Jfk's Command: A Boat Named Pt-109

John F. Kennedy was the commander of the patrol torpedo boat PT-109 during World War II. The 80-foot vessel was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer in the Solomon Islands in 1943, resulting in the deaths of two of Kennedy's crewmates. Kennedy's subsequent efforts to save his surviving crew members earned him several commendations and established his reputation as a war hero. Following the loss of PT-109, Kennedy assumed command of another boat, PT-59, which he used to attack Japanese barges and rescue stranded Marines.

The boat's specifications

The boat commanded by John F. Kennedy, Patrol Torpedo boat PT-109, was an 80-foot (24-metre) Elco PT boat (patrol torpedo boat). It was powered by three 12-cylinder 1,500-horsepower (1,100 kW) Packard 4M-2500 marinized aero gasoline engines (one per propeller shaft), with a designed top speed of 41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph). The boat was fitted with four 21-inch (53 cm) torpedo tubes containing Mark 8 torpedoes. These torpedoes weighed 3,150 pounds (1,430 kg) each, with 386-pound (175 kg) warheads. In addition to the torpedoes, the boat had a single 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft mount at the rear, two open circular rotating turrets mounting twin M2 .50 calibre (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machine guns at opposite corners of the open cockpit, and a smoke generator on the transom.

The crew

John F. Kennedy's crew aboard the PT-109 was made up of 13 men, including Kennedy himself. The crew members were:

• Leonard J. Thom, Ensign (ENS), executive officer and former Ohio State football athlete
• George H. R. "Barney" Ross, Ensign (ENS), observer and former PT boat captain
• Raymond Albert, Seaman 2/c, gunner
• Charles A. "Bucky" Harris, Gunner's Mate 3/c
• William Johnston, Motor Machinist's Mate 2/c
• Andrew Jackson Kirksey, Torpedoman's Mate 2/c
• John E. Maguire, Radioman 2/c
• Harold William Marney, Motor Machinist's Mate 2/c
• Edman Edgar Mauer, Quartermaster, cook, 3/c
• Patrick H. "Pappy" McMahon, Motor Machinist's Mate 1/c
• Ray L. Starkey, Torpedoman's Mate 2/c
• Gerard E. Zinser, Motor Machinist's Mate 1/c

Kennedy's leadership skills were evident as he towed the injured McMahon by gripping the strap of his life jacket with his teeth during the arduous swim. Once on the island, Kennedy took charge of the situation, making several daring swims in search of help and rescue. He also insisted on going out into Ferguson Passage in a two-man canoe with Ross, despite the dangerous conditions.

The actions and bravery of Kennedy and his crew during the PT-109 disaster have become a cornerstone of the Kennedy legend, showcasing their courage, determination, and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.

The collision

On the night of August 1, 1943, Lieutenant John F. Kennedy was commanding the patrol torpedo (PT) boat PT-109 in the Solomon Islands. It was a starless, moonless night, and the boat was one of fifteen PT boats that had set out to engage, damage, or turn back the Japanese supply convoy known as the "Tokyo Express."

At around 2:30 a.m. on August 2, a Japanese destroyer, the Amagiri, emerged from the darkness and collided with PT-109, slicing it in two and igniting its fuel tanks. The impact tossed Kennedy around the cockpit, and most of the crew were knocked into the water. Two crew members, Harold Marney and Andrew Jackson Kirksey, were killed instantly.

Kennedy and the surviving crew were able to escape the burning wreck and swam to a nearby island, later named Kennedy Island. Kennedy, a strong swimmer, towed one of the injured crew members, Patrick McMahon, by gripping the strap of his life jacket with his teeth. The journey took five exhausting hours, as they fought against strong currents.

Over the next few days, Kennedy made several attempts to find help, swimming out into Ferguson Passage despite his injuries and exhaustion. He also put up a brave front, talking confidently of their rescue and moving the survivors to another island when their food ran out.

Finally, on August 8, six days after the collision, Kennedy and his crew were rescued by Solomon Islanders who were scouts for the Allies. They had been spotted by two native scouts, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who brought them food and helped deliver a message to a coastwatcher, who arranged for their rescue.

The rescue

On the night of August 1, 1943, Lieutenant John F. Kennedy's patrol torpedo boat, PT-109, collided with a Japanese destroyer, the Amagiri, in the Solomon Islands. The boat was sliced in two, killing two of the thirteen-man crew instantly and injuring several others. The remaining eleven survivors, including Kennedy, were stranded in the water as the boat began to sink.

Kennedy, a strong swimmer, took charge of the rescue. He towed one of the injured men, Patrick McMahon, by gripping the strap of his life jacket in his teeth. The journey to the nearest island, Plum Pudding Island, took five exhausting hours, as they fought against a strong current. Kennedy, who had swum competitively at Harvard, reached the beach first and collapsed, vomiting saltwater.

Over the next few days, Kennedy made several attempts to find help. He swam to Ferguson Passage, where he hoped to find a passing American PT boat, but the strong currents made the return journey treacherous. Kennedy also made several trips to nearby islands in search of food and water.

On August 6, Kennedy and his executive officer, Ensign Leonard Thom, met two native Solomon Islanders, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who were scouts for the Allies. Gasa suggested that Kennedy scratch a message into a coconut husk, which Kumana retrieved from a tree. The message read:

> NAURO ISL COMMANDER . . . NATIVE KNOWS POS'IT . . . HE CAN PILOT . . . 11 ALIVE NEED SMALL BOAT . . . KENNEDY

Gasa and Kumana took the coconut to a nearby island, where they met with Allied coastwatcher, Lieutenant A. Reginald Evans, who radioed the PT base to arrange a rescue.

On the evening of August 7, Kennedy was picked up by PT-157 and PT-171, which had been sent out to rescue the stranded crew. The following morning, they reached Olasana Island, where the rest of the crew were rescued. All eleven men were safely returned to the US base at Rendova on August 8, six days after the collision.

The aftermath

Following the incident, Kennedy was given command of another boat, the PT-59, which he used to attack Japanese barges and rescue stranded Marines. However, Kennedy continued to struggle with health issues, including back problems and gastrointestinal problems, which were aggravated by his experiences during the PT-109 disaster. In December 1943, Kennedy was sent to the hospital at Tulagi, and he eventually returned to the United States in March 1944, leaving the Navy on physical disability in March 1945.

The PT-109 disaster had a lasting impact on Kennedy, and he would later embrace the myths and heroism surrounding the incident during his political career. The story of his bravery and leadership during the disaster became a cornerstone of his political appeal and helped launch his political career. Even after becoming president, Kennedy kept his medals on permanent display in the Oval Office, and a torpedo from the PT-109 was later recovered and put on display at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts.

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