“I think Kennedy did act heroically after the boat was rammed but he probably should have been at least court marshalled for that.”
Actually, non other than Douglas McArthur wanted to court marshall Kennedy for disobeying orders and leaving the engine in his PT boat running while waiting for the Jap boats. (He was talked out of the court marshall for political reasons.) With the noise of the motor and the moonless night, Kennedy didn’t see or hear the destroyer approaching until it was too late.
The ramming and loss of PT=109 was officially investigated by a intel officer named Byron White. Fifteen years later JFK appointed him to the Supreme Court.
Small world, eh?