neil
    PT-66 123k PT-66 in the South Pacific
    PT Boats, Inc. photo
    PT-66 112k Photo courtesy of Bill Skade, MTBRon 8 Jerry Gilmartin, MMC(SW), USN, Ret.
    PT-66 212k c. July/August 1943
    Morobe, New Guinea
    Standing in the black swim trunks is Francis “Ed” Bearfield
    National Archives photo 80-G-53844    		 Rick E. Davis
    Photo added 2 August 2021
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-66
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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