Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
John F. Kennedy
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy Reserve
| | Service in the Pacific, 1943 | |
Photographed by James Hulse, December 2, 2021
1. John F. Kennedy Marker
John F. Kennedy joined the Navy in 1941 despite a back injury which might have disqualified him from service. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he requested an assignment to sea duty. Kennedy was selected for training in motor torpedo boats and was so adept at boat handling that he became an instructor for a brief time. He again asked for combat assignment and soon received orders to report to the Pacific war zone. During the battle for the Solomon Islands in August 1943, Kennedy was in command of torpedo boat PT-109. A Japanese destroyer sliced his boat in half and plunged him and his crew into the sea. His bravery in leading his entire crew to safety earned Lieutenant Kennedy a Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
John F. Kennedy - 35th President of the United States - 1961-1963
Captions
Lieutenant Kennedy at Chelsea Naval Hospital with Captain Conklin
Erected by National Museum of the Pacific War.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1943.
Location. 30° 16.371′ N, 98° 52.018′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. It can be reached from the intersection of East Austin Street and North Washington Street. The marker is located outside the east entrance to the National Museum of the Pacific in the Plaza of the Presidents and there is no admission fee required for visiting the outside section of the museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 311 East Austin Street, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Hill Country. Globally,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dwight D. Eisenhower (here, next to this marker); Lyndon B. Johnson (here, next to this marker); Harry S. Truman (here, next to this marker); 75mm Field Gun, M2A2: (here, next to this marker); Franklin D. Roosevelt (here, next to this marker); Richard M. Nixon (a few steps from this marker); Gerald R. Ford (a few steps from this marker); James E. Carter, Jr. (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.
More about this marker. Ten consecutive presidents, spanning the years from 1941 to 1992, served in their country's armed forces during World War II. The service of those ten is commemorated here at the Plaza of the Presidents.
Also see . . . John F. Kennedy.
His first command was PT-101 from December 7, 1942, until February 23, 1943: It(Submitted on January 26, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)was a patrol torpedo (PT) boat used for training while Kennedy was an instructor at Melville. He then led three Huckins PT boatsPT-98, PT-99, and PT-101, which were being relocated from MTBRON 4 in Melville, Rhode Island, back to Jacksonville, Florida, and the new MTBRON 14 (formed February 17, 1943). During the trip south, he was hospitalized briefly in Jacksonville after diving into the cold water to unfoul a propeller. Thereafter, Kennedy was assigned duty in Panama and later in the Pacific theater, where he eventually commanded two more PT boats. Source: WikipediaPhotographed by James Hulse, December 2, 20212. The John F. Kennedy Marker is the fourth marker from the left of the ten markers
Public Domain - U.S. Navy Photo, circa 1943
3. LTJG John F. Kennedy aboard the PT-109
Public Domain - Cecil Stoughton - White House Photo, July 11, 1963
4. John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office
Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 481 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 26, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
