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Patrol torpedo boat PT-167

PT 167 was PT-103-class motor torpedo boat (MTB) of the United States Navy that served during World War II.

PT 167 was built by the Electric Launch Company (ELCO) of Bayonne New Jersey. It was laid down 18 September and launched 3 December 1942. Completed and placed in service 17 December 1942 and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 10 under the command Thomas G. Warfield, USN for service in the Solomon Islands Campaign.https://www.navsource.org/archives/12/05167.htm

It was transported from Panama to the South Pacific area with five other PT boats on cradles attached to the deck of a merchant tanker, the SS Stanvac Manila. On 24 May 1943 the Stanvac Manila was torpedoed 100 miles south of Noumea by Japanese submarine I-17. As the ship began taking on water the PT 167 and three other boats were freed from their cradles by their crews. PT 167 cleared the tanker’s foremast as it the ship sank, stripping PT 167 of its most of its topside structures but leaving the hull undamaged. The boat and the other vessels subsequently joined Squadron 10 at Tulagi Island and was later based at Rendova Island, British Solomon Islands. PT 167 took part patrols and attacks on enemy shipping and shore installations in and around New Georgia, Vella Lavella, Empress Augusta Bay and Choiseul Islands

On 5 November 1943, PT 167, commanded by Ensign Theodore Berlin with Ensign Paul B. Fay Junior as executive officer, together with LCI 70, was detailed to escort LCT 68 from Cape Torokina, Bougainville to Mono Island during the opening phase of the invasion of Bougainville. At about 19:15 the convoy was attacked by 12 Japanese Nakajima Type 97 “Kate” torpedo bombers 28 miles southwest of Cape Torokina. An attacking plane came in so low that it struck the PT’s radio antenna mast and crashed into the sea. As it crashed the crew of the PT 167 felt a severe shock. Another group of planes attacked and several were shot down by machine gun fire from the PT boat and LCI 70, one of the planes crashing into the sea so close to the PT that it drenched the crew. When the attack was over it was discovered that a torpedo had hit PT 167 in the bow above the water line, passing through the vessel without exploding, leaving part of the tail section in the boat’s head. Another torpedo had hit the engine room of LCI 70, seriously injuring two crewmen without exploding. The crew of the LCI was ordered to abandoned ship and were transferred to PT 167. One of the LCI’s officers took a volunteer crew back to LCI 70 and rigged a tow line to the undamaged LCT 68. After leaving the volunteer crew aboard the LCT, PT 167 returned with the remainder of the LCI’s 48 crew to Cape Torokina. On route one of the injured crew members of LCI 70 died. The next day Radio Tokyo announced that the attacking plans had sunk one large carrier and one small carrier in what it called “the First Air Battle of Bougainville”. After the incident the damaged hull of PT 167 was repaired and the boat’s distinctive zebra stripe pattern painted over with dark green. Subsequently, both Ensign Berlin and Ensign Fay were awarded the Bronze Star.

Subsequent history: PT 167 subsequently took part in anti-barge and anti-submarine patrols from Green Island, patrolling in waters around New Ireland and eastern New Britain. As part of Squadron 10, PT 167 was transferred to the Southwest Pacific area in April 1944 and took part in action at Saidor, New Guinea, Morotai in the Halmaheras, and at Balikpapan, Borneo. It was later based Mios Woendi, Dutch New Guinea. It was placed out of service, stripped and burnt at Samar, Philippine Islands, 11 November 1945.

Popular Culture: a 1:72 scale model of PT 167 was produced by Revell Models