Evening star., 1961-12-27
PIT 7O9-CHAPTER II
Heavenly Mist Rams Kennedy Boat

southern shore TO Kolamban-
gare to the risk of going out
through Kula Golf and meeting
deStroyers or cruisers.
1t was with great relief that
Comdr. Kohei Hanami finally
received a signal from Capt
Sugiure that the Hagikaze, Ar
ashi and Shigure we're starting
back up the Kolombangara
coast. He Immediately ordered
the coXSWain to head north
westward at increasing speed
to rejoin them.
Approximately in his path
several miles distant was PIT
100, with 1t. John F. Kennedy
steering away from Kolam-
bangara in a westerly direc-
ton toward Gizo, following PIT
l62 and PIT 1863. 1t. Kennedy
had no orders other than to
patrol off Vanga Vanga and
to look for whatever he could
find. His mission boiled down
to a matter of guessing where
in the impenetrable blackness
he might find a target.
Encountering no sign of en-
emy ships in the middle of
Blackett Strait, 1t. Kennedy
made a fateful decision. He
overlook the boats commanded
by 1t. Potter and 1t. G.g0 John
R. Lowery and suggested that
the three boats reverse their di-
rection. He believed they would
have a better chance of rejoin-
ing the, missing boats if they
returned to the vicinity in
which they had all been scat
tered in the first place. The
other two shippers agreed. The
three boats turned about and
with 1t. Kennedy now in the
lead headed toward the south
east, the direction from which
the Heavenly Mist was blow
ing at a speed of 80 knots.
+ Comdr. Hanami strained for
ward from the Starboard side
of the Amagiri's bridge, i'm
patient for the broader pas
sage of Vella Gulf. Capt. Yam
ashiro paced the port side. Be-
tween them stood 1t. G.gD Hir-
oshi Hosaka, the torpedo officer,
constantly checking the readi-
ness of his own crews. The
wheel was in the hands OF
Coxswain Kazuto Dol.
Kennedy at Wheel
Aboard PIT 109 Ensign George
H. Ross was standing on the
foredeck by the 37-millimetel
gun. Behind him was 1t. Ken
nedy at the wheel. At the skip
lper's right was Radioman John
Mcguire and just beyond and
above Mcguire was Marney irI
the forward gun turret. On the
skipper's left, outside the cock
pit, was Ensign Thorn, lyine
on the deck. Standing behinc
the cockpit was Seaman Ec
Mauer. Aware that 1t. Ken
nedy still hoped to meet some
of the other dispersed PIT boat:
that must be wandering about
the strait, Mauer was peerine
through the night for a famili.
lar form.
Albert was on watch amid
ships. Harris, off duty, wa!
sleeping on the deck between
the day-room canopy and {
starboard torpedo tube. He haC
removed his kapok jacket anC
was using it as a pillow, Nc
Mahon was on watch in thu
engine room. Johnston wa
doing on the starboard sidI
of the deck near the engine
room hatch. Zinser was stand
ing close by. Starkey was tn,
lookout in the after gun tur
ret. Kirksey, off duty, was lyinI
aft on the starboard side.
"Ship ahead" a lookou
shouted to Comdr. Hanami.
Look again." Hanami or
dered,
"Ship at 2 o'clock!" Marne
!. shouted to 1t. Kennedy fron
; the gun turret.
1t. Kennedy glanced oblique
ly off his starboard bow. Ensigi
!; Ross was already pointing t
a shape suddenly sculptured ou
|; of the darkness behind a phoS
}. phorescent bow wave. For
t few unregainable moments L
l Kennedy thought it was on
j! of the scattered PIT boats. S
t did Mauer. So also did som
: of the crews of PIT 162 and p
169, who sighted the Amagil
: at about the same time or per
!, haps seconds earlier. AS tn
J. shape grew, 1t. Kennedy an
Il Mauer quickly recognized ths
!, it was not a PIT boat. On P
L 1863 Potter called a warnin
}. on the radio, but it either wa
Z not received aboard 109 or els
!. arrived too late.
E "Lenny," 1t. Kennedy sal
= in a matter-o -of-fact voice. loo
at this"
Ensign Thorn stood up.
- What followed took plaC