Patrol torpedo boat PT-121

On the morning of March 27, Lt. Crowell C. Hall, USNR, executive officer of Squadron 25, in PT 353 (Ens. George H. Guckert, USNR), with PT 121 (Ens. Richard B. Secrest, USNR), was trying to thread a way through reefs to Ewasse, in Bangula Bay, to investigate a reported enemy schooner. At 0745 four P-40s of the 78th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force operating out of Kiriwina, flew over and Lieutenant Hall asked them by radio to investigate the schooner. The planes complied, and reported it had been strafed previously and was no longer a worthwhile target. No sooner had the boats turned to leave than they were attacked by four other P-40s of the 78th Squadron and a Beaufighter of the 30th Squadron RAAF. A second Beaufighter recognized the PTs and throughout the attack attempted to call off the other Beaufighter by radio and to maneuver to head off the P-40s.

No order to open fire was given on either boat. After the planes made several runs, gunners on the 353 fired seven or eight rounds of 40 mm and five round of 37 mm, and those on the 121 fired seven rounds of 20 mm and three short bursts of .50 caliber. Lieutenant Hall on the 353 and Ensign Secrest on the 121 stopped the firing immediately. Both boats burned, exploded, and sank, except for a portion of the bow of the 121. Shortly after the attack two P-40s of the group that had investigated the schooner returned. They dropped a life raft to the survivors and sent in a radio report of the tragedy. Five hours later a P-40 guided PTs 346 and 354 to the survivors.

Four officers and four enlisted men were dead; four officers and eight enlisted men were wounded; two PTs were completely destroyed.

In part the losses were caused by a failure in communications. The message reporting the intended movements of PTs had been placed in the wrong file at 78th Squadron headquarters, so the pilots had not been told that PTs would be operating in the area. In part the losses were caused by failure of the pilots to recognize the PTs. The first P-40s recognized them and gave them a helping hand. One Beaufighter in the second group recognized them and tried to stop the attack. The other pilots simply mistook them for enemy craft.

Extenal links

• Casualties: U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Vessels, Sunk or Damaged Beyond Repair during World War II, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945