Posted on 08/02/2020 6:44:19 PM PDT by Perseverando
The South Pacific had many major battles during World War II:
Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941,
Wake Island, Dec. 7-23, 1941,
Doolittle Raid, April 18, 1942,
Coral Sea, May 4-8, 1942,
Midway, June 4-7, 1942,
Guadalcanal campaign, Aug. 7, 1942-Feb. 9, 1943,
Gilbert & Marshall Islands campaign, 1943–44:
Makin Island, Aug. 17-18, 1942,
Tarawa, Nov. 20, 1943,
Makin, Nov. 20-23, 1943,
Kwajalein, Feb. 14, 1944,
Eniwetok, Feb. 17, 1944,
Truk Island, Feb. 17-18, 1944, Mariana & Palau Islands campaign 1944:
Saipan, June 16, 1944,
Philippine Sea, June 19-20, 1944,
Guam, July 21, 1944,
Tinian, July 24, 1944,
Peleliu, Sept. 15, 1944,
Angaur, Sept. 17, 1944,
Leyte & Leyte Gulf, Oct. 23-29, 1944 (Largest WWII naval battle and possibly largest naval battle in world history),
Iwo Jima, Feb. 19, 1945;
Okinawa, April 1, 1945.
After the Guadalcanal campaign, which was the Allied forces first major offensive, the U.S. began island hopping, securing the Solomon islands.
Lieutenant John F. Kennedy commanded the PT-109, one of the small 80 foot-long Navy patrol torpedo boats used to monitor and disrupt the Tokyo Express - the shipping lanes used by Imperial Japan's destroyers through the Ferguson and Blackett Straits.
PT boats operated almost exclusively at night, often in fog and without reliable radar.
They fired their torpedoes at close range, then sped away.
On the foggy night of August, 2, 1943, PT-109 was idling on one engine to avoid detection while awaiting approaching enemy destroyers.
The crew was shocked to realize they were in the direct path of an oncoming speeding destroyer, the Amagiri.
With just seconds to respond, they were unable to avoid collision.
The PT-109 was rammed, broken in half, and began to began to sink.
(Excerpt) Read more at myemail.constantcontact.com ...
“some government bureaucrat like his old man.”
Joseph Kennedy was a lot more than “some government bureaucrat.”
He worked hand in hand with the mob his whole life.
Sam Giancona said, “Joe Kennedy was the biggest crook I ever dealt with.”
New York mobster Frank Costello said, “I made Joe Kennedy his money.” [They worked in the illegal liquor bussiness during prohibition.]
Because Jack got the Navy Cross, Joe Jr. got jealous and volunteered for an experimental mission that got him killed.
There are many reasons to dislike Mr. Kennedy, his wartime service was not one. The Solomon Islands were a tough area to fight in, (i wrote my Master's thesis on Operation CARTWHEEL to include Solomons operations) either on land or sea. The PT Boats (most without radar) were tasked that night to be pickets during a dark and foggy night to identify and engage Japanese destroyer traffic.
Murphy's law struck when he was unlucky enough to be idling in the path of a speeding destroyer. He lost one crewman, got the rest to safety, with a badly injured back. He did well to get them back, and credibly commanded a second boat after getting out of the hospital. His was one of 99 PT Boats lost in the war, 8 of whom were rammed.
I am not a fan him, or his Presidency, but his wartime service was credible.
Old Man Kennedy pushed for his son Jack to get the Navy Cross. He did not get it. There were a few senior officers who wanted JFK court-martialed. Instead he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism not involving combat. Looks like the Navy got that one right.
Yes. They should have executed some officers (and perhaps some civilians) over that to inspire others in procurment. It really doesn't matter if it was incompetence or corruption. Most likely a combination.
Cliff Robertson
Is it any coincidence that John F-ing Kerry went into swift boats, took films, demanded a purple heart for a minor injury and looked for a quick exit out of the war zone. John F-ing Kerry copied JFK’s path into politics. At least no one thought JFK was a gold brick. He did injure his back.
Good call!
NavWeaps says the quad mounts could be directed by the Mk 51 director.
The photo is attributed to the USS Hornet (CV-12, not CV-8), and an online check of the ship’s equipment shows Mk 51 directors during WWII. So, that is likely what is happening here.
Also, Hornet, much modernized and with an angled deck, still exists and is docked at Alameda, CA.
I know Joe Kennedy’s history. I meant that JFK’s government aspirations would top out like Joe’s, with maybe an ambassadorship.
JFK volunteered and was in the thick of it. Pre-ramming he was generally not a diligent officer, and somewhat of a screwup. His actions post-ramming were heroic.
He got a lot of political traction from the PT-109 story. I’m just wondering how he would have done without that pin to hold up an otherwise empty (or negative) portfolio. The man Obama’d a Senatorial seat! More fairly, Obama JFK’d one.
It would be an interesting thesis to track the career trajectories of the other seven rammed boat skippers, if any of them lived.
Also, IIRC from a recent book on the incident, the PT’s in Kennedy’s squadron that night were being used for something they were not suited for. The PT’s best asset is speed, idling at night in a narrow strait negates that advantage.
Having worked with military electronics, and seen the insides of a mechanical analog gun director aboard the BB-55 North Carolina, and prowled the CV-16 Lexington, I have questions about relying on electronics in a system that could be subjected to high transmitted shock loads, like when a Exocet hits...
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