Good Morning...A Kennedy performs heroically at sea

[Okla-homey]

August 1, 1943 PT-109 sinks; Lieutenant Kennedy is instrumental in saving crew

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Kennedy, standing shirtless right, and crew of PT-109

63 years ago, on this day in 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams US Navy (patrol torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including its skipper Lt. John F. Kennedy.

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Just after manufacture by the Elco Co., the plywood PT-109 enroute to destiny

Japanese aircraft had been on a PT boat hunt in the Solomon Islands, bombing the PT base at Rendova Island. It was essential to the Japanese that several of their destroyers make it to the southern tip of Kolombangara Island to get war supplies to forces there. But the torpedo capacity of the American PTs was a potential threat.

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Despite the base bombing at Rendova, PTs set out to intercept those Japanese destroyers. In the midst of battle, Japan's Amagiri hit PT-109, leaving 11 crewmen floundering in the Pacific.

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At the point of impact. The flimsy plywood patrol boat was sliced in half.

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Amagiri. Destroyers are so called because they were originally developed to "destroy" motor torpedo boats

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The Japanese Navy remains proud of the record of the WWII Amagiri. This modern Japanese ship is named Amagiri too.

After five hours of clinging to debris from the destroyed PT boat, the crew made it to tiny Plum Pudding (later kennedy Island). Kennedy decided to swim out to sea again, hoping to flag down a passing American boat. None came. Kennedy began to swim back to shore, but strong currents, and his chronic back condition, made his return difficult.

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Kennedy and Olasana islands lie in a now-tranquil section of the Solomons, shown in this aerial photograph.

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Kennedy in PT-109's cockpit

Upon reaching the island again, he fell ill. After he recovered, the PT-109 crew swam to the larger Olasana island. They met up with two natives from the island, who agreed to take a message south. Kennedy carved the distress message into a coconut shell: "Nauru Is. Native knows posit. He can pilot. 11 alive need small boat." (Note: the island Kennedy thought was Nauru Island was actually Olasana Island)

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Lt Kennedy's coconut text message

The message reached Lieutenant Arthur Evans, who was watching the coast of Gomu Island, located next to an island occupied by the Japanese. Kennedy and his crew were paddled to Gomu. A PT boat then took them back to Rendova. Kennedy was ultimately awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, for gallantry in action.

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Kennedy just after award of his Navy & Marine Corps Medal

The coconut shell used to deliver his message found a place in history-and in the Oval Office. Kennedy kept it on his desk as a memento.

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"PT-109," a film dramatizing this story, starring Clift Robertson as Kennedy, opened in 1963.

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Precisely one Elco-class PT Boat (like 109) remains in existence. It has been declared a National Historic Landmark and is housed at the USS Massachussets Museum

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[12]

Did he just toss the coconut shell in the ocean? If so, how long did it take to reach Evans?

[12]

Never mind... Professor Google answered my question.

[Okla-homey]

Did he just toss the coconut shell in the ocean? If so, how long did it take to reach Evans?

No, he gave it to one of the native d00ds and he carried it to the friendlies.

[C&CDean]

So, what you're saying is that the no-account POS couldn't even drive a much more nimble/faster boat away from a big-*** destroyer? Pretty much like his drunken POS brother couldn't drive a car across a bridge.

I love your morning history dealios, but I despise me some Kennedys.

[LoyalFan]

Great post, Homey.
Sad to say, it was the LAST time a Kennedy did anything heroic in the water.

LF

[Okla-homey]

So, what you're saying is that the no-account POS couldn't even drive a much more nimble/faster boat away from a big-*** destroyer? Pretty much like his drunken POS brother couldn't drive a car across a bridge.

I love your morning history dealios, but I despise me some Kennedys.

The guy was a womanizer and a bit of a poseur (most of his "Profiles in Courage" for which he won a major award was lifted from other peoples' stuff) but I gotta give it up for his actions after that collision. He could have ordered one of the men to swim out to try and signal ships all night, but he went himself.

Also, the events of the collision are pretty well documented. It was dark as hell, and they were just sitting out there with the three loud V-12 engines shut down in order to listen for enemy shipping. They literally got run over by the Japanese destroyer which was coming on at better than 20 knots. By the time they saw her, they were toast.

I think had Kennedy's actions as skipper been in any way deemed wrongful or negligent, he wouldn't have been decorated afterwards.

Now, as for Teddy, if that guy could have swum as well as his brother Jack, he'd have been president by now.

[olevetonahill]

I agree with Dean
I read this long befor I learned to dispise a Kennedy , I saw nothing heroic in this account in 62 or 63 when I read about it in school and still see nothing now . While Im glad that most of em made it to safety . I dont see heroics in doing your job . just my 2 cents

[Tear Down This Wall]

I've never understood how getting your boat sunk then floundering to shore was heroic. Perhaps is was the writing on the coconut shell.

Anyway, FWIW, my grandfather was in the Navy and was sent to the Solomons during WWII. I'm certain he was probably more of a hero than Kennedy. No ship he was on ever got sunk. I'll ask him if he wrote on any coconut shells next time I see him.

[Octavian]

WTFE.

If Ronald Reagan would've done the same thing (instead of nothing) in the War, cons would call it the single greatest heroic act in human history.

It's amazing how a man's achievements in war can be discounted and rationalized if he's in favor of public education or women's reproductive rights.

[C&CDean]

WTFE.

Ronald Reagan was a hero for everything he did while in office. Put some might back into our military, ended the cold war, and put thousands of no-account welfare tit suckers back to work. He will go down as the greatest president in human history.

It's amazing how a man's achievements in war can be discounted and rationalized if he's a POS liberal who ****ed anything that moved.

Yeah, pretty much.

[jk the sooner fan]

I agree with Dean
I read this long befor I learned to dispise a Kennedy , I saw nothing heroic in this account in 62 or 63 when I read about it in school and still see nothing now . While Im glad that most of em made it to safety . I dont see heroics in doing your job . just my 2 cents

how sad....just because he's a kennedy (i dont like them either), the job of soldiering during war and under enemy fire is no longer heroic?

boooooooooooooo

booo on both you and dean

he earned his pay that day, he could have cowered under fire like his brother did on that bridge, but he didnt

good on em

[sooneron]

how sad....just because he's a kennedy (i dont like them either), the job of soldiering during war and under enemy fire is no longer heroic?

boooooooooooooo

booo on both you and dean

he earned his pay that day, he could have cowered under fire like his brother did on that bridge, but he didnt

good on em
Concurment here

[C&CDean]

how sad....just because he's a kennedy (i dont like them either), the job of soldiering during war and under enemy fire is no longer heroic?

boooooooooooooo

booo on both you and dean

he earned his pay that day, he could have cowered under fire like his brother did on that bridge, but he didnt

good on em

Oh. So doing your job as a soldier suddenly releases you from your responsibilities as a husband, father, role model and president? Bet those poor bastards at the Bay of Pigs think he's a big military ****ing hero too. He's a POS.

Boo on you and your boy Octavian I say.

[jk the sooner fan]

Oh. So doing your job as a soldier suddenly releases you from your responsibilities as a husband, father, role model and president? Bet those poor bastards at the Bay of Pigs think he's a big military ****ing hero too. He's a POS.

Boo on you and your boy Octavian I say.

at the time of the incident, he wasnt married to jackie and i dont think he was a father

he did his job under fire at the time, irrespective of what might happen in the future

look, i DONT like the kennedys.......in any way shape or form

but combat service is what it is....period, end of story.

[yermom]

:pop:

watch out Dean, i think your string is about to be pulled ;)

i seem to remember there being more to the story than that, involving more of a physical nature to rescuing his crew, but it's been a while since i've been over it.

JFK and FDR sure do take a lot of abuse on this board...

[C&CDean]

at the time of the incident, he wasnt married to jackie and i dont think he was a father

he did his job under fire at the time, irrespective of what might happen in the future

look, i DONT like the kennedys.......in any way shape or form

but combat service is what it is....period, end of story.

OK. I respect his service to his country. He's a hero - just as much as every other soldier, airmen, sailor, or marine was/is. As a person, as a president, as husband, he was a scumball. Hell man, there's some mass murdering sons-of-bitches out there who performed admirably in combat. Do they get the hero badge too?

[BeetDigger]

:pop: :pop:

[jk the sooner fan]

OK. I respect his service to his country. He's a hero - just as much as every other soldier, airmen, sailor, or marine was/is. As a person, as a president, as husband, he was a scumball. Hell man, there's some mass murdering sons-of-bitches out there who performed admirably in combat. Do they get the hero badge too?


i can tell you from my perspective that just because you're a soldier thats served in combat, it doesnt make you anything other than that......period

i saw lots of crappy fathers, crappy men, crappy husbands.......LOTS, all of them wearing the uniform, many of them with a chest full of medals

there are different kinds of hero's

[C&CDean]

i can tell you from my perspective that just because you're a soldier thats served in combat, it doesnt make you anything other than that......period

i saw lots of crappy fathers, crappy men, crappy husbands.......LOTS, all of them wearing the uniform, many of them with a chest full of medals

there are different kinds of hero's

I won't disagree with that. Kennedy was a soldier who served in combat. End of story.

[jk the sooner fan]

well actually he was a sailor........

or a "semen" if you will


and even if you wont......

[C&CDean]

:pop:

watch out Dean, i think your string is about to be pulled ;)

i seem to remember there being more to the story than that, involving more of a physical nature to rescuing his crew, but it's been a while since i've been over it.

JFK and FDR sure do take a lot of abuse on this board...

Dude swam a bunch. BFD. He was a swimmer. If I recall correctly, he was even semi-competetive. The silver spoon he was born sucking on allowed him the priviledge of private swimming at the very best beaches the NE has to offer.

He did his job as a commanding officer of a boat. Good for that.

[XingTheRubicon]

If he were a repub, you'd be romancing his L3 and L4 vertebrae being completely severed from his spine, but he SWAM ANYWAY!



Just admit that it is somewhat surprising to find that someone from a VERY wealthy bloodline was not only in the fray, but admirably serving. Compare his wartime exploits to the silverback that's in the office now. Maybe that'll make it easier.

[C&CDean]

If he were a repub, you'd be romancing his L3 and L4 vertebrae being completely severed from his spine, but he SWAM ANYWAY!



Just admit that it is somewhat surprising to find that someone from a VERY wealthy bloodline was not only in the fray, but admirably serving. Compare his wartime exploits to the silverback that's in the office now. Maybe that'll make it easier.

No, if he were a repub whore who chicken****ted out when he was pres then I'd hate him just as bad.

And should I compare his wartime exploits to the fat, ugly chick ****er who was in the White before him too?

And remember back in the day, pretty much all the rich boys served. It was a resume padder. And people actually respected the military and thought it a noble pursuit. How silly is that?

[olevetonahill]

I never said anything about politics , Just that even back in 62 I did not see any thing heroic . And I was raised by a "Yellow Dog Democrat ".
So give the politcal angle a rest .
The man had a job to do and he did it . that doesnt make him a hero in my book

[1stTimeCaller]

I bet he couldn't outswim our boy Howzit. Not even close.

[TUSooner]

I understand that the Kennedy Clan wanted JFK to get the Medal of Honor, but the brass couldn't go that far in light of the fact that Jack couldn't keep a good enough look out to stop his boat from getting squished by a not-exactly-silent-or-invisible large metal warship.. that he was supposed to be looking for in the first place.

JFK's episode was similar to Bush #1's - Screwed up and lost a big piece of GI machinery, but behaved very well afterward. I'll not belititle anyone's achievements under fire, even a Kennedy's.

[Penguin]

Not to change the subject or anything...


But it's interesting that homey chose this as today's lesson rather than the 40th anniversary of the UT sniper.

[BeetDigger]

I understand that the Kennedy Clan wanted JFK to get the Medal of Honor, but the brass couldn't go that far in light of the fact that Jack couldn't keep a good enough look out to stop his boat from getting squished by a not-exactly-silent-or-invisible large metal warship.. that he was supposed to be looking for in the first place.

JFK's episode was similar to Bush #1's - Screwed up and lost a big piece of GI machinery, but behaved very well afterward. I'll not belititle anyone's achievements under fire, even a Kennedy's.


In essence, you are saying what I have always heard about the incident. He basically screwed up by getting rammed but he saved face by responding to the situation well. The dude did serve though and that is pretty cool. He couldn't have gotten in with that back in the 80's however. I know that my feet and the ill-healed fracture in my arm and my bad eyes were not as bad as his back. If those kept me out, he wouldn't have gotten in. Stupid Top Gun.

[C&CDean]

Not to change the subject or anything...


But it's interesting that homey chose this as today's lesson rather than the 40th anniversary of the UT sniper.

No **** huh? 40 years? Nuh uh.

[olevetonahill]

No **** huh? 40 years? Nuh uh.
It do suck to get old :eek:

[Okla-homey]

Not to change the subject or anything...


But it's interesting that homey chose this as today's lesson rather than the 40th anniversary of the UT sniper.

Noticed, but I generally prefer military stuff over stories of crazed whackjobs. I hate texass as much as the next guy, but that dealio 40 years hence was just wrong.

[C&CDean]

Dang. I remember watching that on the tube. But then again I remember JFK biting the bullet, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, and Vietnam being some quaint little French joint.

[TUSooner]

Dang. I remember watching that on the tube. But then again I remember JFK biting the bullet, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, and Vietnam being some quaint little French joint.

I know we're just a month or so apart in age,
so lighten up on the memory sh!t!

[olevetonahill]

I know we're just a month or so apart in age,
so lighten up on the memory sh!t!
Anyone remember the Eichman trial on tv , you know that little box that was the size of a putter monitor ? :eek:

[C&CDean]

Anyone remember the Eichman trial on tv , you know that little box that was the size of a putter monitor ? :eek:

Hell no. Dang, you must be really, really old.

[TUSooner]

Anyone remember the Eichman trial on tv , you know that little box that was the size of a putter monitor ? :eek:

I think I would have been about 4. Unless ol' Adolph was a cartoon, a Roy Rogers villain, or being launched into space, I missed it. ;)

[olevetonahill]

Hell no. Dang, you must be really, really old.
I was born In 50 I think the Mossad got him in like 55 or something
I was just a pup but I remember that Black and white trial . Not the details just the fact of watching it

[TUSooner]

I was born In 50 I think the Mossad got him in like 55 or something
I was just a pup but I remember that Black and white trial . Not the details just the fact of watching it
I was guessin the trial was in about '61 or so. But I dunno :confused:

[Okla-homey]

I pine for the halcyon days when Israel had the time and energy to hunt down former Nazis.

One things for sure though, them cats can flat hold a grudge.

[StoopTroup]

Did GW get any medals?

[Okla-homey]

Did GW get any medals?

I expect he got the standard rack for that period. "Alive in '75" (NDSM) and a few others.

[olevetonahill]

I was guessin the trial was in about '61 or so. But I dunno :confused:
You are correct sir
The trial started on May 4 61
The Mossad got his *** in Argentina in 60
They say the 1st thing to go is memory :O

[olevetonahill]

Did GW get any medals?
Hell I didnt even get the "Good Conduct " medal
Guess cause i didnt have good conduct :cool:

[TUSooner]

Hell I didnt even get the "Good Conduct " medal
Guess cause i didnt have good conduct :cool:
I'll never forget this one Navy Chief I saw at a ceremony on the NIMITZ. You'd get a "hash mark" on the sleeve for each 4 years of service, and if they were "good conduct" the hash marks were gold. This chief was a boatswain's mate in his dress whites and he had 7 hash marks and they were all as red as blood. I bet that guy could tell you some stories, and I bet his shipmates and CO's could tell a bunch about him as well. He looked like the Ward Bond character in a John Wayne movie.

[olevetonahill]

I'll never forget this one Navy Chief I saw at a ceremony on the NIMITZ. You'd get a "hash mark" on the sleeve for each 4 years of service, and if they were "good conduct" the hash marks were gold. This chief was a boatswain's mate in his dress whites and he had 7 hash marks and they were all as red as blood. I bet that guy could tell you some stories, and I bet his shipmates and CO's could tell a bunch about him as well. He looked like the Ward Bond character in a John Wayne movie.
My kinda guy ;)

[Harry Beanbag]

I'll never forget this one Navy Chief I saw at a ceremony on the NIMITZ. You'd get a "hash mark" on the sleeve for each 4 years of service, and if they were "good conduct" the hash marks were gold. This chief was a boatswain's mate in his dress whites and he had 7 hash marks and they were all as red as blood. I bet that guy could tell you some stories, and I bet his shipmates and CO's could tell a bunch about him as well. He looked like the Ward Bond character in a John Wayne movie.


There's one of those guys on every ship. We had one of the 7 red stripe chiefs on my ship. The one WestPac I went on was his 17th! :eek: And he was a blast to party with, nonstop sea stories.