Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-83



Call sign:
Nan - Uncle - Xray - Love
78' Higgins Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Laid down 3 May 1942 by Higgins Industries, New Orleans, LA
  • Launched 7 September 1942
  • Completed 9 December 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THIRTEEN (PTRon 13) under the command of Comdr. James B. Denny, USN
  • PTRon 13 participated in the Aleutian campaign from March 1943 to May 1944. Transferred to the Southwest Pacific, the squadron had action at Mios Woendi, Dutch New Guinea; Mindoro, P.I., and Brunei Bay, Borneo. It also
    based for a time at Dreger Harbor, New Guinea, and San Pedro Bay, P.I., but had no action from these bases. As part of Task Unit 70.1.4, PTRon 13 was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for action at Mindoro from
    December 15 to 19, 1944
  • The "Reluctant Dragon", ex-"Eager Beaver", ex-"Lady Godiva" was stripped and destroyed by U.S. Forces 23 November 1945 at Samar, Philippines.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 56 t.
  • Length 78'
  • Beam 20' 8"
  • Draft 5' 3"
  • Speed 40 kts.
  • Complement 17
  • Armament: Four 21" torpedoes, one 40mm mount and two twin .50 cal. machine guns
  • Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PT-83, 85 & 86 137k 3 August 1942
    Bow view of PT-83, PT-85 and PT-86 under construction
    Higgins Industries photo.    		 .
    PT-82, 83, 84 & 85 422k 7 August 1942
    Higgins Industries, New Orleans
    Labor Day celebration launching of PT-82, PT-83, PT-84 and PT-85    		 Jerry Gilmartin, MMC(SW), USN, Ret.
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-83
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back to the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Index Back to the Motor Torpedo Boat (PT) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History