PT-20 class

PT-20 class. The PT-20 class was a series of four motor torpedo boats constructed for the United States Navy during the early stages of World War II. Built by the Elco Naval Division, these vessels were part of the initial wave of American PT boats that saw extensive service in the Pacific Theater. They played notable roles in the Philippines campaign (1941–1942) and subsequent operations, demonstrating the tactical versatility of fast attack craft in naval warfare.

Design and development

The design of the PT-20 class was directly derived from the successful PT-10-series boats, which were based on a British Power Boat Company design. Engineers at Elco Naval Division in Bayonne, New Jersey, refined the hull form and internal layout to improve seakeeping and combat effectiveness. Key figures in the development included Henry R. Sutphen of Elco, who oversaw the rapid production program initiated after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. The class incorporated lessons from earlier trials conducted by the Naval Torpedo Station and feedback from the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons training in Melbourne, Florida. Primary design objectives focused on achieving high speed for torpedo runs and sufficient firepower for anti-barge and patrol duties against Imperial Japanese Navy forces.

Specifications

The PT-20 class boats had an overall length of 80 feet and a beam of 20 feet 8 inches, with a standard displacement of 38 tons. Propulsion was provided by three Packard 4M-2500 supercharged gasoline engines, each generating 1,200 horsepower, driving three shafts to achieve a top speed of 41 knots. Armament typically consisted of four 21-inch torpedo tubes for Mark 8 torpedoes, supplemented by two twin .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun mounts and later upgrades adding two 20 mm Oerlikon cannons. Electronic equipment included RC-284 radio sets and basic SONAR for detection, while the crew complement ranged from 12 to 14 officers and enlisted men under the command of a Lieutenant (junior grade).

Service history

Commissioned in 1941, the boats of the PT-20 class were immediately deployed to the Philippines as part of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3. They conducted daring raids and evacuation missions following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, with PT-21 and PT-23 participating in the evacuation of key personnel from Corregidor to Mindanao. PT-20 and PT-22 were later transferred to the South West Pacific Area command, operating from bases in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during the Guadalcanal campaign. PT-22 was lost to enemy air attack near Tulagi in 1943, while PT-23 was destroyed during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Surviving units supported landings at Bougainville and the Admiralty Islands campaign before being retired after V-J Day.

Operators

The sole operator of the PT-20 class was the United States Navy. All four vessels served under the Pacific Fleet within various Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons, primarily MTBRON 3 and later MTBRON 7. No units were transferred to allied navies under the Lend-Lease program, unlike subsequent Higgins and Elco-built PT boats provided to the Soviet Navy and Royal Navy. Post-war, the two surviving boats, PT-20 and PT-21, were stripped of useful equipment and scuttled off Subic Bay in 1945 as part of disposal operations overseen by the Seventh Fleet.

See also

* PT boat * Elco Naval Division * Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons * Battle of the Bismarck Sea * John D. Bulkeley * Battle of Tassafaronga * Douglas MacArthur * Mark 14 torpedo

Category:PT boat classes Category:World War II patrol vessels of the United States Category:Elco ships