Date

Location / Event

September 9, 1992

Joined Navy

     Training and work on various ships on the home-front

March 2, 1943

Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, Illinois

     USS Pontus Launches, ferried down Mississippi R. to Algiers,

     Louisiana to complete its construction

May 22

Shakedown off Florida coast

     Embarks for Pacific (via the Panama Canal)

August 11

Brisbane, Australia to Mackay, Australia

     Partially converted Pontus to motor torpedo boat tender in Mackay

     Began movement up Australian Coast toward Papua New Guinea

October 18

Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea

     Completed conversion of Pontus to motor torpedo boat tender

November 18

Left Milne Bay for Dreger Harbor, PNG

     Passed through Buna, PNG and Morobe, PNG

     Stayed in Dreger Harbor tending PT boats until fall of Saidor to cut off

     Japanese supplies to PNG and New Britain

January 1994

Allied forces land at Saidor, PT boats range further up the coast of PNG and USS Pontus follows

February 1994

Fleet endures daily air raids, the Pontus is attacked by “Washing Machine Charlie,” Return to Dreger Harbor to resupply

April 22

Celeo Island

     Tended MTBRons 7 & 8 as they patrolled between the Driniumor

     River and Hollandia

     Pontus used as a communications base to coordinate efforts with the

     Royal Australian Air Force to destroy Japanese ferry barges

     which landed their troops behind Allied lines at night

August 24

Got underway for Brisbane, Australia for repairs

October 17

Sailed for Mackay, Australia to make their way to forwarding area

November 17

Arrived in Mios Woendi, PNG

November 27-

April 6, 1995

Arrived in Leyte, Philippines

     Tended PT boats

April 1995-

August 1995

Luzon, PNG

     Carried spare parts

Guiuan Harbor

     Tend PTs

Malalay Bay, Mindanao, and Tawi

     Tend MTBRon 8

August 14-15, 1945

Surrender of Japan to Allies

USS Pontus performs tending and decommissioning duties in Subic Bay and Guiuan Harbor

November 20

Sail home

December 24

Arrival in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California

January 21, 1996

William Dufficy discharged from duty

3 years, 3 months, 22 days after his enlistment

Achieved ranking of Metalsmith 2nd Class

February 5

USS Pontus decommissioned in New York