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Local Ties to Preservation of a World War II Patrol Boat

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Local Ties to Preservation of a World War II Patrol Boat The Lakeland Times January 19, 2016 • Page 3 Local ties to preservation of a World War II patrol boat Lac du Flambeau’s Simpson Electric and PT-305 By Brian Jopek Contributed artwork OF THE LAKELAND TIMES A drawing of PT-305 showing the The story begins with a United States features Navy patrol torpedo boat, better known of the boat. as a PT boat, being restored at the Published with permission of National World War II Museum in New the artist. Orleans, Louisiana. Built in 1943 by Higgins Industries in New Orleans and one of the few PT boats to survive the war, PT-305, which during its time in Navy service was known affectionately by crew members as The Sudden Jerk , The Bar Fly and The Half Hitch , has been undergoing a multi-year restoration at the museum. While most of the PT boats that served in the Pacific war were stripped of equip - ment and weapons and destroyed instead of being returned to the States, PT-305 and the other boats in its motor torpedo boat squadron, known as Ron 22, were said the restoration of PT-305 is now in Louis” in 1927. Years later, in the 1960s, something out. I sold the gauges to them already back home from duty in the war’s its sixth year. the company would produce the cross- at our cost.” European theater and were being pre - He’s been in charge of procuring a pointer instrument used on the Apollo V It took several weeks to produce the pared to be sent to the Pacific. large number of vintage pieces and other spacecraft. gauges. However, the Japanese formally sur - materials that will make PT-305 as close During World War II, Simpson Elec - “You know, we just don’t make those rendered in September 1945, and Ron 22 to how it was when it was put into serv - tric made the gauges that helped PT boat anymore,” Schmitz said. “We have all the was decommissioned shortly afterward. ice during the war. crew members known as “motor mechs” capacity to make them. We just don’t do PT-305 and the rest of the boats that “It’s 95-percent complete,” he said of monitor the three huge, 1500-horsepower those specific gauges anymore.” had served with it were ultimately sold in the boat’s restoration. Packard V-12 engines that powered PT- ‘Made me feel good’ 1948, and at that point the war veteran Lac du Flambeau connection 305 and other boats like it. began the next leg of a long journey as an That’s what Henry’s call to Schmitz Schmitz said it made him, a combat oyster boat in the Chesapeake Bay. Jon Schmitz, chief executive officer was about. veteran of the Vietnam War, feel good to According to the museum’s website, for Simpson Electric in Lac du Flam - “He brought up the possibility of hav - be able to do something for the PT-305 “PT-305 continued as an oyster boat for beau, said he received a phone call in ing 12 gauges put together by Simpson,” project. many years until 2001, when it was August 2015 from Aaron Henry. Schmitz said, adding that Henry inquired “It obviously made me feel good, acquired by the Defenders of America Henry is a volunteer on the project to about the possibility of having them be a because of the military thing, that con - Naval Museum in Galveston, Texas.” restore PT-305. charitable donation to the project by nection,” he said. “The tribe owns “In June 2006, The National WWII “He asked me about Simpson and if Simpson Electric. Simpson Electric and I know it means Museum was contacted by the Defenders we were still in business and so on,” In the mid 1980s Simpson Electric a lot to them as well. They’re so sup - of America Naval Museum about the Schmitz said. became the property of the Lac du Flam - portive of their veterans.” possible transfer of PT-305,” the website Simpson Electric has been in existence beau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Stengl, one of several volunteers on reads. “The vessel was transported to the in one form or another since the 1930s. Indians. the PT-305 restoration, said “it is a Museum campus in April 2007. With the Its founder, Ray Simpson, developed “I told him I’d like to donate some - pretty cool project.” help of the faithful Higgins boat volun - the earth-inductor compass used by thing but charitable tax exempt doesn’t “It’s been an honor to work on a teers, PT-305 will be completely restored Charles Lindbergh during his flight work for the tribe because they are tax national treasure,” he said. to her wartime condition. Everything across the Atlantic in the “Spirit of St. exempt,” he said. “I told him I’d work For more on the history of PT-305 except the weapons will be fully opera - and its restoration, visit the website at tional.” “It’s been an honor to work on a national treasure.” http://www.nationalww2museum.org/ see-hear/collections/artifacts/pt- The goal is to have PT-305 run at least Robert Stengl one more time in fully operational status 305.html. on nearby Lake Pontchartrain. Brian Jopek may be reached via Robert Stengl, the project’s manager, email at [email protected]. 3 Page 20 • January 19, 2016 The Lakeland Times 20.
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