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DONLEY, Richard (b. 1923)

Oral Histories

OH 1370

His experiences in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. Enlistment in the Navy and boot camp at San Diego Naval Training Station, 1942; Fleet Torpedo School, San Diego, 1942; Motor Torpedo Boats Squadron Training Center, Melville, Rhode Island, 1942; assignment to PT Squadron 15, January, 1943; stationing at Bone, Tunisia, 1943; screening operations for the invasion of Sicily, 1943; transfer to Palermo, 1943, and the interception of German barge traffic; encounters with German “F-lighter” armed barges and E-boats; screening operations for the invasion of Salerno, 1943; assignment to the advance base at Bastia, Corsica, 1943; operations along the coasts of northern Italy and southern France and the interdiction of German barge traffic; torpedo problems; commando and intelligence operations; combat against enemy destroyers; his return to the States, July, 1944, and reassignment to the Motor Torpedo Boats Training Center; transfer to Samar, Philippines, April, 1945.