August 1943

In the Solomon Islands on the 2^nd August 1943 the U.S. Patrol torpedo boat PT-109 was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. The torpedo boat PT-109 was commanded by Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, the future American president. Kennedy had been transferred from the U.S. to the Solomon Islands in January 1943. Having qualified for command Kennedy was assigned commander of PT-109 in April 1943 after her original commander had been killed. By the end of July 1943 intelligence reports informed the PT base on Rendova Island that four Japanese destroyers were heading their way carrying provisions. The provisions were for the Japanese troops garrisoned on Kolombangara Island and the destroyers were known as the “Tokyo Express”. On the 1^st August 1943 fifteen PT boats left their Rendova base to intercept the destroyers including Kennedy on board PT-109. The fifteen PT boats were divided into four groups, of which PT-109 was part of “B” Division. On the 2^nd August 1943 “B” Division consisted of four PT boats led by PT-159 with PTs 109, 157 and 162. Spotting radar blips indicating the Japanese destroyers were in the vicinity, PT-159 fired her four torpedoes from a range of one mile. Unfortunately all torpedoes missed their target as did the two fired from PT-157. After releasing their torpedoes both PT-159 and PT-157 zigzagged away to avoid detection. Whilst advancing toward the destroyers PT-159 did not radio Kennedy on PT-109 to follow, thereby leaving PT-109 behind in darkness. In the meantime PT-109, accompanied by PT-157 and PT-162 had been ordered to patrol the area. PT-109 was idling along on one engine when at 2.00 am fog developed from the cloudy moonless night. Returning Japanese destroyer Amagiri, after offloading stores and Japanese soldiers, was heading directly for PT-109. Unable to evade the oncoming destroyer, PT-109 was rammed on her starboard side cutting her in two. With PT-109 cut in two, the rear section of the hull had an explosion of fuel causing the sea around the ship to be set alight. The watertight compartments of the forward section kept it afloat but was surrounded by the blazing sea. From another group, PT-169 was closest to PT-109, and launched two torpedoes at Amagiri which missed their target. When PT-162 attempted to launch her torpedoes they failed to fire. Both PT-169 and PT-162 returned to base without checking for survivors. Seamen Andrew Kirksay and Harold Marney were killed instantly the collision occurred. Patrick McMahon was the only man in the engine room where he was badly wounded and severely burnt. In the meantime, the blazing sea had died down sufficiently for Kennedy to rescue McMahon and brought him to the floating bow section. As a previous member of the Harvard University swim team, Kennedy was a strong swimmer. He also rescued two non-swimmers. Kennedy instructed all the remaining eleven survivors to regroup by clinging onto the floating bow section. For approximately twelve hours the bow section was drifting south and taking in water. The crew decided to swim for land, the nearest being Plum Pudding Island 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away. Nine of the crew members began kicking together to propel one of the bow section timbers, whilst clinging on. Kennedy swam with McMahon’s lifebelt strap clenched between his teeth. They reached the island approximately four hours later without encountering any sharks or crocodiles. The exhausted crew dragged themselves up the beach to the tree-lined area so as not to be visible to any passing Japanese vessels. The island had no natural food or water and was only about 100 yards (91 m) in diameter. Kennedy swam for a further two miles in an attempt to attract the attention of a passing PT boat, but was unsuccessful. On the 4^th August 1943 Ensign Leonard Thom and Kennedy once again assisted the swimming of the crew as before to Olasana Island, a distance of 3.75 miles (6 km). Again Kennedy towed McMahon by his lifejacket against a very strong current. The island provided them with ripe coconuts but no fresh water. On the 5^th August 1943 Kennedy and George Ross swam the half mile (0.8 km) to Naru Island. They discovered an abandoned Japanese canoe containing a fifty-gallon drum of drinkable water. The two men paddled the canoe back to Olasana Island to the awaiting crew. When Kennedy first spoke to local coast-watchers Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumanu they feared the castaways were Japanese. Once they realised they were American they vowed to help. On the 6^th August 1943 Gasa and Kumanu left Olasana Island by canoe the 12 miles (19 km) to Wanu Wanu Island. They linked up with Senior Scout Benjamin Kevu and informed him they had found the crew of PT-109. Gasa and Kumanu gave to Kevu a pencilled note from Thom and a scratched coconut from Kennedy requesting instructions for rescue. Without giving co-ordinates or their location in the messages, both Kennedy and Thom trusted the coast-watchers with their lives. Kevu provided a better canoe for Gasa and Kumanu, accompanied by scout John Kari, and they paddled to within three miles (4.8 km) of the PT base on Rendova Island. The journey took 15 hours to complete the 38 miles (61 km) overnight on the 6^th/7^th August 1943 through rough seas and hostile waters patrolled by the Japanese. The two coast-watchers travelled in a Kevu pre-arranged boat to the PT base, with Gasa clutching the scratched coconut. Australian Sub-Lieutenant Reg Evans was a coast-watcher on the Japanese held Kolombangara Island. From his secret observation site, he had witnessed the explosion and fireball of PT-109. Kevu sent a scout to inform Evans of the discovery. When he was convinced Kennedy and his crew had been found Evans sent a canoe with fresh food to the crew. Kennedy was ordered immediately to return to Kolombangara’s Gomu Island. On the return journey he was instructed to lie underneath palm fronds in the canoe. By doing so he was not spotted by Japanese planes flying in the vicinity. On the morning of the 7^th August 1943 Evans was able to radio Rendova to confirm that Kennedy and his crew were found. When Gasa and Kumanu arrived at Rendova PT Commander Warfield doubted the authenticity of the native coast-watchers. When Warfield received Evans’ radio message he dispatched two PT Torpedo boats to pick-up the survivors. On the morning of the 8^th August 1943 they had rescued the crew of PT-109 and returned them to Rendova PT base and medical care. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was awarded to Thom, Ross and Kennedy for saving the crew in the water. The Purple Heart was also awarded to Kennedy for the injuries he sustained in the collision. McMahon survived his injuries but further details are unknown. Undoubtedly Kennedy was a national hero and his influential father made him out to be the key player by totally ignoring the contributions of Thom, Ross and the coast-watchers. After the war Kennedy became a politician and was to become the future President of the USA.