"4 MORE DAYS & 4 MORE NIGHTS, A RESCUE BOAT PULLED INTO SIGHT"

JFK & PT 109 SURVIVORS RESCUED 

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) On August 7, 1943, the survivors of PT109,  including 11 of the 13 man crew and their commander, Lt. John F. Kennedy, were rescued by PT boats of the United States Navy.

The survivors were met first by Reginald Evans*, an Australian coast watcher who had been alerted by JFK's message carved on a coconut and brought to him by local natives.

Evans radioed this message to Lumberi at 9:20 a.m.

"Eleven survivors PT boat on Gross Is X Have sent food and letter advising senior come here without delay X Warn aviation of canoes crossing Ferguson"

Robert J. Donavan writes that Evans dispatched 7 scouts by canoe to retrieve the "senior" member of the 109 crew from Olasana.  JFK was hidden in the canoe and covered with dead palm fronds as the natives paddled out into Blackett Strait.  When they reached shore, JFK stuck his head out of the palm fronds and said to Evans "Hello, I'm Kennedy."

JFK suggested to Evans that he be permitted to pilot PT boats back to Olasana to pick up his crew.  When PT 157 arrived to pick Lt. Kennedy up, he was upset with the delay in the rescue operation and vented his unhappiness to Lt. W. F. Liebenow who had greeted him with these words...

"Calm down, Jack, we have some warm food for you." 

JFK replied sarcastically...

"No thanks, I've just had a coconut."

It was after midnight when JFK rejoined his crew on Olasana and "shuttled" them aboard PT 157.

*JFK couldn't remember Evans' name but had a letter from him which appeared to be signed by A. Rinhaus and that is the name JFK would know him by for the next 17 years. In the first article about the 109 incident, John Hersey identified him as Lt. Wincote.  Robert Donovan says that it was not until after JFK became president that Evans was finally correctly identified.

SOURCE

"PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York, 1961 and 2001.

 

"11 ALIVE-NEED SMALL BOAT-KENNEDY"

RESCUE UNDERWAY FOR PT109 SURVIVORS
 

Naru Island (JFK+50) On August 6, 1943, Lt. John F. Kennedy paddled back to his men on Olasana in a dugout canoe.  Barney Ross, who remained asleep, swam over later.

JFK, according to Robert Donovan, decided to send the two friendly natives, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, with a message to the PT base.
Without paper or a writing instrument, Lt. Kennedy...

 "picked up a coconut and had Biuku quarter it."

JFK then...

"took his sheath knife and on a polished quarter of the coconut he inscribed the following message to the PT base commander:

'NAURO ISL - COMMANDER - NATIVE KNOWS POSIT - HE CAN PILOT - 11 ALIVE - NEED SMALL BOAT- KENNEDY'"


 

Toy Replica of Coconut Shell Message
                With "JFK" GI Joe Toy
           Photo by John White (2013)

JFK had the coconut encased in plastic.  It was displayed on his desk in the Oval Office at the White House.  Today it can be seen at the JFK Library.

Dave Powers, Presidential assistant and later curator, said that it was the most important object in the library because without it all the rest would have never been possible.

The natives hastened to Rendova Harbor 38 miles distant with the coconut message...soon help would finally be on the way to the survivors of PT109.

SOURCE

"PT 109, John F. Kennedy in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York, 1961, 2001.




 

JFK's Coconut Message Paperweight
                 JFK Library Photo

TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION

TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION PASSED 50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The United States Congress overwhelmingly approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution a half-century ago today, August 7, 1964.

The resolution, which passed 416-0 in the House of Representatives and received only a couple of opposing votes in the Senate, authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to do...

 "whatever is necessary...(to assist) any member of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty".

The resolution was proposed by the Johnson administration after an alleged naval engagement in the Gulf of Tonkin two days earlier between North Vietnamese patrol boats and destroyers U.S.S. Maddox and U.S.S. Turner Joy.

The only votes cast against the resolution were by Democratic Senators Morse of Oregon and Gruening of Arkansas.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

PT 109 SURVIVORS RESCUED 71 YEARS AGO 

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) The survivors of PT109,  including 11 of the 13 man crew and their commander, Lt. John F. Kennedy, were rescued 71 years ago today, Saturday, August 7, 1943, by PT boats of the United States Navy.

The survivors were met first by Reginald Evans*, an Australian coast watcher who had been alerted by JFK's message carved on a coconut and brought to him by local natives.

Evans radioed this message to Lumberi at 9:20 a.m.

"Eleven survivors PT boat on Gross Is X Have sent food and letter advising senior come here without delay X Warn aviation of canoes crossing Ferguson"

Robert J. Donavan writes that Evans dispatched 7 scouts by canoe to retrieve the "senior" member of the 109 crew from Olasana.

Lt. Kennedy was hidden in the canoe and covered with dead palm fronds as the natives paddled out into Blackett Strait.

When they reached shore, JFK stuck his head out of the palm fronds and said to Evans "Hello, I'm Kennedy."

JFK suggested to Evans that he be permitted to pilot PT boats back to Olasana to pick up his crew.

When PT 157 arrived to pick Lt. Kennedy up, he was upset with the delay in the rescue operation and vented his unhappiness to Lt. W. F. Liebenow who had greeted him with these words...

"Calm down, Jack, we have some warm food for you." 

JFK replied sarcastically...

"No thanks, I've just had a coconut."

It was after midnight when JFK rejoined his crew on Olasana and shuttled them aboard PT 157.

*JFK could not remember Evans' name but had a letter from him which appeared to be signed by A. Rinhaus and that is the name JFK would know him by for the next 17 years.

 In the first article about the 109 incident, John Hersey identified him as Lt. Wincote.  Robert Donovan says that it was not until after JFK became president that Evans was finally correctly identified.

SOURCE

"PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York, 1961 and 2001.

PT 157 and Crew

PATRICK BOUVIER KENNEDY BORN 51 YEARS AGO 

Falmouth, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Fifty-one years ago this afternoon, First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy gave birth to a baby boy.

The premature birth came at 12:52 p.m.local time  at Otis Air Force Base Hospital.

Mrs. Kennedy had been rushed to the hospital by helicopter from her home at Hyannisport.

The baby boy, born five and a half weeks premature and weighing 4 pounds 10.5 ounces, suffered from respiratory complications often seen in early births.

According to Secret Service agent Clint Hill, because the President had no travel plans for the day, Air Force One and other jets in the VIP fleet were unavailable.

JFK was still en route at the time the baby was delivered.  The President arrived 40 minutes later.

The baby boy, named Patrick Bouvier Kennedy after JFK's grandfather and Mrs. Kennedy's father, was transferred at 5:55 p.m.to Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston for specialized treatment.

The President traveled to Boston to be with Patrick while Clint Hill stayed at Otis with the First Lady.

Clint Hill writes...

"Every time I thought about baby Patrick, so small and alone inside the incubator, it nearly tore me apart.  Throughout this time, Mrs. Kennedy seldom woke up, but continued to remain in a stable condition."

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy passed away the next morning and funeral services were held on Saturday, August 10 in Boston.

SOURCE

"Mrs. Kennedy and Me," by Clint Hill with Lisa McCubbin, Gallery Books, New York, 2012.

                     

JFK SIGNS CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE BILL

August 7, 1961


JFK SIGNS CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE BILL


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy signed HR 5857 today at the White House providing for the establishment of Cape Cod National Seashore Park.


More than 26,000 acres of land & ponds are to be preserved under the act.


JFK said:


"This act makes it possible for the people of the United States through their government to acquire & preserve the natural & historic values of a portion of Cape Cod for the inspiration & enjoyment of people all of the United States."*


*This is the 1st national seashore created since Cape Hatteras National Park in 1937.


Today, August 7, 2011 on the 50th anniversary of the signing of this act, the JFK Library in conjunction with the National Park Service hosted a commemoration of the event at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham, Massachusetts.

                 JFK Library Poster

August 7, 1963

PATRICK BOUVIER KENNEDY BORN AT OTIS AFB HOSPITAL

Falmouth, Massachusetts (JFK+50) A son, Patrick Bouvier, was born at 1:15 local time this afternoon to President & Mrs. John F. Kennedy at the Otis Air Force Base Hospital.

Mrs. Kennedy had been rushed from her home at Hyannisport by helicopter to Otis.

The baby boy, born 5 weeks premature, is suffering from respiratory complications often seen in early births.

Patrick was transferred this evening to Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston for specialized treatment.

August 7, 1964

TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION PASSES CONGRESS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The United States Congress overwhelmingly approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution today.

The resolution, which passed 416-0 in the House of Representatives & received only 2 opposing votes in the Senate, authorizes President Lyndon B. Johnson to do "whatever is necessary...(to assist) "any member of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty".

The resolution was proposed by the Johnson administration after an alleged naval engagement 2 days ago in the Gulf of Tonkin between North Vietnamese patrol boats & the US destroyers Maddox & Turner Joy.*

*The only votes cast against the resolution were by Democratic Senators Morse of Oregon & Gruening of Arkansas.

            Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

                        Signed by LBJ

August 7, 1990

BUSH AUTHORIZES OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President George H.W. Bush ordered today the start of "Operation Desert Shield" in response to the invasion of Kuwait 5 days ago by the Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussein.

The President also authorized an increase in US military forces & resources in the Persian Gulf.*

*On November 29, 1990, the UN Security Council authorized the use of "all means necessary" to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

August 7, 1943

PT109 SURVIVORS RESCUED BY US NAVY

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) The survivors of the PT109 crew & their commander, Lt. John F. Kennedy, were rescued today by US Navy PT boats.

JFK & his crew were 1st met by an Australian coast watcher who had been alerted by JFK's message carved on a coconut & brought to him by local natives.

The PT boats arrived at 10:30 this evening at Ferguson Passage where JFK & Barney Ross had attempted unsuccessfully to flag down a passing rescue vessel.

At 11:15, JFK & his crew were brought aboard PT157 & welcomed by the ship's commander, LT. W. F. Liebenow.*

*Reportedly JFK was upset with the delay in the rescue operation & was "venting" his unhappiness to the commander who said: "Calm down, Jack, we have some warm food for you" to which JFK replied sarcastically "No thanks, I've just had a coconut."

                          PT 157 & Crew

August 7, 1912

TR NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT BY BULL MOOSE PARTY

Chicago, Illinois (JFK+50) Former President Theodore Roosevelt was nominated today by the Progressive or "Bull Moose" Party here in Chicago.

The progressives are predominantly insurgents who bolted the Republican convention which nominated President William Howard Taft & whose policies they oppose.

Mr. Roosevelt selected Governor Hiram W. Johnson of California as his running mate.*

Progressive Party Certificate (1912)

www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

*"The real winner in 1912 was democracy in the form of presidential primaries. By running & losing....by refusing to be counted out, TR had firmly established the new primary system."

Theodore Roosevelt Association

www.theodoreroosevelt.org

National Progressive Party Convention

                    Chicago, Illinois

        Library of Congress Photo

JFK was the beneficiary of the primary system in gaining his 1960 Democratic nomination for President.  It is unlikely he could have won without it.

                                                                                                                                              JFK+50

August 7, 1782

GENERAL WASHINGTON CREATES MERIT BADGE

Newburgh, New York (JFK+50) General George Washington, Commander in chief of the Continental Army, created here at Newburgh today the "Badge of Military Merit".

The decoration consists of a purple heart shaped piece of silk with the word Merit" stitched in silver across the face.*

*The Badge of Military Merit was to be awarded to Elijah Churchill, William Brown & Daniel Bissell, Jr. who served in the Revolutionary War.

Since April 5, 1917, the PURPLE HEART is awarded US Armed Forces personnel who have been killed, wounded in action, or who have suffered as POWs.

    WWII Purple Heart in Case

   Photo by Jonathunder (2011)