The Pt 73: A Unique Pt Boat

PT-73 was a Higgins 78-foot motor torpedo boat, a type of vessel used by the US Navy during World War II. It was completed in 1942 and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 13, which saw action in the Aleutians and the Southwest Pacific theatre. PT-73 was destroyed by its own crew on January 15, 1945, to prevent its capture after it ran aground off Lubang Island in the Philippines.

PT-73's specifications

PT-73 was a Higgins Motor Torpedo Boat, 78 feet long, weighing 56 tons, with a top speed of 40 knots. It was launched in July 1942 and entered service the following month. It was armed with four 21-inch torpedoes, one 40mm mount and two twin .50 calibre machine guns. Propulsion was provided by three 4,500shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, with three shafts.

PT-73 was built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 13, under the command of Commander James B. Denny, USN. The Squadron participated in the Aleutian Islands Campaign from March 1943 to May 1944, and was then transferred to the Southwest Pacific, where it saw action at Mios Woendi, Dutch New Guinea; Mindoro in the Philippines; and Brunei Bay, Borneo.

PT-73 ran aground off Lubang Island in the Philippines on 15 January 1945 and was destroyed by its crew to prevent capture.

PT-73's history

PT-73 was a 78-foot Higgins boat, a type of motor torpedo boat. It was completed on 12 August 1942 and placed in service under the command of Lieutenant (jg) William R. McQuilkin. It was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THIRTEEN (MTBRon 13) under the overall command of Comdr. James B. Denny, USN.

MTBRon 13 participated in the Aleutian campaign from March 1943 to May 1944. The squadron was then transferred to the Southwest Pacific, where it saw action at Mios Woendi, Dutch New Guinea; Mindoro in the Philippines; and Brunei Bay, Borneo. It also had bases at Dreger Harbor, New Guinea, and San Pedro Bay in the Philippines, but did not see action from these locations. As part of Task Unit 70.1.4, Squadron 13 was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for action at Mindoro from 15-19 December 1944.

On 15 January 1945, PT-73 ran aground off Lubang Island in the Philippines and was destroyed by its crew to prevent capture. Under the command of Lt(jg) William R. McQuilkin, PT-73 and PT-75 had delivered supplies to the Mindoro guerrillas at Abra de Ilog and taken their leader, LCDR Rowe, aboard for the night's patrol. Close to Lubang Island, northwest of Mindoro, PT-73 ran aground on an uncharted reef. LCDR Rowe, the guerrilla leader, said there was a garrison of about 300 enemy troops on a nearby island. Fearing an attack if their location became known, McQuilkin ordered the boat to be stripped and abandoned. The crew of PT-73 was taken aboard PT-75 and the stranded boat was set on fire to prevent its capture.

PT-73's armament

The PT-73 was a 78-foot Higgins boat, a type of Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB). It was armed with four 21" torpedoes, one 40mm mount, and two twin .50 cal. machine guns. The machine guns were notably different from the standard configuration, with the PT-73 using a single M2 heavy machine gun on an external, tubular steel spindle fed from a 100-round .50-caliber ammunition box. In contrast, most PT boats used two aircraft M2 heavy machine guns with integral ammunition magazines and feed systems holding 250 rounds in disintegrating belts for each gun. The PT-73's machine gun configuration was similar to the Higgins 78' PT-71 Class boats.

The PT-73 was also outfitted with two mock-ups of US Navy 21-inch (530 mm) MK-18, swing-out, torpedo tubes, which replaced the MK-7/8 tubes normally carried by the Vosper 71-foot. The PT-73's gunwale side cut-outs were built up forward of the cabin, creating a flush forward deck, which was necessary for firing torpedoes over the gunwale.

The PT-73 was also equipped with a pseudo-"radar" unit and mast, which was added aft of midhull. Typically, this area would feature a Mk-4 Oerlikon 20-mm single anti-aircraft cannon. The mast on the PT-73's command bridge was also incorrect for this type of vessel. Additionally, the 40-mm Bofors cannon or pedestal-mounted Oerlikon 20-mm anti-aircraft cannon usually found on the aft deck was removed.

PT-73's fate

PT-73 met its fate on January 15, 1945, off Lubang Island in the Philippines. It was a 78-foot Higgins Motor Torpedo Boat, part of the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THIRTEEN (MTBRON 13) under the command of Comdr. James B. Denny, USN. The squadron participated in the Aleutian campaign from March 1943 to May 1944 and then saw action in the Southwest Pacific theater.

On that fateful day, PT-73, under the command of Lt(jg) William R. McQuilkin, had completed a supply delivery to the Mindoro guerrillas at Abra de Ilog. LCDR Rowe, the guerrilla leader, joined them aboard for the night's patrol. Unfortunately, while navigating close to Lubang Island, northwest of Mindoro, PT-73 ran hard aground on an uncharted reef.

Fearing that their location might be discovered and with enemy troops nearby, McQuilkin made a crucial decision. He ordered the boat to be stripped and abandoned to prevent its capture by the enemy. The crew of PT-73 removed all important documents and equipment and transferred to PT-75, leaving the stranded PT-73 to be destroyed. The crew of PT-73 set their own boat ablaze, ensuring it would not fall into enemy hands.

This event brought the service of PT-73 to an end, and it was destroyed on the same day it ran aground, January 15, 1945.

PT-73's fictional portrayal

PT-73 was featured in the American sitcom 'McHale's Navy', which aired from 1962 to 1966 on ABC. The show was a comedy set in the Pacific theatre of World War II, focusing on the antics of the misfit crew of PT-73, led by Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale, played by Ernest Borgnine. The show was based in two fictional locations: a Pacific island base called Taratupa, and a town in Italy called Voltafiore.

In the show, PT-73 is a 78-foot Higgins boat, finished on 12 August 1942, by Higgins Industries, New Orleans. It weighed 56 tons and had a top speed of 40 knots. The real PT-73 was a Higgins boat assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 13, which saw service in the Aleutians and the Southwest Pacific theatre.

Three PT-73 boats were used in the show. One was for shots at sea, and two were converted 63-foot World War II air-sea rescue boats based at Universal Studios, which were reconfigured to resemble a World War II-era PT boat. The vessel used for shots of the PT-73 underway was a 72-foot type II Vosper MTB (Motor Torpedo Boat), a British design built under licence in the US for export to Russia.

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