PT-109
Famous naval craft
PT-109 was a U.S.
Navy patrol torpedo boat commanded by Lieutenant John F.
Kennedy during World War II.
The boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943; Kennedy's heroic efforts to save his crew became central to his political mythology.
The designation combines PT (patrol torpedo) with the hull number.
Irish-origin surname, political dynasty
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
- commanderPerson with authority over others
- skipperVessel's commanding officer
- naval officerRanked military sailor
war hero · heroism · leadership · rescue · survival · swimming · towing · McMahon
Engineered layered wood panels
- torpedo tubesSubmarine weapon ejectors
- machine gunsAutomatic rapid-fire firearms
- crew quartersOnboard personnel accommodations
- Solomon IslandsOceanian archipelago nation
twin engines · ramming · sinking · shipwreck · debris · bow section · flotation
One that ruins completely
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- rescue missionOperation to save someone
- strandedLeft without means to leave
Bound written work
- heroic narrativeStory centered on courage
- American mythologyIndigenous and settler legends
- naval historyStudy of sea warfare
- memorialThing preserving remembrance
Kennedy
Irish-origin surname, political dynasty
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
- commanderPerson with authority over others
- skipperVessel's commanding officer
naval officer · war hero · heroism · leadership · rescue · survival · swimming · towing · McMahon · Ross
plywood
Engineered layered wood panels
- torpedo tubesSubmarine weapon ejectors
- machine gunsAutomatic rapid-fire firearms
- crew quartersOnboard personnel accommodations
twin engines · Solomon Islands · ramming · sinking · shipwreck · debris · bow section · flotation
destroyer
One that ruins completely
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- rescue missionOperation to save someone
- strandedLeft without means to leave
book
Bound written work
- heroic narrativeStory centered on courage
- American mythologyIndigenous and settler legends
- naval historyStudy of sea warfare
PT-109battleship
Armored naval capital vessel
aircraft carrier · USS Missouri · Yamato · Bismarck · dreadnought
PT-109USS Indianapolis
Torpedoed American heavy cruiser
Lusitania · HMS Hood · Bismarck · USS Arizona · Titanic