Heroism in the Pacific: John F. Kennedy and the PT-109 Rescue Mission
John F. Kennedy, born into the prominent Kennedy family, faced significant health challenges from a young age. Despite a chronically bad back and a history of illnesses, including abdominal pain and scarlet fever as an infant, Kennedy was determined to serve his country during World War II. In 1940, when the U.S. Army’s Officer Candidate School rejected him as 4-F due to his bad back, ulcers, and asthma, Kennedy’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy, used his influence to ensure his son’s entry into the military. Joseph P. Kennedy persuaded his old friend, Captain Allan Goodrich Kirk, head of the Office of Naval Intelligence, to accept a private physician’s certification of his son’s good health. Consequently, John F. Kennedy began his naval career in October 1941 as an ensign with a desk job at the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Kennedy’s desk assignment was short-lived. He was reassigned to South Carolina in January 1942 because of an affair with Danish journalist Inga Arvad, which brought him unwanted attention. On July 27, 1942, Kennedy entered the Naval Reserve Officers Training School in Chicago. Determined to see combat, he leveraged his family’s connections, contacting family friend and Massachusetts Senator David I. Walsh. Walsh, who was Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, helped Kennedy secure a combat assignment in the Solomon Islands against his father’s wishes for a safer posting.
Command of PT-109
In January 1943, after persistent efforts, Kennedy was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2, based at Tulagi Island near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Kennedy traveled to the Pacific on the troop carrier Rochambeau, where he experienced a fierce air strike that killed the ship’s captain, giving him his first taste of battle. He arrived at Tulagi on April 14, 1943, and took command of PT-109 on April 23. The boat, although less than a year old, had seen heavy combat and required considerable repairs. Kennedy led by example, helping his crew get the vessel seaworthy.
By the end of May 1943, PT-109 and other boats in Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 moved to the Russell Islands in preparation for the invasion of New Georgia. After the capture of Rendova Island in mid-June, the PT boat operations moved to a crude “bush” berth on the island. Conditions were harsh, with diseases like malaria and dengue fever rampant, and the crew also contended with cockroaches, rats, and malnutrition. Kennedy himself later suffered from malaria, colitis, and chronic back pain, all aggravated by his time on Rendova.
The Fateful Night: Collision and Survival
On August 1, 1943, PT-109 was part of a mission to intercept Japanese destroyers in the Blackett Strait. Despite strict orders, the mission quickly became chaotic. The PT boats, including Kennedy’s, faced significant challenges with their torpedoes, many of which failed to hit their targets. Kennedy’s PT-109 was idling on one engine to avoid detection when it was struck by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. The collision severed the boat, causing a massive explosion and fireball. Two crew members were killed instantly, and others were injured.
Kennedy’s leadership and bravery became evident in the hours and days that followed. He rescued his severely injured crew member, Patrick McMahon, towing him to the floating bow section of PT-109. The survivors clung to the wreckage for hours before deciding to swim to a nearby island. Kennedy, a former Harvard University swimmer, towed McMahon for several hours through the open sea, leading his men to safety on Plum Pudding Island.
The Struggle for Survival
Plum Pudding Island, though providing initial safety, had no food or fresh water. Kennedy swam nightly into Ferguson Passage in an attempt to signal passing American PT boats. On August 4, he led his crew on another grueling swim to Olasana Island, which had coconuts but still no fresh water. The next day, Kennedy and crew member George Ross swam to Naru Island, where they found a canoe, crackers, candy, and a drum of water left by the Japanese.
On Naru, Kennedy encountered Melanesian coastwatchers Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana. Communicating in pidgin English, Kennedy persuaded them to help. The coastwatchers brought food and relayed messages to Allied forces. Kennedy carved a message on a coconut, detailing their location and need for rescue. This message, along with a written note from Kennedy’s executive officer, Leonard Jay Thom, was delivered by the coastwatchers through treacherous waters to the PT base at Rendova.
Rescue and Aftermath
The rescue was a complex operation involving native scouts, coastwatchers, and PT boats. Gasa and Kumana paddled 38 miles through hostile waters to deliver Kennedy’s messages. After receiving confirmation from Australian coastwatcher Reg Evans, the PT base dispatched PT-157, commanded by Kennedy’s friend Lieutenant William Liebenow, to rescue the stranded crew. On August 8, PT-157 successfully retrieved Kennedy and his men.
Kennedy’s heroism during the PT-109 incident earned him the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and further cemented his reputation for bravery and leadership. His actions exemplified the resilience and courage of the American spirit during World War II.
This period of the war became a defining moment in Kennedy’s life, contributing to his image as a war hero and leader. The story of his rescue was widely publicized, aiding his political career and eventual rise to the presidency. The coconut on which Kennedy carved his rescue message was preserved and displayed in the Oval Office.
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