PT boat was one of the smallest, fastest, and most maneuverable fighting ships of the United States Navy. The letters PT stood for patrol torpedo, which meant that the craft carried out patrol duties and also carried torpedoes for combat. PT boats were often called mosquito boats, because they “stung” the enemy with great speed, and were most deadly in the dark.
In World War II, which the United States entered in 1941, PT boats made a remarkable record. They destroyed over 250,000 long tons (254,000 metric tons) of Japanese shipping. General Douglas MacArthur, his wife and child, and various officers and statesmen fled from the Bataan Peninsula to the island of Mindanao in PT boats in March 1942, on their journey from the Philippines to Australia. Future President John F. Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism and leadership after the boat he commanded, PT-109, was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943.
PT boats were taken from the active list in 1959. However, in 1962, two boats had their torpedo tubes removed to increase their speed. These boats were put back on the active list as PTF boats (patrol torpedo boats, fast). The Navy acquired 24 other PTF boats between 1962 and 1968. Most of these ships saw service in the Vietnam War throughout the 1960’s. They were later replaced by newer and smaller types of patrol craft. No PTF boats remain in the Navy today.
The PT boats used in combat by the Navy in World War II measured 77 to 80 feet (23 to 24 meters) long and about 20 feet (6 meters) across at their widest part. They were powered by three supercharged gasoline engines, each capable of 1,250 to 1,500 horsepower (930 to 1,120 kilowatts). The boats could reach up to 43 knots (nautical miles per hour), which is 49 miles (79 kilometers) per hour. PT boats carried crews of 12 to 17 people.
PT boat hulls were basically different from those of other warships. They were called planing hulls because they skimmed or planed on the water surface. Larger ships cut through the water and will not rise up on the surface. They have displacement hulls.
PT boats, although much larger than high-speed, outboard-motor runabouts, had similar hulls. They were broad beamed, with a shallow V-shaped bottom. This design made PT boats of little use in rough or choppy water. Their high rate of fuel consumption limited their range. PT boats carried small, multipurpose guns, and sometimes rockets, in addition to torpedoes. Their most efficient use was restricted and the Navy kept few on active duty in peacetime.
