Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kennedy's PT Boat Found in Pacific
AP | 5/29/02

Posted on 05/29/2002 1:15:23 AM PDT by kattracks

SYDNEY, Australia, May 29, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Shipwreck hunter Robert Ballard said Wednesday he has found the World War II patrol boat commanded by John F. Kennedy in the Pacific Ocean off the Solomon Islands.

The remains of the wooden boat, PT 109, were lying on the seabed in the Blanket Strait near Gizo in the New Georgia group of islands, Ballard told Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Gizo is 235 miles northwest of the capital of the Solomons, Honiara.

Ballard, who led a team that found the Titanic shipwreck in 1985, said he located the wreckage of Kennedy's boat last week after searching for about a week. He did not provide further details of the discovery, citing contractual obligations over film and magazine rights to the search.

The radio report said a National Geographic documentary will be released in November. Members of the National Geographic team in the Solomon Islands did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The PT 109 sank in August 1943 after it was hit by a Japanese warship.

It is unknown how much of the boat remains besides the engines. Water is expected to have caused extensive damage to the hull.

Ballard, who found the wreck of the Titanic and other historic ships, had planned to use remote cameras to search for the boat.

The late president's brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, and daughter, Caroline Kennedy, agreed to the expedition after being assured that the site would not be disturbed. Two members of Kennedy's crew died when the boat was hit.

In a 1999 interview, Ballard said PT 109 is "not lost, just misplaced." But he added searching for the vessel in an area full of unexploded ordnance would be "no fun."

Kennedy was commanding a patrol in August 2, 1943, when the boat was hit and cut in two by a Japanese destroyer.

Kennedy and 10 other survivors swam 15 hours to reach a nearby island. He towed one injured survivor, engineer Patrick Henry McMahon, by swimming with a strap from McMahon's lifejacket in his teeth.

They later swam to another island where there were coconuts to eat. Kennedy carved a message into one coconut and gave it to a native islander to take to rescuers.

Patrol torpedo boats, such as the PT109, had mahogany hulls. Plywood was used for the internal structures, chart houses and gun turrets. They were 80 feet long and powered by 12-cylinder gasoline engines.

The boats were used primarily to attack surface ships, but they also were used to lay mines and smoke screens, to rescue downed aviators and to carry out intelligence operations.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved






TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 201-208 next last

1 posted on 05/29/2002 1:15:23 AM PDT by kattracks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Ballard's next underwater expedition is to search for Teddy Kennedy's S.S. Oldsmobile.
2 posted on 05/29/2002 1:26:13 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
The Kennedy machine at work. Anything to take the heat off the Skakel trial.
3 posted on 05/29/2002 1:27:56 AM PDT by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
It's amazing this small vessel has been found. Ballard is quite remarkable.

Kennedy and 10 other survivors swam 15 hours to reach a nearby island. He towed one injured survivor, engineer Patrick Henry McMahon, by swimming with a strap from McMahon's lifejacket in his teeth.

How ironic that swimming someone to safety may have brought Jack the presidency, and the lack of doing the same may have cost Teddy it.

4 posted on 05/29/2002 1:30:09 AM PDT by laredo44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: leadpenny
That driver was embedded too deep for a probe.

Maybe with future technology we can find an answer.

5 posted on 05/29/2002 1:40:00 AM PDT by johnny7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Hillarys Gate Cult
Ballard's next underwater expedition is to search for Teddy Kennedy's S.S. Oldsmobile.

8^D

6 posted on 05/29/2002 2:25:33 AM PDT by awelliott
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Maybe Ballard's study of the wreck can shed light on the details of the sinking. A PT boat was, and is one of the most maneuverable and agile boats on the water. So how did JFK manage to get rammed? .

Take notice how this article was written, "The PT 109 sank in August 1943 after it was hit by a Japanese warship." . This reads like the boat sank as a result of battle. Whereas the word "rammed" suggests incompetence.

7 posted on 05/29/2002 2:29:53 AM PDT by M.K. Borders
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: M.K. Borders
So how did JFK manage to get rammed?

You know, I have often wondered how one could get a very light, very fast, and extremely manueverable craft athwartships a destroyer. Unless the engines were out, I would have to say it is incompetence.
8 posted on 05/29/2002 3:06:35 AM PDT by wasp69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Hillarys Gate Cult
Yes, Whoraldo can broadcast from Martha's Vineyard or hyenasport when the land yacht comes ashore!
9 posted on 05/29/2002 3:16:29 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
But he [Ballard] added searching for the vessel in an area full of unexploded ordnance would be "no fun."

What, to a Kennedy, is "unexploded ordinance?"

10 posted on 05/29/2002 3:30:38 AM PDT by gortklattu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
What a great find? How long will it be before a commission is formed to erect a monument (using this remarkable find)on the mall in Washington. After all, it would only be fair to the Kennedy dynasty!
11 posted on 05/29/2002 4:21:29 AM PDT by leprechaun9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hillarys Gate Cult
If Ted Kennedy had driven a Volkswagaon, he'd be former President Kennedy today.
12 posted on 05/29/2002 4:28:25 AM PDT by Samwise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, and daughter, Caroline Kennedy, agreed to the expedition after being assured that the site would not be disturbed

Who are they to make this determination????????something to hide???

13 posted on 05/29/2002 4:33:20 AM PDT by MadelineZapeezda
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: M.K. Borders
Maybe Ballard's study of the wreck can shed light on the details of the sinking. A PT boat was, and is one of the most maneuverable and agile boats on the water. So how did JFK manage to get rammed? . Take notice how this article was written, "The PT 109 sank in August 1943 after it was hit by a Japanese warship." . This reads like the boat sank as a result of battle. Whereas the word "rammed" suggests incompetence.

Exactly!

14 posted on 05/29/2002 4:41:41 AM PDT by waterstraat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: M.K. Borders
"Whereas the word "rammed" suggests incompetence. "

Yeah, I'm really torn by this. I find it hard to believe that JFK swam for 15 hours towing another guy by his teeth. At the same time, he WAS actually participating in the war effort and the men with him certainly deserve to be remembered for their contributions. I would love to know the facts behind all this.

15 posted on 05/29/2002 4:54:32 AM PDT by Lee'sGhost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: MadelineZapeezda
You would think that the families of the two that DIED would have something to say....its their graves.

Who gives a rats a$$ about what the Kennedy's think about this?

16 posted on 05/29/2002 4:57:42 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Oh for the days when rich folks also served in the military.
17 posted on 05/29/2002 5:00:20 AM PDT by Octavius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Oh, swell. Just what we need. Another Kennedy shrine.
18 posted on 05/29/2002 5:00:27 AM PDT by Destructor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gortklattu
What, to a Kennedy, is "unexploded ordinance?"

The women who haven't came forward. "Disarmed ordinance" would be the ones who never got the chance.

19 posted on 05/29/2002 5:00:28 AM PDT by Wolfie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: M.K. Borders; wasp69
FYI..if a PT boat was surprised by a Jap destroyer, as often happened as neither rarely had radar, the PT boat was highly vulnerable to the Jap's guns. PT boat skippers often found it safer to CLOSE the Jap ships,because the Jap guns could not depress the elevation enough to hit the PT boats when they were in close..the shells went right over them...
20 posted on 05/29/2002 5:03:32 AM PDT by ken5050
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 201-208 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson