PT-109 PTO (id:#60457)

(St Nazaire : Operation Chariot ID: FT110)   [next]   [previous]

Warrior River, Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands 1943-11-02 (0 others)

Overview:

As part of a diversion to prevent the Japanese command from deducing the landing points that the 1st Marine Amphibious Corps had chosen for the Bougainville campaign, the 2nd Paramarine Battalion was ordered to raid the Japanese supply routes on the nearby island of Chosiela. Their mission was to disrupt Japanese activities as much as possible. After landing and establishing a hidden base near Voza, the Marines began their harassment of the Japanese. On 1 November, Major W. Bigger led Company G on a combat patrol to a village called Nakiki, but found it too heavily defended. Instead, Major Bigger decided to bombard a small nearby island that the Japanese had been using as a supply dump with his 60mm mortar. After destroying the fuel and ammo dumps there, the Marines began their trek back to their pick-up point at the Warrior River, pursued on all sides by the irate Japanese defenders. Even as the fierce pursuit continued, the returning Marines sighted the pick-up boats that had been called by the beach party, when they heard the shooting in the jungle. Under the covering fire provided by the Marines, the boats began approaching the shoreline. . . one of the PT boats (Patrol Torpedo boat), PT-109 was last commanded by Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTJG) John F. Kennedy (later President of the United States) in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Kennedy's actions to save his surviving crew after the sinking of PT-109 made him a war hero, which proved helpful in his political career. The incident may have also contributed to his long-term back problems.

Defender: American (USMC) (Company G, 2nd Marine Parachute Battalion and US Navy PT Boats and LCs)  

Errata (source)