US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Tough Toenaih Paring 561
By turning to parallel, both torpedoes were avoided, one passing ahead, one
astern.
Since we had DF [Direction Finder] reports of a Japanese submarine generally
off the sourthern entrance to BLANCHE CHANNEL, I concluded that
the torpedoing was done by a submarine, and after the f%fccdh had dodged
the torpedoes, I directed the Commanding Officer to turn to their apparent
reverse course and attack the submarine, . . , A number of boats, apparently
PT boats were then sighted well ahead and, to avoid fouling them, although
not suspecting any of them had fired the torpedoes, I abandoned further
search for the submarine, and directed McCaIla to overtake the Pawnee and
Libra. . . . I have, of course, since learned that PT boats made the attack.so
In these days when every naval craft larger than a rowboat seems to have
one or more radars, it is perhaps well to record that eighteen months after
the United States entered World War II that the McCawley was the only
transport equipped with radar and when she was sunk, the large transports
necessarily depended upon the destroyers for their radar information.
The Commander Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Nine, Lieutenant Commander
Robert B. Kelly (1935), in PT-153 during the night of 30 June 1943,
reported on 1 July 1943 to the Commander Naval Base, Rendova Island:
At 2014 PT 153’s radar detected a very large target distance 800 yards
surrounded by eight smaller targets, apparently landing craft. The first section
closed range to about 600 yards. Targets appeared to be a large destroyer, a
7OOO–10,OOOton transport and a small destroyer or transport. [They] were
seen to have converged. The large transport was lying to, and the other ships
were slowly circling behind it. At 2016, PT 153 fired four torpedoes at the
transport and radioed for all boats in the first and second sections to press
home the attack. PT 153 continued on same course and at same speed to allow
other boats to fire undetected. When PT 153 was 300–400 yards from the
transport, four torpedoes were seen to strike it in succession; one forward,
two amidships and one aft. PT 153 then reversed course to the left and
retired at slow speed. The first two torpedoes hit 4-5 seconds apart; the last
two simultaneously. . . .
PT 118 on the starboard quarter of PT 153 fired two torpedoes at a small
transport or destroyer and observed two direct hits. As the PT 118 retired
following PT 153, her target appeared to be sinking by the stern.
PT 158... fired two torpedoes . . . . no hits observed . . . changed
her course . . . and fired her last two torpedoes . . . . these torpedoes were
seen to straddle the target. PT 160 . . . fired one torpedo . . . but it missed.
PT159 . . . fired two torpedoes . . . both of which missed.”
mRear Admiral T, S. Wilkinson, USN, to CTF 31, Report on loss of McCuu,/ey, 3 Jul. 1943.
a COMMTBRON Nine to Commander Naval Base, Rendova, Action Report, Ser 00I of 1 Jul.
1943.