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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Kennedy's 109 Crew
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Are there any of JFK's crew still alive?

Posted By: Jeff Sherry | Posted on: Jan 5, 2007 - 8:08pm
Total Posts: 84 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:04pm

No, the 109 Kennedy crew are all gone. I believe Frank Andruss has some of the details.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jan 5, 2007 - 9:06pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Hello jeff:

Will is correct on me having details but it is not true that all of those who served with Kennedy are gone. I had become very good friends in 1993 with then billed last survivor of PT 109, Motor Machinist Mate, Gerard Zinser. We talked on the phone many times and sent each other letters. We finally met at Battle Ship Cove that same year for the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the 109. With him that day was Bud Liebenow, skipper of PT 157, whose boat and crew took those shipwrecked off the Island.

When I did my first PT Boat Exhibit in 1998, I flew in Mr. Zinser for a 2 day meet and greet with the public. It was so backed up with visitors, the line was out the door and around the building. It was great. In any event I too had thought no one else was alive. That is until last summer. In my attempts to provide photos to a friend of the 109 Crew, I realized I had only 2 original photo's and several well published ones. I had thought there might be more, so I contacted the JFK MUSEUM. They had pretty much the same ones as I did, but gave me the name of a Crewmember of the 109 and his number. Well, I was so sure that no one else was alive, I disputed the information.

They told me he was alive, and can you imagine my excitement to find out he was!! I called him, we talked and I finally met him at his home in early September. What a great visit we had. We took pictures, I interviwed him, and he even sent me away with one of his Kennedy photo's. It was a thrill in a life-time for me. That Crew Member is Maurice Kowal, Gunners Mate. He was one of the original crew who came onboard the 109, and was injured one night along with Drawdy and Drewitch. He was taken off the 109 just before she was sunk, but returned with Kennedy as part of the 59 Crew. I still try and call him, but he is a private man, who had a stoke, and other health issues, so he is limited. I am so very happy that I was able to interview him before this happened. He was always a bit peeved over the fact that Mr. Zinser was given top billing as the last survivor. Zinser's billing should have been last survivor to have been on the 109 during the sinking. But I am here to tell you that it is FACT that there is one and only one survivior left.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jan 6, 2007 - 6:52am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Thanks, great info!

Posted By: Jeff Sherry | Posted on: Jan 8, 2007 - 7:25pm
Total Posts: 84 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:04pm