PT 109

On August 7th 1942, elements of the 1st Marine Division

landed on Guadalcanal.

The American Navy was assigned the job of sea support in the Solomon islands.

There were few capital ships available

and they were ill-suited for narrow channel warfare.

The PT boats were. They were fast shallow draught whippets

carrying maximum torpedo power.

Their assignment: harass the enemy

and buy time for a navy that was still on the drawing boards.

This narrative concerns one of those boats and its crew

commanded by lieutenant John F. Kennedy, PT109

Rogers!

Yes sir!

Please notify these three officers they'll be disembarking in an hour.

Yes sir!

End of the line Mr. Talbot. It's loggin about an hour.

Thanks Rogers.

- Mr. Clayborn, won't be long now. - Much obliged.

Mr. Kennedy, war is ready.

Oh, thanks Rogers.

Mr. Kennedy, can I be frank with you for a minute?

Sure, come on in Rogers.

I've always had good luck being frank with lieutenants.

It's ensigns and admirals you can't talk to.

Right after this trip, I'm shipping on to the beach of Pearl.

So far so good, now hear this.

Right away get yourself transferred back to the States. Zingo, you send for me.

Zingo?

We'd make a great team. Maybe running a nice WAVE barracks

or Jacksonville or some town where they got a few sensible after-hour joints.

Rogers, I just got here!

Oh, you don't want this Mr. Kennedy. Believe me, I've been in this navy.

The worst thing you could do is let them trick you onto an ocean.

PT boat, nothing but a plywood coffin.

Well, I can't ask for a transfer.

Of course you can. I've got a... little background on you.

The word, you've got the juice, you've got pliers down there in Washington.

The juice?

Juice, muscle, glycerine! Don't they teach you any practical talk at Harvard?

It's an elective.

Tell the old man to drop the word into somebody's ear.

Tell them to get a hold of Leahy. You can get out of here in no time.

I'm sorry Rogers, I'm afraid I used all that glycerine to get down here.

You mean you negotiated your way out here?

That's right!

You put in a fix to go the wrong way?

Right.

Mr. Kennedy, they are fighting out here!

Wait. Hold it. Maybe it's not too late.

Tell them you went psycho, you... you ate some poison meat, you woke up dizzy!

It's too late Rogers and I'm surprised at you. Where's your spirit?

Spirit? What's that?

A willingness to fight for what you believe in!

Oh, if that's spirit Mr. Kennedy, I got it, I believe in a transfer!

You know I wouldn't snow you.

Thinking like this, you just not gonna make out.

General quarters! General quarters! All men, man your battle stations.

Hey you! Hey you fella! Give that sailor a hand with the ammo.

Mr. Kennedy!

Welcome to the South Pacific.

Best of luck Jack.

Same to you captain.

- See you around Jack. - Right Pete!

Laddie!

Yes, sir!

I'm tellin' you for the last time.

I don't want this crane in the pier area when we're loading ammunition!

Yes sir!

And I don't permit oil drums in the area when we're loading ammunition either.

Yes sir!

Afternoon sir.

Good afternoon. Even if I should permit it you should know better than to permit it.

Yes sir!

What's your problem?

I was looking for the Squadron Commander, sir!

Ladie! I saw your friend Nesbitt ditch that cigarette butt!

You can tell him for me that he's in trouble, he's in real trouble.

Yes sir!

Look at 'em. Skippers, they call themselves.

They're not naval officers, they're nothing but a bunch of civilians dressed up in costume.

What...what was bothering you?

I was lookin' for the Squadron Commander, sir.

Which Squadron?

PT Squadron 2.

That'd be Lieutenant Cluster.

Right straight down the main street

past this side of the post office.

Last tent. Thank you, sir!

You're very welcome.

- Ladie! - Yes, sir!

I'm putting you on report for not putting Nesbitt on report.

Yes sir!

Fender head.

Lieutenant Cluster?

Lieutenant!

Here. What is it?

Lieutenant Kennedy, reporting for duty, sir.

Kennedy?

Yes, sir.

Come in, sit down.

What time is it?

It's a...quarter of, ah, 2, sir.

A quarter of 2?

Mister, you just woke me up in the middle of the night.

Oh, I'm sorry sir, I didn't know your schedule.

That's all right lieutenant. I'm Al Cluster.

Jack Kennedy. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, Jack. Help yourself to a cigarette.

Oh, thanks, no.

What can I do for you?

Well, I'm reporting for duty, sir.

What's your speciality?

PT skipper.

Oh, that's too bad. I need an engineering officer.

Wanna take a crack at it?

Well, aren't there any boats?

No, not right now, but I can put you on staff.

Or, as I said, engineering officer. I really need one.

Well, if it's all same to you sir, I had counted on a boat.

You did, huh?

Well, there's the 109.

I suppose you can call that a boat.

Now that you mention it, but the engineering job... it wouldn't last

Oh, the 109 would be fine sir.

Hmm, well, we'll go and take a look at her. 'Course it's all up to Ritchie,

he's our boat maintenance officer.

Sweet soul. You'll meet him soon enough.

I think I already have.

Lieutenant, can you tell me more about... hmm, Commander Ritchie?

Retread, he was on destroyers in the First war, retired,

then called back again couple of years ago.

Strictly regulation.

Does an honest job.

Only trouble he doesn't like this hooligan Navy much better than he does the Japanese.

Now, there's our happy crew.

Hey you Bing Crosbies. Paint! Slap it on! This ain't no movie star's bedroom.

Let's get this boat out of here.

There a happy ship.

Is it always this hot?

No, Mr. Kennedy. It gets hotter.

Any... any questions?

Yeah, is it one of ours?

Yap, officially listed, 109.

Quite a lot of wear and tear, hasn't it?

Oh no, it just needs a woman's touch.

At least.

Wanna take a look at the engines?

What kind of shape are they in?

Not quite as good as the rest of the boat.

Let's save the worst for last, all right?

All right.

Well, it's gonna take a lot of work,

I don't quite know where to begin.

If I were you I would start laying the keel! Still want her?

I'd like to give it a try.

Mr. Kennedy, you try this you'll try anything.

This way!

Good afternoon sir.

Good afternoon lieutenant.

Commander Ritchie, this is lieutenant Kennedy. He's just checked in.

Oh, yes, yes...we met. Welcome aboard lieutenant.

Thank you sir.

He thinks he'd like a crack at a 109.

Don't be a damn fool. Show him the boat.

I've seen it sir.

You think that boat would ever pass inspection?

Yes sir.

Another hot rod. All right, Mr. Kennedy,

You have one week to put it in shape, that means one week,

that means in shape!

We'll have to get him a good crew to help.

He'll get a crew all right. Whether they're any good or not, will be up to Mr. Kennedy.

Yes, sir.

Well, I'll see what can I round up.

You do that.

Oh, I'm sorry sir, I didn't get a chance to clean up.

It's all right lieutenant.

You know, this entire generation's gonna wind up dying flat on its belly.

Nothing personal, lieutenant.

Schnibbe!

This thing is full of strikeovers again.

I could chain up a monkey in the basement and get better results!

Try using your elbows!

Come in, come in, sit down.

Nah, it's not like the old Navy.

In old days you could eat off the deck. Imagine, you can eat off the thing.

Yes sir, they told us out at Melville.

Nowadays ... These kids. These Hottentots.

take those boats out, they bounce 'em around like yo-yos.

Where?

Melville, sir.

Mr. Kennedy, I don't care where you've been.

I don't wanna know anything about you,

I don't care whether you've got a mother, a father, an orphan child... you understand?

You just run a taut ship, hang on to Navy regulations.

If you do, you'll find me a friendly man.

Damn friendly man, if you don't, you...

Schnibbe, where's that memo? I'm gonna chain up that monkey.

Oh, that's all, Mr. Kennedy.

Yes sir.