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Tropical Text Message: PT-109 and JFK
The story of how a future president became an unlikely war hero starts with a wooden boat cut in half by a Japanese destroyer in the pitch-black waters of the South Pacific. Despite having a bad back that should have kept him out of service altogether, Lieutenant John F. Kennedy found himself commanding PT-109 in the dangerous waters of the Solomon Islands during World War II.
When disaster struck in the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, Kennedy's leadership abilities truly emerged. After his boat was rammed and split in two, he personally swam miles through shark-infested waters with an injured crewman's life vest strap between his teeth, island-hopped across treacherous stretches of ocean, and ultimately carved an SOS message into a coconut husk that would save his men. For six grueling days, Kennedy and his surviving crew members endured dehydration, starvation, and constant fear of Japanese patrols while stranded on tiny Pacific islands.
The most remarkable part of this harrowing survival tale involves two brave Solomon Islanders, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who risked their lives paddling Kennedy's coconut message 35 miles through enemy waters to reach Allied forces. Without their courage, Kennedy and his men might never have made it home. This coconut would later sit on Kennedy's desk in the Oval Office, a humble reminder of where his journey to leadership truly began.
What makes this story so compelling is Kennedy's modest response when later asked how he became a war hero: "It was involuntary. They sank my boat." The experience revealed the true character of the man who would become America's 35th president—not through political calculation but through raw courage and unwavering commitment to his fellow sailors. This incredible chapter of Kennedy's life demonstrates how leadership emerges not from privilege but from how one responds when everything goes catastrophically wrong.
Ready to hear more incredible stories from history? Subscribe now and join us as we explore the fascinating, forgotten, and sometimes unbelievable tales that shaped our world.
John F. Kennedy and PT-109
https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/john-f-kennedy-and-pt-109
John F. Kennedy and PT Boat 59 by hparkins,
https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2012/09/24/john-f-kennedy-and-pt-boat-59/
The Solomon Islanders who saved JFK By Rob Brown BBC World Service
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28644830
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Support the show
This website contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the running of this website and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Please note that I only recommend products and services that I believe in and have personally used or researched.
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By Bradley and KateThe story of how a future president became an unlikely war hero starts with a wooden boat cut in half by a Japanese destroyer in the pitch-black waters of the South Pacific. Despite having a bad back that should have kept him out of service altogether, Lieutenant John F. Kennedy found himself commanding PT-109 in the dangerous waters of the Solomon Islands during World War II.
When disaster struck in the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, Kennedy's leadership abilities truly emerged. After his boat was rammed and split in two, he personally swam miles through shark-infested waters with an injured crewman's life vest strap between his teeth, island-hopped across treacherous stretches of ocean, and ultimately carved an SOS message into a coconut husk that would save his men. For six grueling days, Kennedy and his surviving crew members endured dehydration, starvation, and constant fear of Japanese patrols while stranded on tiny Pacific islands.
The most remarkable part of this harrowing survival tale involves two brave Solomon Islanders, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who risked their lives paddling Kennedy's coconut message 35 miles through enemy waters to reach Allied forces. Without their courage, Kennedy and his men might never have made it home. This coconut would later sit on Kennedy's desk in the Oval Office, a humble reminder of where his journey to leadership truly began.
What makes this story so compelling is Kennedy's modest response when later asked how he became a war hero: "It was involuntary. They sank my boat." The experience revealed the true character of the man who would become America's 35th president—not through political calculation but through raw courage and unwavering commitment to his fellow sailors. This incredible chapter of Kennedy's life demonstrates how leadership emerges not from privilege but from how one responds when everything goes catastrophically wrong.
Ready to hear more incredible stories from history? Subscribe now and join us as we explore the fascinating, forgotten, and sometimes unbelievable tales that shaped our world.
John F. Kennedy and PT-109
https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/john-f-kennedy-and-pt-109
John F. Kennedy and PT Boat 59 by hparkins,
https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2012/09/24/john-f-kennedy-and-pt-boat-59/
The Solomon Islanders who saved JFK By Rob Brown BBC World Service
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28644830
Send us a text
Support the show
This website contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the running of this website and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Please note that I only recommend products and services that I believe in and have personally used or researched.