Bracing for attack

As her prow slices through the water, the crewmen of PT 299 prepare themselves for an attack from the sky. Moments before this photo was snapped, these men were likely at their posts below deck. Within moments, they were behind the guns, now raised skyward, at the ready for the attack of the enemy planes. Forget about helmets and flak jackets, there were enemy planes to shoot out of the sky.

All indications are that the sailors on board PT 299 are ready to give as good as they get. For the PT crews, the best defense was always an aggressive offense. Whether the attack was coming from the sea, the land, or the air, the first instinct of the Mosquito Fleet was to strike back and strike back hard.