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| USN 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat 56 Tons 80' x 20' 8" x 5' 1 x 40mm 1 x 37mm cannon 1 x 20mm cannon 2 x Twin .50 cal MG 4 x Torpedo Tubes  USN October 10, 1942  USN October 10, 1942 |
Ship History Built Electric Boat Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ. Laid down March 21, 1942 as 80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat. Launched July 3, 1942 as PT-112. Completed July 18, 1942 and delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN). Wartime History Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 5 (MTBRon 5) under the command of Commander Henry Farrow, USN. Assigned to the Panama Canal zone during September 1942. On September 22, 1942 assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two (MTBRon 2) under the command of Lt Rollin E. Westholm, USN. In early October 1942, PT-111 and PT-112 were loaded aboard USS Tallulah (AO-50) as deck cargo amidship and covered with camouflage netting and shipped overseas to the South Pacific and unloaded at Nouméa then to the Solomon Islands and operated from Tulagi Harbor. On January 10, 1943 departs in the evening under the command of Lt. Westholm on a patrol against a "Tokyo Express" resupply mission by eight destroyers expected off western Guadalcanal around midnight. The PT Boats divided into three groups: The first PT-45, PT-39, PT-48 and PT-115 patrol in a line from Savo Island to Cape Esperance. The second group PT-112, PT-43 and PT-40 patrol between Cape Esperance and Aruligo. A third group PT-59, PT-46 and PT-36 patrol between Tassafaronga and Doma. Sinking History On January 11, 1943 at 12:30am while patrolling a quarter mile offshore off the coast of Guadalcanal spotted four Japanese destroyers to the southeast roughly a mile offshore. The last destroyer turned towards Savo Island while the other three continued on their course toward Guadalcanal. Motoring in close, PT-112 released all four torpedoes and one scored a hit that created a huge column of water and severely damaged Hatsukaze. After the attack, PT-112 had to turn hard left to avoid a collision and passed astern of the Hatsukaze as other ships opened fire. Turning east under fire, PT-112 was hit twice at the waterline and near the forward bulkhead of the engine room. Damaged, Lt. Westholm ordered the crew to abandon ship and was the last to leave. The crew deployed their life raft while PT-112 remained afloat. At 1:30am, Westholm attempted to return to the vessel and paddled to within 100' when the ship exploded and settled by the stern. By dawn, PT-112 sank roughly one mile east of Cape Esperance on Guadalcanal into Iron Bottom Sound. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, the crew was rescued by other PT Boats active that night and returned to duty. References At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy (1962) pages 57, 99-101, 452, 456, 488, 496, 561 (index) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy Motor Torpedo Boat Operational Losses "PT-112 destroyed by Japanese warships, off Guadalcanal, Solomons, 11 Jan. 1943." NavSource - PT-112 (photo) Contribute
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