Two days later, the family was in the House of Commons for speeches endorsing the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Germany. Kennedy was sent as his father's representative to help with arrangements for American survivors of the SS Athenia before flying back to the U.S. from Foynes, Ireland, on his first transatlantic flight. Kennedy was sent as his father's representative to help with arrangements for American survivors of the SS Athenia before flying back to the U.S. from Foynes, Ireland, on his first transatlantic flight. Kennedy took only a month to recover and returned to duty, commanding the PT-59, first removing the torpedo tubes and depth charges and refitting her in one month into a heavily armed gunboat mounting two automatic 40mm guns and ten .50 caliber Browning machine guns. The plan was to attach one gunboat to each PT boat section to add gun range and power against barges and shore batteries which the 59 encountered on several occasions in mid-October through mid-November.
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