Two days later, the family was in the House of Commons for speeches endorsing the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Germany. Kennedy was sent as his father's representative to help with arrangements for American survivors of the torpedoing of SS Athenia before flying back to the United States on his first transatlantic flight. Kennedy graduated from Harvard in 1940 with a Bachelor of Science degree, concentrating on international affairs. While initially an average student, he became more serious in his later years.[2]
Kennedy planned to attend Yale Law School, but canceled those plans when American entry into World War II seemed imminent.[3] In 1940, Kennedy attempted to enter the Army's Officer Candidate School. Despite months of training, he was medically disqualified due to chronic back problems. On September 24, 1941, with the help of Alan Goodrich Kirk—the director of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and former naval attaché to Joe Sr.—Kennedy joined the United States Naval Reserve. He was commissioned as an ensign on October 26, 1941,[4] and joined the ONI staff in Washington, D.C.[5][6]
In April 1943, Kennedy was assigned to Motor Torpedo Squadron TWO, and on April 24 he took command of PT-109, then based on Tulagi Island in the Solomons. On the night of August 1–2, in support of the New Georgia campaign, PT-109 and fourteen other PTs were ordered to block or repel four Japanese destroyers and floatplanes carrying food, supplies, and 900 Japanese soldiers to the Vila Plantation garrison on the southern tip of the Solomon's Kolombangara Island. Intelligence had been sent to Kennedy's commander, Thomas G. Warfield, who, as a result, was expecting the arrival of the large Japanese naval force that would pass on the evening of August 1. Of the 24 torpedoes fired that night by eight of the American PTs, not one hit the Japanese convoy.[9] On that moonless night, Kennedy spotted a Japanese destroyer heading north on its return from the base of Kolombangara around 2:00a.m., and attempted to turn to attack, when PT-109 was suddenly rammed at an angle and cut in half by the destroyer Amagiri, killing two PT-109 crew members.[10] Avoiding surrender, the remaining crew swam toward Plum Pudding Island, 3.5 miles (5.6km) southwest of the remains of PT-109, on August 2.[11] Despite re-injuring his back in the collision, Kennedy towed a badly burned crewman named Patrick McMahon to the island with a life jacket strap clenched between his teeth.[12] From there, Kennedy and his subordinate, Ensign George Ross, made forays through the coral islands, searching for help.[13] When they encountered an English-speaking native with a canoe, Kennedy carved his location on a coconut shell and requested a boat rescue. Seven days after the collision, with the coconut message delivered, the PT-109 crew was rescued.[14][15]
Almost immediately, the PT-109 rescue became a highly publicized event. The story was chronicled by John Hersey in The New Yorker in 1944; decades later, it was the basis of a successful film.[15] It followed Kennedy into politics and provided a strong foundation for his appeal as a leader. Hersey portrayed Kennedy as a modest, self-deprecating hero.[16] For his courage and leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and the injuries he suffered during the incident qualified him for a Purple Heart.
After a month's recovery, Kennedy returned to duty, commanding PT-59. On November 2, Kennedy's PT-59, along with two other PT boats, took part in the rescue of 40 to 50 Marines. The 59 acted as a shield from shore fire as they escaped on two rescue landing craft at the base of the Warrior River on Choiseul Island, taking ten Marines aboard and delivering them to safety.[17] Under doctor's orders, Kennedy was relieved of his command on November 18, and sent to the hospital on Tulagi.[18] By December 1943, with his health deteriorating, Kennedy left the Pacific front and arrived in San Francisco in early January 1944.[19] After receiving treatment for his back injury at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Massachusetts from May to December 1944, he was released from active duty. Beginning in January 1945, Kennedy spent three months recovering from his back injury at Castle Hot Springs, a resort and temporary military hospital in Arizona.[20] On March 1, 1945, Kennedy retired from the Navy Reserve on physical disability and was honorably discharged with the full rank of lieutenant. When later asked how he became a war hero, Kennedy joked: "It was easy. They cut my PT boat in half."[21]
On August 12, 1944, Kennedy's older brother, Joe Jr., a Navy pilot, was killed during an air mission. His body was never recovered.[22] News of his death reached the family's home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, a day later. Kennedy felt that Joe Jr.'s reckless flight was partly an effort to outdo him.[23][24] To console himself, Kennedy set out to assemble a privately published book of remembrances of his brother, As We Remember Joe.[25]
Discharge
Kennedy was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy on March 1, 1945. He retired from the Navy Reserve as a Lieutenant due to physical disability resulting from back injuries sustained during his actions in World War II. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
