A diver in WWII with a PT Boat Squadron

[Karl Welteke]

NEC 5343 (Diver Second Class). A diver in WWII with a PT Boat Squadron

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NEC stands for Navy Enlisted Classification. That is how I started out as a diver. A shipmate, PO2 Auman, asked me to join him to request for our ship, the USS Belle Grove LSD-2, to send us to the second-class diving school in San Diego 1963. During WWII and until many years later many Navy units had 2 billets for NEC 5243 and on our ship, they were vacant. Look at this, my, diving school album, click here:

philippine-sailor.net/2017/12/03/navy-diver-school-second-class-san-diego-1963/

I came across a PT Boat squadron picture album and it has 3 pictures about diving under those boats and do repair work. I can relate to that, that was my one of my jobs in Viet Nam. The album has many pictures but I copied only 8 images. These pictures came from this URL, click here:

www.facebook.com/groups/195467287583906/?post_id=801437590320203
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Zo759. A Google Earth image of Tulagi Island and Guadalcanal Island of the Solomon Islands. I assume the PT boat base was at this location.



Zo760. This is a screen shot of the above URL!




Zo761. Myself, a BM 2 already, and proudly wear my Second-Class Diver patch, the ships E (excellent) award and my Assault Boat Coxswain patch in 1963/64 in Hong Kong on my right sleeve. Ruben Teams is my buddy and fellow Boatswains Mate serving proudly on the USS Belle Grove LSD-2, he was from Texas. It was a good ship and my first one.



Zo762. A sailor is bringing the diving hose with the Morse Shallow Water hat. This is at the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer


Zo763. The Morse Shallow Water hat is lowered on to the shoulders of the diver. Notice the weights bolted to the helmet, front and back. I assume the diver/s had formal training and had a NEC, but who knows, it was war! This is at the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer



Zo764. The diver is going down with the Morse Shallow Water hat, a tool is handed to the diver. I assume the diver/s had formal training and had a NEC, but who knows, it was war! This is at the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer



Zo765. Spare parts, got to have them and everything will run smoother. This is at the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer



Zo766. One of 8 images I copied of the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943 album. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer.



Zo767. One of 8 images I copied of the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943 album. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer.



Zo768. One of 8 images I copied of the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943 album. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer.



Zo769. One of 8 images I copied of the USN PT Boat Base at Tulagi - March 1943 album. Calvertville, the Tulagi PT base, was named for Commander Allen P. Calvert, who was Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. This is a Re-post from 2018 by Peter DeForest from LIFE Magazine - Scherschel Photographer