July 31, 1943 (Saturday)
During the day, JFK and his crew worked to fasten the thirty-seven millimeter anti-tank gun that Kennedy had decided on his own initiative to attach…
Currently browsing: PT-109
July 30, 1943 (Friday)
JFK was at the Lumbari PT base the night after a group of PT boats apparently sink a Japanese barge using gunfire instead of torpedoes….
July 29, 1943 (Thursday)
Following the normal rotation of going out on night patrol, every other night, JFK took PT 109 out into Blackett Strait, west of Kolombangara with…
July 27, 1943 (Tuesday)
JFK and PT 109 made a night patrol behind enemy lines, along with boats PT 157, PT 159, PT 162, and PT 172. The group…
Wana Wana
JFK’s mission that night was to hunt float planes off the coast of Wana Wana. The 109 went out with boats 105, 106, 117, 154,…
Gizo
JFK, accompanied by the 103, 104, 117, and 161, took PT 109 on a nighttime patrol to Gizo to hunt Japanese float planes. During the…
July 19, 1943 (Monday)
JFK’s commanded his crew and PT 109 on a night patrol in an attempt to find the “Toyko Express” Japanese supply convoy. They were unable…
Barges
JFK was sent out on a nighttime mission to hunt Japanese barges. He was accompanied by PT 105 and PT 163. Around midnight, while the…
Repairs
JFK took PT 109 and his crew off the frontline at the Russell to return to Tulagi for repairs of three engines. One fellow sailor…
Radioman
JFK welcomed radioman second class John Edward Maguire to PT 109 crew. [127, p. 47]
Two
Kennedy added two more crew members to PT 109 – Andrew J. Kirksey. age 25 and Maurice I. Kowal, age 21. [Blair, p. ??]
Command
John F. Kennedy formally took command of PT 109 at Sesapi, Tulagi. He replaced Lt. Larson, who was due for a rotation back to the…
Harold Marney
Harold Marney was a crew member of PT 109 and one of the two men killed when the Japanese destroyer struck Kennedy’s boat near the…
Tulagi Island
JFK was sent to Tulagi Island to recover after his August 8, 1943 rescue from a six day ordeal following the sinking of his PT…