"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.

 

"HE LOOKED SKINNY, BEDRAGGLED & EXHAUSTED"

JFK FAILS IN ATTEMPT TO FLAG DOWN RESCUE SHIP

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) On August 3, 1943, the survivors of PT 109 waited for rescue after having been struck by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in the early morning hours of August 2nd.

Australian coast watcher Reginald Evans reported sighting the sinking of PT109 and there was little hope that any of the crew were still alive.

Having failed in an attempt to flag down a rescue ship, 109's commander, Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy, swam back to the island where his surviving crew waited.

When JFK arrived...

"he looked skinny, bedraggled and exhausted.  He had a beard.  His hair was matted over his forehead.  His circled eyes were bloodshot."

 SOURCE

 "PT109, JFK in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan*, McGraw-Hill, 1961.

*Bob Donovan was with President and Mrs. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963 covering the trip as a political story.  Ironically, he had previously written a book on presidential assassins.

 PT Officers 1943

Jim Reed, JFK, Barney Ross, Red Fay

JFK Library Photo

JFK STUCK HIS HEAD OUT & SAID HELLO, I'M KENNEDY

PT 109 WAS GONE BUT JFK & HIS CREW LIVED ON

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) On August 7, 1943, Lt. John F. Kennedy and 11 survivors of the PT 109 were rescued by PT-157*.  They were met first by Reginald Evans** an Australian coast watcher who had been alerted by JFK's message carved on a coconut  and radioed this message to Lumberi...

"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 seven 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."  

*PT-157 was launched on Nov 4, 1942 & assigned to the South Pacific.  It was struck from the naval register on Nov 28, 1945.

**Arthur Reginald Evans (1905-1989) was born in Sydney, NSW, Australia & worked as a shipping clerk before joining the Australian Imperial Force.  First assigned to the Royal Australian Artillery, in 1942 ARE was recruited for the Coast Watch Organisation.  Evans met JFK at the White House on May 1, 1961.

SOURCES

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

"PT 157," NavSource Online, Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive, www.navsource.org/

PT 157 and Crew

CALVIN COOLIDGE SWORN-IN

HARDING DIED, COOLIDGE SWORN IN BY FATHER 92 YEARS AGO

Plymouth Notch, Vermont (JFK+50) 92 years ago this morning, August 3, 1923, Vice President Calvin Coolidge, visiting his family home here at Plymouth Notch, was awakened by a knock on his bedroom door.  The Vice President's father, John Coolidge, had some bad news.  President Warren G. Harding had died.

From that point on, things happened quickly.  A special telephone line was set up so that the new president could speak with Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes.  Hughes told Coolidge that his swearing-in ceremony must be witnessed by a notary^.

Calvin's father, a notary public, would do the job.  Amity Shlaes writes...

"By kerosene lamplight, before a small group that included his wife and Porter Dale, a congressman...a new United States president was sworn in by his father."

Coolidge appeared on the front porch of his house at 7:20 a.m. prepared for travel.  He first paid a visit to his mother's (Victoria Josephine Moor Coolidge, 1846-1885) grave, and then took the regularly scheduled 9:35 train out of town.

SOURCE

"Coolidge," by Amity Shlaes, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2013.

Calvin Coolidge 

Sworn in by John Coolidge

Portrait by Arthur I. Keller 

SURVIVORS WAIT FOR RESCUE 

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) The survivors of the PT 109 waited for rescue seventy two years ago today, August 3, 1943, after having been struck by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in the early morning hours of August 2nd.

Australian coast watcher Reginald Evans reported sighting the sinking of PT109 and there was little hope that any of the crew were still alive.

Having failed in an attempt to flag down a rescue ship, 109's commander, Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy, swam back to the island where his surviving crew waited.

When JFK arrived...

"he looked skinny, bedraggled and exhausted.  He had a beard.  His hair was matted over his forehead.  His circled eyes were bloodshot."

SOURCE

 "PT109, John F. Kennedy in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan*, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1961.

*Bob Donovan was with President and Mrs. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963 covering the trip as a political story.  Ironically, he had previously written a book on presidential assassins. 

PT Officers 1943

Jim Reed, JFK, Barney Ross, Red Fay

JFK Library Photo

PT109 SURVIVORS WAIT FOR RESCUE

PT109 SURVIVORS WAITED FOR RESCUE 71 YEARS AGO TODAY

Solomon Islands (JFK+50) The survivors of the PT 109 waited for rescue seventy one years ago today, August 3, 1943, after having been struck by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in the early morning hours of August 2nd.

Australian coast watcher Reginald Evans reported sighting the sinking of PT109 and there was little hope that any of the crew were still alive.

Having failed in an attempt to flag down a rescue ship, 109's commander, Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy, swam back to the island where his surviving crew waited.

When JFK arrived...

"he looked skinny, bedraggled and exhausted.  He had a beard.  His hair was matted over his forehead.  His circled eyes were bloodshot."

                   

PT Officers 1943

Jim Reed, JFK, Barney Ross, Red Fay

JFK Library Photo

SOURCE

 "PT109, JFK in WWII," by Robert J. Donovan*, McGraw-Hill, 1961.

*Bob Donovan was with President and Mrs. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963 covering the trip as a political story.  Ironically, he had previously written a book on presidential assassins. 

"On the coast of Kolombangara, 
   looking through his telescope
  Australia's Evans saw the battle
   For the crew had little hope
  
  Two were dead and some were wounded
  All were clinging to the bow
  Fighting fire and fighting water,
  trying to save their lives somehow."

"PT109"
recorded by Jimmy Dean (1961)
lyrics by Fred Burch & Marijohn Wilkin

COOLIDGE SWORN IN BY DAD

Plymouth Notch, Vermont (JFK+50) 91 years ago this morning, August 3, 1923, Vice President Calvin Coolidge, visiting his family home here at Plymouth Notch, was awakened by a knock on his bedroom door.

The Vice President's father, John Coolidge, had some bad news.  President Warren G. Harding, he told his son, had died.

From that point on, things happened quickly.  A special telephone line had to be set up so that the new president could speak with Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes.

Hughes told Coolidge that his swearing-in ceremony must be witnessed by a notary^.

Calvin's father, a notary public, would do the job.

^A Notary serves the public in matters of estate, deed, power-of-attorney and foreign and international business.  Most in the U.S. are lay people who are required to have brief training.

Amity Shlaes writes...

"By kerosene lamplight, before a small group that included his wife and Porter Dale, a congressman...a new United States president was sworn in by his father."

SOURCE

"Coolidge," by Amity Shlaes, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2013.

Calvin Coolidge 

Sworn in by John Coolidge

Portrait by Arthur I. Keller 

Coolidge appeared on the front porch of his house at 7:20 a.m. prepared for travel.  He first paid a visit to his mother's (Victoria Josephine Moor Coolidge, 1846-1885) grave, and then took the regularly scheduled 9:35 train out of town.

PT109

"IN '43 THEY PUT TO SEA 13 MEN AND KENNEDY"

Rendova, Tulagi (JFK+50) Seventy-one years ago, August 2nd, 1943,  Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy and his 13 man crew were on patrol in the Blackett Strait in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific when their boat, PT 109*, was rammed and sunk.

The Japanese destroyer, Amagiri**, plowed through the small torpedo-patrol boat at 2:30 a.m. The destroyer, moving at a high rate of speed, left the 109 split in half and in flames as spilled fuel ignited.

The hull stayed afloat and Lt. Kennedy, who had been at the helm at the time of the collision, was able to round up all but two of his crew after three hours time.

JFK at the Helm of  PT109

Kennedy Library Photo

The two missing sailors were Andrew Kirksey and Harold Marney.In addition to their commander, the surviving crew included...

Leonard J. Thom, Raymond Albert, Charles A. Harris, William Johnston, George Ross, Edgar Mauer, John McGuire, Patrick H. McMahon, Raymond Starkey, and Gerald Zinser.

The most badly injured crewman, Patrick H."Pappy" McMahon, had been at his post below deck in the engine room at the time of the collision.  

US Flag Flown on the PT 109

JFK Library Photo

By dawn, Lt. Kennedy decided to abandon his sinking hull and  ordered his men to make a swim to nearby Plum Pudding Island.

The sailors placed a lantern and their shoes on top of pieces of timber that had been used to secure their 37mm gun.  

JFK, clenching the strap of a life preserver put around McMahon's waist, towed the badly burned sailor while doing the breast stroke.

The mishap was observed by Australian coastwatcher Reginald Evans***.

At 6:30 p.m., after having gotten his surviving crew safely to the island, Lt. Kennedy swam out alone into Ferguson Passage in a vain attempt to flag down a passing friendly ship.

Amagiri

Kure Maritime Museum

Photo by Shizuo Fukui

*PT109 was launched on June 20, 1942.  It was 80 feet long and had 4 torpedo tubes, a 20mm cannon, 4 machine guns and a 37 mm anti-tank gun.
The 109 was made of wood and ran on highly flammable aviation fuel.

**Amagiri was a Fubuki-class destroyer launched in 1930 and built at the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipyards.  It was a new type of destroyer noted for its large size, powerful engines and high speeds.

***Arthur Reginald Evans (1905-1989) was born in Sydney, NSW and worked as a shipping clerk in Paddington, NSW before his service in WWII with the Australian Imperial Forces and the Australian Coast Watchers Organization.


"PT109" recorded by Jimmy Dean (1961)
written by Fred Burch and Marijohn Wilkin

"In '43 they put to sea 13 men and Kennedy
 Aboard the PT109 to fight the brazen enemy
 And off the isle of Olasana in the strait beyond Naru
A Jap destroyer in the night cut the 109 in two.

Smoke and fire upon the sea
Everywhere they looked was the enemy
The heathen gods of old Japan
Yeah, they thought they had the best of a mighty good man."

JAPANESE DESTROYER RAMMED PT109 70 YEARS AGO

                US Flag Flown on the PT 109
                        JFK Library Photo

August 2, 2013

JAPANESE DESTROYER RAMMED PT109 SEVENTY YEARS AGO TODAY

Rendova, Tulagi (JFK+50) Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy's patrol-torpedo boat, PT 109*, was rammed and sunk in the Blackett Strait of the Solomon Islands 70 years ago today, August 2, 1943.

The Japanese destroyer, Amagiri**, plowed through the torpedo-patrol boat at 2:30 a.m. 

The destroyer, moving at a high rate of speed, left the 109 split in half and in flames as spilled fuel ignited.

The hull stayed afloat and Lt. Kennedy, who had been at the helm at the time of the collision, was able to round up all but 2 of his crew after 3 hours.

          JFK at the Helm of  PT109
            Kennedy Library Photo

The two missing sailors were Andrew Kirksey and Harold Marney.

In addition to their commander, the surviving crew included...

Leonard J. Thom
Raymond Albert
Charles A. Harris
William Johnston
George Ross
Edgar Mauer
John McGuire
Patrick H. McMahon
 Raymond Starkey 
Gerald Zinser.

The most badly injured crewman, "Pappy" McMahon, had been at his post below deck in the engine room at the time of the collision.  

By dawn, JFK decided to abandon his sinking hull and  ordered his men to make a swim to nearby Plum Pudding Island.

The sailors placed a lantern and their shoes on top of pieces of timber that had been used to secure their 37mm gun.  

JFK, clenching the strap of a life preserver put around McMahon's waist, towed the badly burned sailor while doing the breast stroke.

The mishap was observed by Australian coastwatcher Reginald Evans***.

At 6:30 p.m., after having gotten his surviving crew safely to the island, Lt. Kennedy swam out alone into Ferguson Passage in a vain attempt to flag down a passing friendly ship.*

*PT109 was launched on June 20, 1942.  It was 80 feet long and had 4 torpedo tubes, a 20mm cannon, 4 machine guns and a 37 mm anti-tank gun.

The 109, like all PTs, was made of wood and ran on highly flammable aviation fuel.


"PT109" recorded by Jimmy Dean (1961)
written by Fred Burch and Marijohn Wilkin

"In '43 they put to sea 13 men and Kennedy
 Aboard the PT109 to fight the brazen enemy
 And off the isle of Olasana in the strait beyond Naru
A Jap destroyer in the night cut the 109 in two.

Smoke and fire upon the sea
Everywhere they looked was the enemy
The heathen gods of old Japan
Yeah, they thought they had the best of a mighty good man."

**Amagiri (meaning heavenly mist) was a Fubuki-class destroyer launched in 1930 and built at the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipyards.  It was a new type of destroyer noted for its large size, powerful engines and high speeds.

The destroyer took 2 hours to sink after hitting an enemy mine near Borneo on April 23, 1944.

                           Amagiri
           Kure Maritime Museum
            Photo by Shizuo Fukui

***Arthur Reginald Evans (1905-1989) was born in Sydney, NSW and worked as a shipping clerk in Paddington, NSW before his service in WWII with the Australian Imperial Forces and the Australian Coast Watchers Organization.

ARE received and decoded the message that the PT109 was missing and sent out scouts to find the crew.  Evans visited President Kennedy at the White House on May 1, 1961.

JFK WELCOMED GIRLS NATION TO WHITE HOUSE 50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy welcomed delegates of Girls Nation to the nation's capital 50 years ago today, August 2, 1963.

The President addressed the group in the Rose Garden of the White House.

JFK said:

"Last week we had a group of boys from Boys Nation and I said they show more initiative that the governors which got me into a great deal of difficulty.

So I will be very careful today and say that you are more beautiful than the governors."

            JFK Welcomes Girls Nation
                     August 2, 1963
                Photo by Abby Rowe 
             Kennedy Library Photo

NO WORD OF SURVIVORS OF THE PT109

August 3, 1943


NO WORD OF SURVIVORS OF THE PT109


Solomon Islands (JFK+50) Australian coast watcher Reginald Evans reported yesterday sighting the sinking of PT109 after it was rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri.


So far there is no word of survivors including 109's commanding officer, Lt. j.g. John F. "Jack" Kennedy.*


*Having failed in the attempt to flag down a rescue ship, JFK swam back to the island where his surviving crew was waiting.  When he arrived...


"he looked skinny, bedraggled & exhausted.  He had a beard.  His hair was matted over his forehead.  His circled eyes were bloodshot."*


*Source: "PT109, JFK in WWII" 
by Robert J. Donovan, McGraw-Hill, 1961.

                   
                    PT Officers 1943
Jim Reed, JFK, Barney Ross, Red Fay
                 JFK Library Photo


"On the coast of Kolombangara, 
   looking through his telescope
  Australia's Evans saw the battle
   For the crew had little hope
  
  Two were dead & some were wounded
  All were clinging to the bow
  Fighting fire & fighting water,
  trying to save their lives somehow."


"PT109"
recorded by Jimmy Dean (1961)
lyrics by Fred Burch & Marijohn Wilkin


August 3, 1961


ON THIS DAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy received the credentials of newly appointed Nepal ambassador, M.P. Koirala, today at the White House.


Later in the day, JFK met with Senator Russell Long, UN ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson & Alphonse Donahue.  Mr. Donahue presented the President with an original letter written by Abraham Lincoln.


August 3, 1965


CBS NEWS SHOWS FILM OF US MARINES BURNING VIETNAM VILLAGE


New York City (JFK+50) Columbia Broadcasting System television news broke new ground this evening when it telecast a film of US Marines burning a village in Vietnam.


The soldiers in the film, from the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, are shown setting fire to huts in the village of Cam Na.

                CBS Headquarters
                   New York City
      Photo by Aikidockd (2009)


August 3,1958


"NAUTILUS" ARRIVES AT THE NORTH POLE


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Navy Department announced today that the world's 1st nuclear submarine, Nautilus, has made the 1st underwater voyage to the North Pole.


The nuclear submarine traveled almost a thousand miles under the Arctic ice cap to reach the North Pole.


The Nautilus was built under direction of US Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover. She was launched on June 21, 1954.*


*The Nautilus took part in the naval quarantine of Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis.

           Launching of the USS Nautilus
                            June 21, 1954


August 3, 1948


CHAMBERS POINTS FINGER AT ALGER HISS


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Self-confessed communist & FBI informant Whittaker Chambers today accused Alger Hiss of being a communist spy.


The accusation came during a hearing of the House Un-American Activities Committee at the Capitol today.*


*Hiss was ultimately convicted of perjury & would serve 44 months in jail. 


Richard M. Nixon, California congressman, was a member of the HUAC & believed Hiss was lying.

          Whittaker Chambers Testifies
              Alger Hill (circled) listens
                photo by Fred Palumbo
             Library of Congress Photo


August 3, 1923


COOLIDGE SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT BY HIS DAD


Plymouth Notch, Vermont (JFK+50) Having been informed by messenger that President Warren G. Harding had died during a speaking tour in California, Vice-President Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as President of the United States early this morning by his own father, a notary public.


Coolidge was visiting his family home in Plymouth Notch which is without electricity or a telephone.  The town only has 29 residents.


The historic ceremony was conducted at the Coolidge home by the light of a kerosene lamp.

             Calvin Coolidge 
      Sworn-in by his Father
   Portrait by Arthur I. Keller 


August 3, 1492


COLUMBUS SETS SAIL FOR EAST INDIES


Palos, Spain (JFK+50) The Italian-born explorer, Christopher Columbus, set sail from here today bound for the East Indies.


Columbus is seeking a shorter all-water route to the East Indies, China & Japan.


His 3 ships, Santa Maria, Pinta & Nina will 1st stop at the Canary Islands to restock supplies & make any needed repairs.*


*Columbus sets sail from the Canaries on September 6.  The next time he sees land is Oct 12 in what is now the Bahama Islands.