AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN BY PT-31

10 Dec 1941. When the attack on Cavite was finsished, five Nell's decided to dive on some PT boats. No American PT boat had ever been attacked by an enemy plane before and there was no textbook defensive move. The helmsmen waited until the bombs were released then made a sudden turn; all the bombs missed. Before they could regain altitude, GM1c James Culp splashed one Nell and MM2c Theodore Morgan splashed another. Combined fire form PT-35 by MM2c Joseph Chalker and TM1c John Houlihan splashed the third aircraft.