April 29, 1944 another wartime tragedy took place. While patrolling off New Britain the PT-347 and PT-350 were looking for Japanese shipping to attack when the PT-347 ran hard aground on a reef at Lassul Bay. While attempting to pull the 347 off the reef both PT boat's came under attack. The aircraft, approaching from the west dove down on the PT's and opened fire. The PT-350 moved away and opened up on the aircraft downing one and driving off the other.

In the battle the stranded PT-347 was unharmed while the PT-350 received several hits and lost 3 crewmen. In addition to the three who were killed, five were wounded and needed medical care therefore the PT-350 returned to her base. Two and a half hours later the PT-346 was contacted by the commander of PT-347 and came to her assistance.

Major James Dill USMC, the pilot of this surviving aircraft returned to his base and informed his commander that they had attacked two Japanese gunboats and knew of their location. A strike force was readied and launched against the "Japanese gunboats". They were warned to keep a look out for signals indicating if the boat's were friendlies but apparently the enthusiasm of the pilots overwhelmed their good judgment for the PT-347 was flashing the recognition signal during the attack. This was however not seen by the pilots.

As the PT-346 was assisting the PT-347 aircraft were seen approaching once again. The PT skipper's realized these were US aircraft and believed they were part of their air cover. It seems however that the captain of the PT-347 had not yet realized that he had been attacked the first time by US aircraft so general quarters was not sounded and the rescue attempt went on.

It was not until after the captain of the PT-346, who had tried to contact the approaching aircraft, realized they were making a bombing run, was the alarm raised and the boats prepared their guns for battle. The aircraft opened fire on the PT boat's setting the PT-346 on fire. Shortly after this the PT-347 took a direct hit from a bomb and exploded. With both boats on fire and the crews in the water the aircraft circled and returned, to strafe the men in the water.

The majority of the eleven men killed died in the strafing attack which lasted well over half an hour. After the attack was over the survivors were spotted by a Catalina flying boat which dropped them a life raft. One of the men made his way back on to the bow of the PT-347 to recover what ever supplies he could find while the men awaited rescue. Rescue came early the next morning when the PT-351 and PT-355 arrived. For the exhausted men their ordeal was over. For the Marine pilots the ordeal would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Nothing is worse in war than to know you have accidentally killed one of your own.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

PT-328 (An ELCO 80' boat and sister to both PT-346 & PT-347)