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"South
Pacific Patrol" by Paul McGehee. The "mosquito boats" of the U.S. Navy
were the workhorses of the South Pacific campaign...fast moving torpedo
boats running day and night missions and dangerous reconnaissance in
enemy-infested waters during the years of World War II. The Japanese
referred to them as "devil boats". Made primarily by Higgins, Elco and
Huckins, the wooden-hulled attack boats were an important part of the
winning of the war in the Pacific. They were popularly known as "P.T.
Boats", for "patrol torpedo". This particular one was P.T. 244
"Werewolf", built by Higgins Industries out of New Orleans back in
1942...the 78' long P.T. Boat saw action with Motor Torpedo Boat
Squadron 19 (and later Squadron 23) at Vella Lavella, the Treasury
Islands, the Philippines and the battle of the Green Islands in 1944.
She was decommissioned in 1945 after the end of the war with Japan and
destroyed in the Philippines by the Navy. Another torpedo boat, P.T.
109, was made famous by the fact that future President John F. Kennedy
was Commander when it was sliced in two by a Japanese destroyer during
night patrol...the subsequent book and movie about Kennedy's fight for
the survival of his crew has made the tale one of the legends of World
War II. During the war years, the U.S. Navy had formed 43 P.T.
Squadrons, each with a total of 12 boats active...boats were constantly
being shifted from Squadron to Squadron as casualties were high and they
needed to replace ones lost in battle. Of the 516 boats comprising
those Squadrons, only 10 are still in existence today.
"South Pacific Patrol" is
faithfully reproduced from Paul's original oil painting in a
limited edition of 2,000 hand-signed prints.
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