Evening star., 1961-12-29

OAAC NOuoOWoOS1lCI IlCdl mu1lud
(call letters PWD) informed
Evans:
PIT BOAT ONE OWE
NINE LOST IN ACTION IN
BLACKETT STRAIT TWO
MILES SW MERESU COVE
x CREW OF TWELVE x
REQUEST ANY INFORMA-
TION.
japanese Around Them
Aboard PIT 109 in the mean
while daylight had substituted
the dread of exposure for the
terror of darkness. While in
flating hopes for rescue, the
sunrise had also torn away the
protection Of night.
Rendova Peak was a COM
forting sight, but it rose far
beyond the confines of Black
EFT Strait. The II Americans
were encircled by japanese.
They could see buildings on
Kolombangara and Gizo. In
particular they looked toward
Gizo with apprehension be-
cause the briefings at Lumberi
had stressed the danger of
enemy forces there.
The men felt uncomfortably
conspicuous on the water. They
were only a few miles at most
from enemy garrisons on high
ground at Kolombangara and
Gizo.
The Japanese could have seen
the hulk as easily as Evans,
but unlike Evans they had the
means to investigate it or blow
it up. So far as 1t. John F.
Kennedy and the men knew,
the enemy might already be
preparing to come out after
them.
What do you want to do,
fight or surrender?" 1t. Ken
nedy asked his crew.
Fight with what?" someone
asked.
They took stock Of their
weapons. The 81 millimeter
gun, still lashed to the deck,
had fallen overheard and was
hanging uselessly in the water.
To Ross it looked like a giant
fish lure. Mcguire fetched a
Thompson submachinegun from
the charthouse. Among them
the men had six Ass, and 1t.
Kennedy still had the .38 that
had been issued to him aboard
the Rochambeau. In addition to
the guns there were one large
knife, one light knife and one
pocket knife left. The boats
first-aid kit had been lost in the
collision.
To lessen their chances of
being seen 1t. Kennedy slid
into the water along the port
side and ordered everyone in
after him except Johnston and
Mcmahon.
At 11:15 am. Evans meSsaged
PWD, Munda:
REF YOUR O93O/2 NO SUR
VIVORS so FAR K OBJECT
STILL FLOATING BE-
TWEEN MERESU AND GI-
20 x THREE TORPEDOES
AT VANGAVANGA.
Hulk Settling
When the bow turned turtle
Kennedy knew that something
would have to be done if they
were not rescued soon. The
hulk seemed to be settling in
the water. If it should sink
that night with them still hang
ing on, they would become sepa-
rated in the dark, and some
would surely drown. On the
other hand, if the bow stayed
afloat and drifted with the men
clinging to it, they would be at
the mercy of the currents. For
all 1t. Kennedy knew they
would drift right into the arms
of the Japanese.
It become increasingly evi-
dent that if help did not come
within a few hours, he would
have to order the men to aban-
don the boat and swim to
shore before dark. The ques-
tion of what shore to swim to,
however, had him in a quandry.
What island large enough to
conceal II men would be free
Of Japanese troops, even a
Japanese observation post?
Now and then he and his men
sighted a plane in the distance.
In hope that it was an Allied
aircraft they would wave, but
the plane would drone on, and
1t. Kennedy would order them
to stop waving lest they attract
the enemy.
At 1:12 p.m- 1t. Evans re-
ceived message from KEN,
Guadalcanal:
DEFINITE REPORT PIT
DESTROYED LAST NIGHT
BLACKETT SITS APPROX
BETWEEN VANGA VANGA
AND GROUP OF ISLANDS
Sc OF GIZO x WAS SEEN
BURNING AT ONE AM THE
CREW NUMBERS TWELVE
POSSIBILITY OF SOME
SURVIVORS LANDING
EITHER VANGA VANCA
OR ISLANDS
Someone had it figured out
very we'll indeed.
Some time after l o'clock 1t.
Kennedy said that they would
have to abandon PT-109 and
try to get up on land some
where before dark. He told
kIay,, fhof fboxy mould beod Go,