Presidents at War: John F. Kennedy and PT-109
John F. Kennedy was elected President at a time when military service was viewed as a major asset for election to high office. The United States and the USSR were squaring off in cold war posture, and following the Eisenhower presidency, a generation that had lived through the second world war valued the need for leaders equipped to confront the issues of the day. John F. Kennedy had earned his credentials as a war hero in the Pacific theater of the war.
In September 1941, John F. Kennedy first considered joining the army, but he was disqualified for medical reasons because of his chronic lower back problems. He joined the U.S. Navy, with the assistance of his father's connections. He became an ensign, serving in the office of the Secretary of the Navy. When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, he attended the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps and then voluntarily entered the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Training Center in Melville, Rhode Island. After completing his training, he was assigned duty in Panama and later in the Pacific theater, where Kennedy earned the rank of lieutenant, commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat.
On August 2, 1943, Kennedy's boat, PT-109, along with PT-162 and PT-169, were performing nighttime patrols near New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. While on patrol, PT-109 was rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Two crewmen were killed and another two were badly injured. The PT boat was cut in two and Kennedy gathered his surviving crew members together in the water around the wreckage. The men took an impromptu vote on whether to "fight or surrender". The vote was against surrender, and the men swam towards a small island.
Kennedy hurt his back in the collision, but in spite of this, he towed a badly burned crewman through the water with a life jacket strap clenched between his teeth. Kennedy towed the wounded man to the island. The island was only 100 yards in diameter, and contained no food or water. The crew had to hide from passing Japanese barges. Kennedy swam about 2.5 miles more, to Naru and Olasana islands, in search of help and food. He then led his men to Olasana Island, which had coconut trees and drinkable water.
Australian coastwatcher Sub Lieutenant Arthur Reginald Evans manned a secret observation post at the top of the Mount Veve volcano on Kolombangara island, where more than 10,000 Japanese troops were stationed below. Evans dispatched Solomon Islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana in a dugout canoe to look for possible survivors from the lost PT-109. The canoes were capable of avoiding detection by Japanese ships and aircraft and, if spotted, would probably be taken for native fishermen.
Kennedy and his men survived for six days on coconuts before they were found by the scouts. Gasa and Kumana disobeyed an order by stopping by Naru to investigate a Japanese wreck, from which they salvaged fuel and food. They first fled by canoe from Kennedy, and later, on the next island, they pointed their Tommy guns at the rest of the crew since the only light-skinned people they expected to find were Japanese. They also did not speak English. Gasa later said "All white people looked the same to me."
Kennedy convinced them they were on the same side. The small canoe was not big enough for passengers. Gasa suggested that Kennedy write a message on a coconut and Kumana who climbed a coconut tree to pick one. Kennedy cut the following message on a coconut:
NAURO ISL
COMMANDER... NATIVE KNOWS POS'IT...
HE CAN PILOT... 11 ALIVE
NEED SMALL BOAT... KENNEDY
This message was delivered through hostile waters patrolled by the Japanese to the nearest Allied base at Rendova. Later, a canoe returned for Kennedy, taking him to the coastwatcher to coordinate the rescue. The PT-157, commanded by Lieutenant William Liebenow, was able to pick up the survivors.
The coconut shell came into the possession of Ernest W. Gibson, Jr. who was serving in the South Pacific with the 43rd Infantry Division. Gibson later returned it to Kennedy. The shell was preserved in a glass container by Kennedy on his Oval Office desk during his presidency. It is now on display at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts.
In October 1943, Kennedy took command of a PT boat, PT-59, which took part in a Marine rescue on Choiseul Island that November. Kennedy then left PT-59, and returned to the United States in early January 1944. After receiving treatment for his back injury, he was released from active duty in late 1944. Beginning in January 1945, Kennedy spent three more months recovering from his back injury at Castle Hot Springs, Arizona. Kennedy was honorably discharged just prior to Japan's surrender in 1945.
Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal with the following citation:
For extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer of Motor Torpedo Boat 109 following the collision and sinking of that vessel in the Pacific War Theater on August 1–2, 1943. Unmindful of personal danger, Lieutenant (then Lieutenant, Junior Grade) Kennedy unhesitatingly braved the difficulties and hazards of darkness to direct rescue operations, swimming many hours to secure aid and food after he had succeeded in getting his crew ashore. His outstanding courage, endurance and leadership contributed to the saving of several lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Kennedy also received the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. Years later when a little boy asked President Kennedy how he became a war hero, he humorously replied: "It was easy. They cut my PT boat in half."
In September 1941, John F. Kennedy first considered joining the army, but he was disqualified for medical reasons because of his chronic lower back problems. He joined the U.S. Navy, with the assistance of his father's connections. He became an ensign, serving in the office of the Secretary of the Navy. When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, he attended the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps and then voluntarily entered the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Training Center in Melville, Rhode Island. After completing his training, he was assigned duty in Panama and later in the Pacific theater, where Kennedy earned the rank of lieutenant, commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat.
On August 2, 1943, Kennedy's boat, PT-109, along with PT-162 and PT-169, were performing nighttime patrols near New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. While on patrol, PT-109 was rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Two crewmen were killed and another two were badly injured. The PT boat was cut in two and Kennedy gathered his surviving crew members together in the water around the wreckage. The men took an impromptu vote on whether to "fight or surrender". The vote was against surrender, and the men swam towards a small island.
Kennedy hurt his back in the collision, but in spite of this, he towed a badly burned crewman through the water with a life jacket strap clenched between his teeth. Kennedy towed the wounded man to the island. The island was only 100 yards in diameter, and contained no food or water. The crew had to hide from passing Japanese barges. Kennedy swam about 2.5 miles more, to Naru and Olasana islands, in search of help and food. He then led his men to Olasana Island, which had coconut trees and drinkable water.
Australian coastwatcher Sub Lieutenant Arthur Reginald Evans manned a secret observation post at the top of the Mount Veve volcano on Kolombangara island, where more than 10,000 Japanese troops were stationed below. Evans dispatched Solomon Islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana in a dugout canoe to look for possible survivors from the lost PT-109. The canoes were capable of avoiding detection by Japanese ships and aircraft and, if spotted, would probably be taken for native fishermen.
Kennedy and his men survived for six days on coconuts before they were found by the scouts. Gasa and Kumana disobeyed an order by stopping by Naru to investigate a Japanese wreck, from which they salvaged fuel and food. They first fled by canoe from Kennedy, and later, on the next island, they pointed their Tommy guns at the rest of the crew since the only light-skinned people they expected to find were Japanese. They also did not speak English. Gasa later said "All white people looked the same to me."
Kennedy convinced them they were on the same side. The small canoe was not big enough for passengers. Gasa suggested that Kennedy write a message on a coconut and Kumana who climbed a coconut tree to pick one. Kennedy cut the following message on a coconut:
NAURO ISL
COMMANDER... NATIVE KNOWS POS'IT...
HE CAN PILOT... 11 ALIVE
NEED SMALL BOAT... KENNEDY
This message was delivered through hostile waters patrolled by the Japanese to the nearest Allied base at Rendova. Later, a canoe returned for Kennedy, taking him to the coastwatcher to coordinate the rescue. The PT-157, commanded by Lieutenant William Liebenow, was able to pick up the survivors.
The coconut shell came into the possession of Ernest W. Gibson, Jr. who was serving in the South Pacific with the 43rd Infantry Division. Gibson later returned it to Kennedy. The shell was preserved in a glass container by Kennedy on his Oval Office desk during his presidency. It is now on display at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts.
In October 1943, Kennedy took command of a PT boat, PT-59, which took part in a Marine rescue on Choiseul Island that November. Kennedy then left PT-59, and returned to the United States in early January 1944. After receiving treatment for his back injury, he was released from active duty in late 1944. Beginning in January 1945, Kennedy spent three more months recovering from his back injury at Castle Hot Springs, Arizona. Kennedy was honorably discharged just prior to Japan's surrender in 1945.
Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal with the following citation:
For extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer of Motor Torpedo Boat 109 following the collision and sinking of that vessel in the Pacific War Theater on August 1–2, 1943. Unmindful of personal danger, Lieutenant (then Lieutenant, Junior Grade) Kennedy unhesitatingly braved the difficulties and hazards of darkness to direct rescue operations, swimming many hours to secure aid and food after he had succeeded in getting his crew ashore. His outstanding courage, endurance and leadership contributed to the saving of several lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Kennedy also received the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. Years later when a little boy asked President Kennedy how he became a war hero, he humorously replied: "It was easy. They cut my PT boat in half."