Evening star., 1943-10-18
Night PT Boat Raids
On Jap Pacific Bases
Directed by Bu|ke|ey

Directed by Bu|ke|ey
Special to the Star and North American
Newspaper Alliance.
WITH UNITED STATES FORCES
IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
The man who figured so largely
in the book "They Were Ex-
pendable" is at it again-but this
time 1t. Comdr. John D. Bulkeleys
expendables are gasoline and am
munition, seldom the PIT boats of
Philippine fame.
The Army teams up with him now
and then, just as he did with the
Army when he helped Gen. Doug
las Macarthur on the way from
Bataan to Australia
Different is the story from the
beginning of the war when the Japs
had everything their way, though.
Now, the PTS are doing an even
greater job of strewing damage and
death-and not infrequently SOL
diers are there with sailors when
the nightly run is made.
The soldiers, eager for additional
action. tell stories of Jap ship STRAIT
/ ing, of sinkings, of hell and glory
under the dark New Guinea skies.
They tell of sailors who ask, too, If
/ they can make the run-although
it is extra duty and they'll have
/ to put in full days work next
day in the radio shack. torpedo tent,
kitchen or on construction.
Soldiers Ask to Go.
Two soldiers edge up to Comdr.
Bulkeley and ask: May we go on
the run tonight sir?"
Sure" is the answer. Glad to
have you. What do you shoot best?
Browning or Tommy"
The soldiers tell the commander
their weapon and prepare for the
night-a night like other nights
when our losses are virtually neg
ligible; Jap losses proportionately
large.
The PIT is hidden from Jap planes
and submarines up one of the scores
OF rivers that meander through the
New Guinea landscape.
Sailors work on the boats all day
to prepare them for their noe
turnal missions. The PTS bristle
with machine guns, cannon and
torpedoes, but the crews are always
on the lookout for more firepower
and so it's not unusual that smile
comes to the commanders face when
a sailor says: Il got another Tommy
! gun for our boat today"
Fine" says Comdr. Bulkeley.
who has a base job now. Get all
the guns you can. But don't de-
prive the jungle fighters. They
need EN- more than We do"
Talks of Work.
Over cup of tea in his hut,
Comdr. Bulkeley-who often goes
on roads-talkS of the PTS work.
I'VE work hand in hand with the
air forces in blockading the coast
against Jap reinforcements and
shipping. The bombers patrol in
the daytime and We take over at
night. We're weakening Jap re-
sistance so the infantry and artil-
lery won't have it so hard"
He pulls bunch Of photographs
out of his desk. saying: These are
Jap boats We run up against. Some
OF them help us learn of their arma-
ment and their blind spots"
Outside, there is murmur of
talk as finishing touches are put on
the PTS for the run. The soldiers
who asked to go are edgy, itching
| to be off-and soon they are.
They are on the alert and so is
the regular crew-but all huddle
down in their oilskins. complaining
bitterly of the weather that may
allow Jap to slip through. But it's
not for long.
Then a sailor calls, Just loud
enough to be heard over the purr of
the PTS engines: "A boat to port"
Jap Boat Sighted.
The skipper on this jaunt, 1t.
q. g. Herbert P Knight of Wichita.
Kans., spins the wheel Down in
the radio room. the operator flashes
the news to A PIT nearby.
ITS a Jap all right" says the
skipper, peering through binoculars.
He tells the radioman to advise the
/ others that the run is about to
begin. The engines leap to full life
and the PIT hurtles toward the dark
object. Then the skipper yells:
"Okay. boys. Let 'em have it."
Every gun aboard speaks, although
speaks is hardly the word for it.
Tracers lace the night toward the
Jap. The Jap, small supply barge,
turns over and sinks.
There's another off starboard
bow some one yells. "a big one"
The skipper spins his wheel again
and phosphorescent foam streams
out behind. The new Jap is
70-foot barge, heavy with men and
supplies. It's top is camouhaged
with tree branches. But the first
attack has alerted it and tracers leap
from 1t toward us. Every member
Of the PIT crew except the engine
room man. officers and radioman
holds gun if he isn't at machine
| gun or cannon.
Pour it on yells the skipper.
The night, foggy as it is. comes
aglow with tracers. The dank dark
ness rocks and echoes with gunfire.
Behind the first PIT, a second opens
up The pair make the run and, as
they sWerve, a glance shows the
barge still afloat but making no
headway.
Two more runs are made and
still it f1oats-but it is silent. One
PIT edges up, almost idling. There
are dark objects in the water, drift
ing. with little lights on each-dead
Japs. The Lights are on their life
jackets. Another run is made, and
the barge sinks
In the distance, dawn begins to
break. Daylight is no time, ordi-