How accurate was the movie PT 109?

Overall, PT-109 does a good job with keeping things accurate. However, they altered one significant part of the story with the sole purpose of writing ethnic minorities out of history. In real life, two native islanders played a pivotal role in rescuing the crew of PT-109.

Is the movie PT 109 a true story?

The real PT 109 had been engaged in continual combat for five months when JFK took command, but was not the derelict, inoperative hulk depicted in the movie. Cliff Robertson portrays John F. Kennedy during his late twenties during World War II.

What happened to the crew of PT 109?

On August 1, 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams an American PT (patrol torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including Lt.

Did JFK get to see the movie PT 109?

After seeing the film, President Kennedy called PT 109 a “good product,” but he worried about the length of the film at 2 hours and 20 minutes. He said, “It’s just a question of whether there’s too much of it”.

What happened to JFK’s older brother Joe during WWII?

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. A US Navy lieutenant, he was killed in action during World War II while serving as a land-based patrol bomber pilot, and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

What happened to Kennedy’s coconut?

A Coconut shell with message from Lieutenant John F. Kennedy gave the coconut to two natives to deliver to PT base at Rendova so he and his crew would be rescued. His father later had the coconut shell encased in plastic on a wood base and President Kennedy used it as a paperweight on his desk in the Oval Office.

Did a PT boat ever sink a ship?

During the 1941–42 Philippines Campaign, PT boats were credited with sinking Japanese ships, but postwar assessment denied the claims. The greatest success they had was interdicting Japanese coastal shipping in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea areas.

How old was JFK when he was on PT 109?

25-year-old
In April 1943, 25-year-old John F. Kennedy arrived in the Pacific and took command of the PT-109. Just months later, the boat collided with a Japanese ship, killing two of his men. The most famous collision in U.S. Navy history occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on August 2, 1943, a hot, moonless night in the Pacific.

How old was Joseph P Kennedy Jr when he died?

29 years (1915–1944)
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr./Age at death

How did Joseph Kennedy make his money?

Kennedy was born to a political family in East Boston, Massachusetts. He made a large fortune as a stock market and commodity investor and later rolled over his profits by investing in real estate and a wide range of business industries across the United States. Kennedy later directed the Maritime Commission.

What did Kennedy write on the coconut?

Kennedy gave the coconut to two natives to deliver to PT base at Rendova so he and his crew would be rescued. His father later had the coconut shell encased in plastic on a wood base and President Kennedy used it as a paperweight on his desk in the Oval Office. The message carved on coconut shell reads “NAURO ISL…

Which former US president kept a coconut shell on his desk as a reminder of a harrowing incident while in the Navy during World War II?

John F. Kennedy
Throughout his brief presidency, John F. Kennedy kept a paperweight on his desk made out of half a coconut shell preserved in a piece of wood. Carved into the shell was a message: “NAURO ISL…