The Only John F. Kennedy Signed Photograph Showing Him Actually Aboard a PT 109 That We Have Ever Seen

We acquired this directly from the Gallu family, and it has never before been offered for sale

When World War II broke out, John F. Kennedy participated in various commands in the Pacific theater and earned the rank of lieutenant, commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat. PT 109, commanded by Kennedy with an executive officer and ten enlisted men, was one of the fifteen boats sent out on patrol on the night of 1-2 August 1943 to intercept Japanese warships in the straits. The PT boat was creeping along to keep the wake and noise to a minimum in order to avoid detection. Around 2:00 AM with Kennedy at the helm, the Japanese destroyer Amagiri traveling at 40 knots cut PT 109 in two in ten seconds. Although the Japanese destroyer had not realized that their ship had struck an enemy vessel, the damage to PT 109 was severe. At the impact, Kennedy was thrown into the cockpit where he landed on his bad back. As Amagiri steamed away, its wake doused the flames on the floating section of PT 109 to which five Americans clung, including Kennedy. Kennedy yelled out for others in the water and heard the replies of five members of the crew, two of whom were injured. Kennedy swam to aid these men. Although they were only one hundred yards from the floating piece of their boat, in the dark it took Kennedy three hours to tow the two hurt men back to the PT 109 hulk.

Because the remnant was listing badly and starting to swamp, Kennedy decided to swim for a small island barely visible (actually three miles) to the southeast. Five hours later, all survivors had made it to the island after having spent a total of fifteen hours in the water. Kennedy had given one man a life jacket and had towed him all three miles with the strap of the device in his teeth. After finding no food or water on the island, Kennedy concluded that he should swim the route the PT boats took through Ferguson Passage in hopes of sighting another ship. After Kennedy had no luck, he spotted another slightly larger island with coconuts to eat and all the men swam there with Kennedy again towing one of them. Now at their fourth day, Kennedy made it to Nauru Island and found several natives. Kennedy cut a message on a coconut that read “11 alive native knows posit & reef Nauru Island Kennedy.” He purportedly handed the coconut to one of the natives and said, “Rendova, Rendova!,” indicating that the coconut should be taken to the PT base on Rendova.” The men were rescued.

For these actions, Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal under the following citation: “For extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer of Motor Torpedo Boat 109 following the collision and sinking of that vessel in the Pacific War Theater on August 1-2, 1943. Unmindful of personal danger, Lieutenant…Kennedy unhesitatingly braved the difficulties and hazards of darkness to direct rescue operations, swimming many hours to secure aid and food after he had succeeded in getting his crew ashore. His outstanding courage, endurance and leadership contributed to the saving of several lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

At home, Kennedy was hailed as a hero, and John Hersey told the Kennedy and PT 109 story to the public in the New York Times and Reader’s Digest. It was front page news on the Boston Globe. Kennedy was given the option to go home, instead, he chose to remain and fight for those he lost. JFK himself viewed his emergence as an American hero with wry humor and becoming modesty. The combination of the modest yet authentic hero, however, only added to the Kennedy mystique that became Camelot when JFK was in the White House.

Samuel Gallu was a writer, director, and producer of motion pictures, television, and theater. These included fifty-six plays and screenplays, most notably Give ‘Em Hell Harry, Churchill, The Murder of Jack Ruby, Navy Log, and To Set the Record Straight, involving Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, Jack Ruby, John F. Kennedy, John J. Sirica, and Watergate. Navy Log was a television program that aired from 1955-1958, and featured dramatic reenactments of true Naval events taken from the files of the Defense Department. In 1957, Director Gallu and show producers determined to tell the dramatic story of the destruction of PT 109. This would be the first dramatization of the PT 109 story. In it the crew, led by commander Kennedy, struggled to come up with a survival plan that will help them avoid the numerous Japanese forces in the area. JFK was then a U.S. Senator, and Gallu was consulted with him on the program, Gallu even taking JFK aboard the reconstructed PT 109 that was being used in the show.

An 8 by 10 inch signed photograph, showing Kennedy and Gallu on board the Navy Log’s PT 109, inscribed and signed, “To Sam Gallu, with the high esteem and best wishes, from John Kennedy.” This was presented to Gallu by Kennedy, and we obtained it directly from the Gallu family. It has never before been offered for sale. Affixed to a backing board.

This is the only Kennedy signed photograph showing JFK himself actually aboard a PT 109 that we have ever seen. We are pleased indeed to have acquired it. Some of the writing is faded, but fortunately the signature is not.