Arguably, PT Boats were most effective at striking barges that Japanese and German forces wanted to use for resupplying their troops.

Did PT boats sink any Japanese ships?

Though few PTs sank major Japanese ships, they enjoyed more success in other operations, including reconnaissance and search and rescue. The boats often harassed and broke up Japanese barge traffic, earning the nickname “devil boats” among the enemy.

How many ships did PT boats sink?

By the last patrol on the night of April 28, 1945, American PT boats had been fighting in the coastal waters of North Africa, Italy, and France for two years. During that period, they fired 354 torpedoes, claiming 38 vessels totaling 23,700 tons sunk.