On August 1, 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams an American PT (patrol torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including Lt.

Who played the XO in PT-109?

Thom: JFK’s XO on PT-109.

How old was JFK when he was on PT-109?

In April 1943, 25-year-old John F. Kennedy arrived in the Pacific and took command of the PT-109. Just months later, the boat collided with a Japanese ship, killing two of his men. The most famous collision in U.S. Navy history occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on August 2, 1943, a hot, moonless night in the Pacific.

What did JFK think of the movie PT-109?

After seeing the film, Kennedy called PT 109 a “good product,” but worried about the two hour, 20-minute length. “It’s just a question of whether there’s too much of it.”

What happened to JFK’s older brother Joe during WWII?

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr.

A US Navy lieutenant, he was killed in action during World War II while serving as a land-based patrol bomber pilot, and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

Where is JFK’s coconut now?

He had it encased in resin, and JFK kept the coconut on his desk for the duration of his presidency. Now, it’s on display at the John F. Kennedy Library at the Boston Museum.

What happened to JFK’s PT boat?

Although the wreckage was still afloat, it was taking on water, and it capsized on the morning of August 2. After a discussion of options, the men abandoned the remains of PT 109 and struck out for an islet three and a half miles away.

Are there any PT boats left?

Today, just four combat-veteran PT boats still exist in the United States; of those, only PT-305 is fully restored and operational, complete with original-model engines. An operational PT-305 promises to become one of The National WWII Museum’s most exciting artifacts and teaching tools.

What does the PT stand for in PT boat?

PT (Patrol, Torpedo) boats were small, fast, and expendable vessels for short range oceanic scouting, armed with torpedoes and machine guns for cutting enemy supply lines and harassing enemy forces.

Who rescued JFK?

Kumana and Gasa hid him under a pile of palm fronds in their canoe to prevent the Japanese from seeing him. Kennedy never saw the two men after the rescue, although Gasa later wrote to him after his inauguration in 1961, a letter that is now here in the archives in the JFK Library.

Why did JFK get a Purple Heart?

Kennedy receives one of the Navy’s highest honor for gallantry for his heroic actions as the commanding officer of a motor torpedo boat during World War II on June 12, 1944. The future president also received a Purple Heart for wounds received during battle.

What boats were used in Vietnam?

Naval Warfare History | Vietnam Conflict
1969. Armored Troop Carrier (ATC) 1969. Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB) (Alpha Boat) 1964. Command and Communications Boat (CCB) 1966. PACV / ACV (Pac-Vee / Monster) 1962. Patrol Boat Fast (PTF) 1966. Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR) 1965. Patrol Craft Fast (PCF) (Swift Boat) 1959.

What happened to PT boats after the war?

After the war, most of the remaining PT boats were destroyed by the US Navy because they were too expensive for a peacetime Navy. Each boat had three Packard 3A-2500, V-12 aircraft engines with as much as 1,850 hp each, which consumed vast quantities of high-octane gasoline.