'OFF THE ISLE OF OLASANA, IN THE STRAIT BEYOND NARU'
Olasana, South Pacific (JFK+50) On August 4, 1943, after having made the long swim from the wreckage of PT109 to Plum Pudding Island, Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy and his surviving crewmen swam to Olasana Island.
Short on food and coconut milk, JFK ordered his crew to swim to the island closer to Ferguson Passage in hopes of being rescued. Olasana is located 1 & 3/4 miles SW of Plum Pudding. They began their swim at noon with JFK again towing the badly burned "Pappy" McMahon.
Robert J. Donovan describes the severity of McMahon's condition...
"It broke Kennedy's heart to look at him. Scabs forming over his burned eyelids made it difficult for him to see. The palms of his hands were swollen to a thickness of three inches. They were cracked...and he could look deeply into his own flesh."
The weary swimmers arrived at an islet west of Cross Island at 3 in the afternoon. According on Donovan...
"The eleven survivors gathered in the trees behind the curved beach on the southeastern tip of Olasana, whence they could look straight across another half-mile of water to Naru Island bordering Ferguson Passage."
The decision was made to stay in the spot and not risk exploring the island which was twice as large as Plum Pudding. The water in Ferguson Passage was too cold that evening for anyone to attempt to swim out to seek help.
SOURCE
"PT109, John F. Kennedy in World War II," by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1961, 2001.
Olasana, South Pacific (JFK+50) On August 4, 1943, after having made the long swim from the wreckage of PT109 to Plum Pudding Island, Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy and his surviving crewmen swam to Olasana Island.
Short on food and coconut milk, JFK ordered his crew to swim to the island closer to Ferguson Passage in hopes of being rescued. Olasana is located 1 & 3/4 miles SW of Plum Pudding. They began their swim at noon with JFK again towing the badly burned "Pappy" McMahon.
Robert J. Donovan describes the severity of McMahon's condition...
"It broke Kennedy's heart to look at him. Scabs forming over his burned eyelids made it difficult for him to see. The palms of his hands were swollen to a thickness of three inches. They were cracked...and he could look deeply into his own flesh."
The weary swimmers arrived at an islet west of Cross Island at 3 in the afternoon. According on Donovan...
"The eleven survivors gathered in the trees behind the curved beach on the southeastern tip of Olasana, whence they could look straight across another half-mile of water to Naru Island bordering Ferguson Passage."
The decision was made to stay in the spot and not risk exploring the island which was twice as large as Plum Pudding. The water in Ferguson Passage was too cold that evening for anyone to attempt to swim out to seek help.
SOURCE
"PT109, John F. Kennedy in World War II," by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1961, 2001.
