On the night of October 8/9 1943, PT's 128 and 194 had the only encounter with Japanese destroyers during the entire New Guinea campaign. The boats came off second best in this engagement, for the enemy ships opened fire on the PT's before could get into attack position, and shelled them with gunfire for some time before the boats could make good their escape. Shrapnel from 5-inch Japanese shells killed two men and wounded two other men and an officer on PT 194. One of those killed was Kenneth E. Cottom, GM2/c; below, his shipmates pay their fallen comrade their last respects.