Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109
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- PT-109 redirects here. For the movie starring Cliff Robertson, see PT 109 (movie).
United States Ship PT-109 was a PT boat commanded by Lieutenant (j.g.) John F. Kennedy (later United States President) in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Kennedy's actions after the sinking of the PT-109 both solidified his "war hero" status in his political career, and may have contributed to his long-term back problems.Kennedy's boat was rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri on August 2, 1943 in the Blackett Strait between Kolombangara and Arundel in the Solomon Islands, cutting it in half and killing two of his men. Kennedy led the survivors, clinging to the wreckage of the boat, to safety on the deserted Plum Pudding Island. An article about the experience was printed in Reader's Digest just before Kennedy's first Congressional run, and the campaign reproduced the article and distributed it to potential voters.
Though Kennedy emerged a hero (awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal) a few in the military, including Douglas MacArthur, thought he should have faced a court-martial for losing his boat in such a manner. Their argument was that such a quick and manueverable craft should have been able to escape getting struck by a slower enemy craft.
In addition to the book mentioned below, the episode was also made into a 1963 movie PT 109, starring Cliff Robertson. The island was renamed to Kennedy Island.
The wreckage of PT-109 may have been located; a May 2002 a National Geographic expedition headed by Dr. Robert Ballard found wreckage matching the description and location of Kennedy's vessel in the Solomon Islands [link]. However, under current Navy policy, the wreckage site is a gravesite and may not be disturbed.
Gerard Zinser, the last survivor of the PT-109, died in 2001.
References
- Robert J. Donovan, PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII (1961) ISBN 0071376437
- Richard Tregaskis, John F. Kennedy and PT-109 (American Printing House for the Blind, 1966) ASIN: B0007HSN7S
- Robert D. Ballard, Collision With History: The Search for John F. Kennedy's PT 109 (National Geographic, 2002)
Japanese Accounts
- Haruyoshi Kimmatsu, The night We sank John Kennedy's PT 109 appeared in Argosy Magazine December 1970 Vol 371 # 6
- Tameichi Hara, Japanese Destroyer Captain (Ballantine Books, 1978) ISBN 0345278941
External links
- [Maritimequest PT-109 Photo Gallery and Fact Sheet]
- [The Naval Historical Center's History of PT-109]
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