PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy

In the early morning darkness of August 2, 1943, during a chaotic nighttime skirmish amid the Solomon Islands, the Japanese destroyer Amagiri barreled through thick fog and struck the U.S. Navy's motor torpedo boat PT 109, splitting the craft nearly in half and killing two American sailors instantly. The sea erupted in flames as the 109's skipper, John F. Kennedy, and the ten surviving crewmen under his command desperately clung to the sinking wreckage; 1,200 feet of ink-black, shark-infested water loomed beneath. "All hands lost," came the reports back to the Americans' base: no rescue was coming for the men of PT 109. Their desperate ordeal was just beginning—so too was one of the most remarkable tales of World War II, one whose astonishing afterlife would culminate two decades later in the White House.

Drawing on original interviews with the last living links to the events, previously untapped Japanese wartime archives, and a wealth of archival documents from the Kennedy Library, including a lost first-hand account by JFK himself, bestselling author William Doyle has crafted a thrilling and definitive account of the sinking of PT 109 and its shipwrecked crew's heroics. Equally fascinating is the story's second act, in which Doyle explores in new detail how this extraordinary episode shaped Kennedy's character and fate, proving instrumental to achieving his presidential ambitions: "Without PT 109, there never would have been a President John F. Kennedy," declared JFK aide David Powers.

Featuring castaways on a deserted island, a spy network of Solomon Island natives, an Australian coast watcher hidden on the side of a volcano, an S.O.S. note carved into a coconut, and a daring rescue attempt led by Kennedy's fellow American PT boats, PT 109 is an unforgettable American epic of war and destiny.

Based on declassified archives and firsthand accounts, this gripping work of military history reveals the full story for the first time.

• Shipwreck and Survival: Follow Kennedy and his ten surviving crewmen as they cling to wreckage in shark-infested waters after their boat is destroyed by a Japanese destroyer.
• Leadership Under Pressure: Witness the courage and resourcefulness that kept a crew of castaways alive on a deserted island, including the legendary S.O.S. message carved into a coconut.
• JFK’s Path to Power: Discover how this single event defined JFK’s public image as a battle-tested veteran and proved instrumental to his presidential ambitions.
• Definitive Naval History: Uncover new details from previously untapped Japanese wartime archives and a lost firsthand account written by JFK himself.