When I lived in Tulsa back in the early 70s, I was a Social Security Claims rep for a couple of years. One guy came in applying for Social Security, and when I saw his DD214, I asked him about his Navy experience.
It turned out he was a PT boat captain and was in the same squadron as Kennedy. He said Kennedy was well liked by all the men and they all knew he was well connected.
Of course he also said that being rammed was the worst embarrassment a PT Boat Skipper suffer. The PT Boats were the fastest things on the sea.
Kennedy was guilty of dereliction of duty for not posting a man on watch. Despite getting some medals for saving the lives of his crewmen, he faced a Naval hearing when he went back to the States. He was not punished for various reasons: either the brass figured they needed more heroes than scapegoats or Pa Kennedy pulled some strings, but nothing was done to him.