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William Liebenow, PT Boat Skipper Who Rescued John Kennedy, Dies at 97 William Liebenow, 97, Dies; PT Boat Skipper Rescued Kennedy
(about 1 hour later)
Under the cover of darkness on Aug. 7, 1943, Lt. William Liebenow skippered his patrol torpedo boat into enemy waters in the South Pacific. His mission was to rescue the sailors of PT-109 who had survived for days on inhospitable islands after a Japanese destroyer had rammed their boat, splitting it in two and killing two crewmen.Under the cover of darkness on Aug. 7, 1943, Lt. William Liebenow skippered his patrol torpedo boat into enemy waters in the South Pacific. His mission was to rescue the sailors of PT-109 who had survived for days on inhospitable islands after a Japanese destroyer had rammed their boat, splitting it in two and killing two crewmen.
Among the 11 crew members who survived the sinking of PT-109 was a bunkmate of the lieutenant’s, the boat’s 26-year-old skipper, John F. Kennedy. Tales of Kennedy’s heroism in the aftermath of the attack became a part of his legacy, chronicled in books like Robert J. Donovan’s “PT-109: John F. Kennedy in World War II” (1961) and a film adaptation, “PT 109” (1963), which starred Cliff Robertson as Kennedy.Among the 11 crew members who survived the sinking of PT-109 was a bunkmate of the lieutenant’s, the boat’s 26-year-old skipper, John F. Kennedy. Tales of Kennedy’s heroism in the aftermath of the attack became a part of his legacy, chronicled in books like Robert J. Donovan’s “PT-109: John F. Kennedy in World War II” (1961) and a film adaptation, “PT 109” (1963), which starred Cliff Robertson as Kennedy.
“After the war, when Kennedy’s ambitions turned to politics, the event played a role in molding his public image from ‘child of privilege’ to ‘battle-tested combat veteran’ and helped propel him into the House of Representatives in 1947, into the U.S. Senate in 1953 and into the White House in 1961,” William Doyle wrote in “PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy” (2015).“After the war, when Kennedy’s ambitions turned to politics, the event played a role in molding his public image from ‘child of privilege’ to ‘battle-tested combat veteran’ and helped propel him into the House of Representatives in 1947, into the U.S. Senate in 1953 and into the White House in 1961,” William Doyle wrote in “PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy” (2015).
Lieutenant Liebenow went on to pilot a PT boat to save more than 60 survivors of another sinking: that of the Corry, an American destroyer that was struck by German weaponry during the Allied invasion at Normandy.Lieutenant Liebenow went on to pilot a PT boat to save more than 60 survivors of another sinking: that of the Corry, an American destroyer that was struck by German weaponry during the Allied invasion at Normandy.
Mr. Liebenow, who was awarded the Bronze and Silver Stars for his wartime exploits, died on Friday at his home in Mount Airy, N.C. He was 97. His daughter, Susan Liebenow, said the cause was complications of pneumonia.Mr. Liebenow, who was awarded the Bronze and Silver Stars for his wartime exploits, died on Friday at his home in Mount Airy, N.C. He was 97. His daughter, Susan Liebenow, said the cause was complications of pneumonia.
In the Pacific, Lieutenant Liebenow and Lieutenant Kennedy had both piloted their maneuverable boats on daring nighttime attacks on more powerful Japanese ships.In the Pacific, Lieutenant Liebenow and Lieutenant Kennedy had both piloted their maneuverable boats on daring nighttime attacks on more powerful Japanese ships.
After the war, Kennedy was criticized by some for allowing his boat to be struck by an enemy vessel, the destroyer Amagiri. But Lieutenant Liebenow did not second-guess him.After the war, Kennedy was criticized by some for allowing his boat to be struck by an enemy vessel, the destroyer Amagiri. But Lieutenant Liebenow did not second-guess him.
“I can understand how things like that happen,” he said in an interview for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in 2005. “I think that people that haven’t been there certainly can’t.”“I can understand how things like that happen,” he said in an interview for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in 2005. “I think that people that haven’t been there certainly can’t.”
The crew members who survived the collision and ensuing explosion clung to a section of the hull and eventually swam for Plum Pudding Island, about three and a half miles away. Kennedy towed Patrick McMahon, a severely burned machinist’s mate, by clenching the strap of Seaman McMahon’s life jacket in his teeth. The nine other survivors clung to a plank from PT-109 and reached the island, an uninhabited dot in the Solomon Islands chain, after around four hours.The crew members who survived the collision and ensuing explosion clung to a section of the hull and eventually swam for Plum Pudding Island, about three and a half miles away. Kennedy towed Patrick McMahon, a severely burned machinist’s mate, by clenching the strap of Seaman McMahon’s life jacket in his teeth. The nine other survivors clung to a plank from PT-109 and reached the island, an uninhabited dot in the Solomon Islands chain, after around four hours.
The men lived mostly on coconuts for six days, at one point moving to another island in search of food. Two islanders, sent in a dugout canoe to search for survivors from PT-109, eventually found them. Kennedy carved a distress message into a coconut, and the message eventually reached the American base at Rendova, a much larger island about 40 miles away. Lieutenant Liebenow was dispatched to make the rescue in PT-157.The men lived mostly on coconuts for six days, at one point moving to another island in search of food. Two islanders, sent in a dugout canoe to search for survivors from PT-109, eventually found them. Kennedy carved a distress message into a coconut, and the message eventually reached the American base at Rendova, a much larger island about 40 miles away. Lieutenant Liebenow was dispatched to make the rescue in PT-157.
His path and Kennedy’s crossed again after the war. During the 1960 presidential campaign, Mr. Liebenow joined Kennedy, then a United States senator, on a whistle-stop tour of Michigan. After Kennedy won the election, he invited Mr. Liebenow and his wife to an inaugural ball.His path and Kennedy’s crossed again after the war. During the 1960 presidential campaign, Mr. Liebenow joined Kennedy, then a United States senator, on a whistle-stop tour of Michigan. After Kennedy won the election, he invited Mr. Liebenow and his wife to an inaugural ball.
William Frederick Liebenow was born on Jan. 18, 1920, in Fredericksburg, Va., to William Frederick Liebenow and the former Mary Eastman. He graduated from Fredericksburg High School and received a bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., in 1941.William Frederick Liebenow was born on Jan. 18, 1920, in Fredericksburg, Va., to William Frederick Liebenow and the former Mary Eastman. He graduated from Fredericksburg High School and received a bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., in 1941.
In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, the former Lucy Tyler, whom he had met at Randolph-Macon; a son, William; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, the former Lucy Tyler, whom he had met at Randolph-Macon; a son, William; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Lieutenant Liebenow enlisted in the Navy after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. During the Normandy invasion, in 1944, he had escorted a dozen ships across the English Channel into position to fire rockets at German forces on the French coast before rescuing the crewmen from the Corry.Lieutenant Liebenow enlisted in the Navy after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. During the Normandy invasion, in 1944, he had escorted a dozen ships across the English Channel into position to fire rockets at German forces on the French coast before rescuing the crewmen from the Corry.
Later in the war, his boat ferried Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen. George S. Patton. He left the Navy in 1947 and worked for years in the railroad industry.Later in the war, his boat ferried Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen. George S. Patton. He left the Navy in 1947 and worked for years in the railroad industry.
In his interview for the Kennedy library in 2005, Mr. Liebenow recalled that during the 1960 campaign tour Kennedy mentioned that many of the people he met claimed to have been crewmen on PT-157.In his interview for the Kennedy library in 2005, Mr. Liebenow recalled that during the 1960 campaign tour Kennedy mentioned that many of the people he met claimed to have been crewmen on PT-157.
“That’s when he told me, ‘Lieb, if I get the votes of everybody that claims to have been on your boat that night of the pickup, I’ll win this election easy.’”“That’s when he told me, ‘Lieb, if I get the votes of everybody that claims to have been on your boat that night of the pickup, I’ll win this election easy.’”