Page 96 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine
P. 96
Thomas E. Tenner, Sr. From Fear of Cold to
Fearless Fighting on a PT
Boat in the South Pacific
by Web Augustine
He didn’t like waiting around
for orders, so he volunteered
for PT boats, when the call
went out. While in line,
waiting to take the tough
eye exam, he listened very
carefully and repeated what
the previous guy had said.
Subsequently, he was sent
to Melville, RI for three
months of PT boat training
in the rough, cold North
om grew up in Pittsburgh Atlantic. Tom was anxious Tom also had responsibility for
during the depths of the to go someplace warm, so he the Chronometer (ship’s clock)
TGreat Depression, his went to the assignment officer, and acted as Signalman. He
father struggling to provide and, by switching places with was terrible at signaling but,
bare necessities for the family. a married guy who wanted fortunately, didn’t need to do
In spite of that, he was proud to stay longer in the states, it very often.
to graduate from Central he was off to the War in the
Catholic High School in Pacific! Tom started in PT Boats
June 1941, receiving awards six months after John F.
for his high grade-point His long journey started by Kennedy’s PT 109 was cut in
averages. After high school, train to the West Coast, then half by a Japanese destroyer.
he worked at the Pennsylvania a “lousy”, old troop ship to Tom reminisced, “JFK was a
Transformer Company to help the South Pacific. He finally real hero! He did not have
support his family and went to landed in New Guinea radar on his boat. That made
school at night. Tom enlisted in January 1944 and was life on a PT Boat much more
in the Navy in January 1943 at immediately put in Motor tense and dangerous.”
age 20. While other enlistees Torpedo Boat Squadron (Ron)
complained about the food 7 on PT Boat 127 as the new There were typically 14-16
and uncomfortable mattresses, Quartermaster. Upon arriving people on a PT boat – 2 officers
Tom was quite pleased with he was promoted to Second and 12-14 enlisted men.
his improved living conditions. Class. That didn’t mean much The Officers were only two
He fought the Japanese among besides a little more money. years older but were college
the islands of the Pacific on a How was he paid? He never graduates.
Patrol-Torpedo Boat (PT-boat) saw a paycheck. Some of it
as the U.S. clawed its way back went home to his Mom; the Tom was on PT 127 the entire
to the Philippines. rest was credited to his account year and a few months that he
with the Navy. was based out of New Guinea.
How did he get into PT Boats? The Japanese came down as far
He went to boot camp and In the Navy, the south as North New Guinea.
Quartermaster School at the Quartermaster was responsible There were only 30 PT Boats
Great Lakes, Illinois Naval for the quarterdeck, which acting as the primary buffer
Station. He achieved a Seaman included all charts. The PT between Japanese forces and
ranking and became 3 Class 127 had radar, and Tom was Australia. PT Boats were a
rd
Petty Officer Quartermaster. responsible for its operation. good place to be. Tom claimed
96 Lubbock Senior Link
