JFK Saves Crew of PT-109
On August 2, 1943, future president John F. Kennedy saved the majority of his PT-109 crew after a Japanese destroyer rammed them.
As a member of a wealthy and prominent family, Kennedy likely could have avoided military service. Even as World War II raged on in Europe, he graduated with honors from Harvard and had a promising future. But that’s not how he did things.
Instead, young “Jack” Kennedy used his family influence to join the military. His back problems caused the army to reject him, but he wouldn’t give up. In September he joined the Navy. Soon, America was drawn into the war and Kennedy eventually was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) and given command of a patrol torpedo (PT) boat.
Late in the night of August 1, 1943, Lt. Kennedy and his small crew took one of fifteen boats out to patrol the waters in Blackett Strait near the Solomon Islands. They were charged with attacking Japanese ships to disrupt supply routes. In the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, they saw a dark shape approaching from 200 to 300 yards in the distance. They first thought it was another group of American PT boats, but soon found it was a Japanese destroyer.
As PT-109 turned to fire torpedoes, the advancing destroyer rammed right through, slicing the boat in half. Kennedy and five others clung to the wreckage, and five more were floating about 100 yards away. Kennedy helped get these men to the temporary safety of the wreckage.
By dawn on August 2, it was obvious that the remains of PT-109 were going to sink. Rather than go down with the ship, Lt. Kennedy and his men decided to forge a makeshift raft and swim to an island three-and-a-half miles away. Kennedy was a strong swimmer, having competed on Harvard’s varsity swim team. Not only did he help push the raft, but he also towed a badly burned crewman by grasping the life preserver strap between his clenched teeth. After about 15 hours in the water, they reached the island.
However, after a couple days on the island, food had run out. Kennedy swam nearly three miles more to a neighboring island in search of food. He returned with good news and the crew swam to the other island where they found coconuts and a box of Japanese rations.
Two native scouts helping the Allies discovered Kennedy and his crew, but couldn’t fit them all in their dugout canoe. So Kennedy scratched a message on a coconut shell and sent them for help. That shell later sat on his desk in the White House during his presidency.
Finally, on August 7, 1943, after five days, PT-109’s surviving crewmembers were rescued. For his bravery, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medals, as well as a Purple Heart for a back injury he received in the wreck.
Kennedy was then promoted to full lieutenant and continued to command a motor torpedo boat. In March 1945, he was released from active duty because injuries sustained during the incident had made his back problems worse.
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Great story, but I’m a bit confused about some of the details. In the beginning, you state that he was rejected by the Army because of back problems, so he joined the Navy and soon after was promoted to lieutenant. Later, you say that he sustained back injuries from the wreck and was later released from duty because of his injuries. When did he have his back problems, or did the wreck worsen prior back problems? Also, you conclude your article with his promotion to Lieutenant and continued to command until his release from service. But if he was a lieutenant before this entire incident, he couldn’t be promoted to lieutenant later.
Navy rank is Ensign, then Lt. Junior Grade, then Lt.
Lt jg is one step below a full lieutenant.
We see your point and have made a few changes to the copy. Thank you for the comment.
Thanks for clarifying those issues.
Some of JFK’s biographers claim that he and his crew were actually sleeping when the Japanese destroyer came out of nowhere and rammed their boat.
In regards to the night PT-109 was rammed and sunk, all the innuendoes about possible misconduct boils down to an old WWII period phrase, “Vas you dere, Charlie?”
The article shows tremendous bravery and real ” true grit.” Did not know about the coconut. Does anyone know where it is now.? JFK presidential unready perhaps?
The coconut is now in the JFK Presidential Library located in Boston. If you google ‘PT-109 coconut’, it will pop up. Hopefully, this link works: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Ey5l6Vagyk2dwA6BTctDZg.aspx