Attention on Deck!
Enlist Here for this once in a lifetime adventure. A
Higgins PT boat cruise of volunteers from MD to TX.
| My friends at
the Defenders of
America Museum are getting the Higgins, PT-305 underway from the Long Cove Marina,
Rock Hall, MD to Texas, in late November. The overhauled engines and transmissions are now installed and the final preparation is getting completed. |
 |
"Thanks" from the world over, go to the Crow brothers, who have kept her alive all of these years as an oyster boat in Chesapeake Bay, MD, and who have now generously donated her. The 305 served in the Med and was in Squadron (Ron) 22 the same as PT-309 and they went on patrols together as well. She had a couple of kills on her chart house and was named the USS Sudden Jerk. There are some pictures on the 309 web site, especially the one where she hit a mine and blew about half of her stern off and still made it in for repairs.
Once she arrives in Houston, they will remove the added wheel house, and begin the process of
replacing the 15 feet of her stern that was removed back in the 40's to reduce her length to
fall within the small boat rules of less than 65'. Once they have a complete 78' hull, they will be recreating her deck fixtures such as the chart house, gun tubs, radar tower, etc. Is this possible? Just look at the pictures of the finished PT309 and keep in mind that this is same set of volunteers that started that project with nothing more than a hull also. She will be restored to her original configuration and will be in the water and operational for public viewing and tours. She will also be taking voyages around the U.S. during special events as well as educational trips for, "show and tell"
about how they were constructed, what it was like to live on board and what role they served in the Navy. This is their way of saying,
"THANK YOU" to all of the WW-II Veterans who served on those great Wooden Warriors.
The Defenders of America web site can be viewed at: http://www.defendersofamerica.org/
and the PT-309 Museum website can be viewed at: http://www.pt-309.org/
.
This group is desperately looking
for a fuel sponsor. The fuel bill for this trip will approach
$10,000. If you know of anyone who might be might be able to
assist with this expense let them know.
If you have the means and time to ride one or all of the legs of this journey from Maryland, down the Eastern seaboard, across the Florida Okeechobee Canal, then
West to Houston, contact:
James Trousdale - Director / Vice President - Defenders of America Naval Museum,
Inc.
Email:
jtrousdale@houtsron.rr.com Home Phone (281) 837-0785 Cell Phone (281) 734-3247
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