Oral History Interview with Richard Keresey, February 27, 1997

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Keresey. Keresey was born in Delaware on 8 May 1916. Graduating from Dartmouth in 1938 he attended Columbia Law School. Upon joining the Navy, he reported for duty at Northwestern University Midshipman School in September, 1941. Upon completion of the four month course, he was assigned to torpedo school at Newport, Rhode Island. In January 1942 he volunteered for torpedo boat training at Melville, Rhode Island. Following eight weeks there, he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 5. Two months later the squadron was sent to Panama, staying there until February 1943 at which time the PT boats were loaded on a tanker and taken to New Caledonia. Squadron 5 was based at Tulagi until June 1943 and they moved to Rendova in the New Georgia Islands. He describes actions against Japanese shipping involving his boat, USS PT-105. He recounts the experience of landing under fire on Choiseul with a marine force. He tells of being on board PT-59, which was captained by John F. Kennedy at the time and comments on his relationship with the future president. Leaving the combat zone in December 1943 he was assigned to work with Admiral Arleigh Burke. Keresey worked on operational coordination between destroyers and PT boasts. Returning to the United States in February 1945, he became an instructor at Melville, Rhode Island until September, at which time he went into the inactive reserve