It never ceased to amaze me that Kennedy could get his PT Boat sliced in two by a Japanese destroyer — a ship that is much bigger, slower and less maneuverable than a PT boat — and somehow come out a hero for it.
I met a man in Tulsa who was a Captain in the same squadron as Kennedy. He said Kennedy was well liked but getting rammed was the worst thing that could happen to a PT boat. They were the fastest thing on the sea.
I think Kennedy did act heroically after the boat was rammed but he probably should have been at least court marshalled for that.
Because of daddy?
IIRC, his father hired people to research this incident and figure out a way to whitewash it. There may have been involvement in the War Department. Joe Kennedy was very influential back then, and was showered with sympathy after the death of his eldest son Joe, who ironically was the victim of another equipment-related failure, and is also remembered as a hero.
>>> Don’t ask, don’t tell.
Reading between the lines, it doesn’t sound like it. Overly familiar and undignified captain perhaps playing favorites, but less then what you suggest.
>>> It never ceased to amaze me that Kennedy could get his PT Boat sliced in two by a Japanese destroyer — a ship that is much bigger, slower and less maneuverable than a PT boat
The PT flotilla was on patrol looking for Japanese ships. To conserve fuel the squadron leader ordered the group to cut motors and drift.
There was an article analyzing the incident by the Naval Institute several years ago. They theorize when the radarless boat did spot the destroyer and attempted to throttle up, the engineer failed to open a ventilator feeding the motors and the oxygen starved motors failed to quickly engage. If I recall correctly this engineer they point at was the same burned man Kennedy dragged through the water.
Court martial was contemplated but Kennedy’s actions saving his injured and leading his shipwrecked crew, coupled with the political pull of the family, plus the need at the time for photogenic heroes put an end to that.
In any event the Navy retained confidence in Kennedy. He was given another boat and returned to action commanding a gunboat, as the PTs were being converted in the absence of suitable targets for their torpedoes.