The PT Boat Forum
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi
» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf
» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102
» Topic:
Anniversary of sorts
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3290
I saw this on the internet.
On Aug. 2, 1943—70 years ago today--during World War II, U.S. Navy boat PT-109, commanded by Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy, sank after it was rammed in the middle of the night by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri off the the Solomon Islands. Two crew members were killed and the future president led the survivors to nearby islands until they could be rescued.
Just surprised all you JFK PT109 fans missed this one!
Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Aug 2, 2013 - 3:01pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Are you kidding, I didn't miss it at all, it just seems when you put it up, it draws negative response or a discussion that last's for two months, Ha, Ha.............
Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 2, 2013 - 5:05pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am
Ahoy there.
Interesting timing because I just finished reading Donovan's PT-109 (pocket book edition) early this morning. I often thought that the more noteworthy mission was the mission with PT-59 and the rescue of the marines. Funny how tthe loss of a boat or a ship gets immortalized but the rescue of 84 (or more in other cases) men only gets a passing, if any, mention.
I really hope that Italeri makes a 77' Elco gun boat but includes the four torprdo tubes for those who prefer the torpedo armed boat.
Cheers from Peter
"Give me a fast boat for we want to get out of harm's way too."
Posted By: PeterTareBuilder2 | Posted on: Aug 2, 2013 - 5:24pm
Total Posts: 204 | Joined: Dec 8, 2012 - 6:03pm
Thanks Peter for th email about the 109.I was on the 107 an saw the fireball when the collision happened.A w Stockdale and I are probaly the only 2 guys that were there that night. He lives in Parsdise Arizona. His *is 1 623 546 2093 This happened on his 28 birthday and now he is 98 and I just talked to him on the phone.John W Sullivan GM 3rd class. oputa here
Posted By: John Sullivan | Posted on: Aug 2, 2013 - 7:14pm
Total Posts: 46 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 6:57pm
I didn't miss it either Jerry. I mentioned it to my wife this morning and over breakfast we recounted the wonderful weekend we had listening to Skipper Bud and Welford give a first hand account of the Kennedy rescue mission. I still can't believe that I was lucky enough to meet these 2 Heroes and step back in time 60 years with them as they told the story! God bless all the WWII Heros past and present that give of their time and share moments of their lives with the rest of us.
Posted By: Roy Forbes | Posted on: Aug 2, 2013 - 8:09pm
Total Posts: 371 | Joined: Sep 5, 2012 - 4:57pm
Yesterday, they had a very nice Ceremony for PT-109 Crew member Harold W. Marney. He was honored for the first time in his Hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. I was invited to attend, but my knee problems continue to get worse, so I could not make it. This morning at 11:00 am, I will be attending a Memorial for him at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam, Mass, where a new stone has been erected. I will post it here when I get a chance.
Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 3, 2013 - 6:38am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am
This is the new marker for PT-109 Crewmember Harold W. Marney.
[IMAGE]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/HMarney-01.jpg[/IMAGE]
Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 3, 2013 - 9:39am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am
Peter Tare Builder,
JFK was reportedly very proud of the rescue of the Marines off Choiseul under fire by PT 59, and personally believed that action would be the one he would be most remembered for in WWII -- not the PT 109 ramming/sinking/survival ordeal.
It was the June 17th, 1944 New Yorker article "Survival" by John Hersey, later reprinted in Reader's Digest (both prompted by JFK's father Joseph P. Kennedy) that started the whole PT 109 phenomenon.
It was rather calculatedly decided early on by Joe Kennedy (and obviously, accepted by JFK) that the PT 109 incident was more interesting, and made better copy for distribution to the press and public in the interests of furthering JFK's fledgling political career.
Like it or not, they were right.
Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Aug 4, 2013 - 2:10pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am