Saving Lieutenant Kennedy

With special guest:

• Brett Mason
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

Most Australians have some knowledge of the turning point in the Pacific war when the fear of invasion lessened. Most of us know something of the heroic story of Lieutenant John F Kennedy or JFK as he became known. Brett Mason in his book Saving Lieutenant Kennedy fills in the gaps in this amazing and hugely consequential story. These events literally changed the history of the world because if JFK had not survived it is conceivable that nuclear conflict could have erupted in the years that followed.

The story happens to involve an Australian who was also heroic, namely Lieutenant Reg Evans of the RAN. Reg Evans operated behind enemy lines knowing that if he were to be betrayed he would certainly be tortured and killed. Evans relied on his Solomons Islands friends who faced the same threats in what they were doing.

Evans and JFK were two very different personalities brought together in August 1943 in a way that echoes the discovery of Dr Livingstone in the African jungle. JFK’s words on being discovered on an uninhabited island of the south Pacific? “Man, am I glad to see you!”

The boat commanded by JFK was a PT109. When the boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese warship JFK exhibited the courage and leadership that would be called on nearly 20 years later. Recognised as a good swimmer JFK kept his crew together as they floundered for 11 hours in unknown waters. They were surrounded by enemy Japanese warships and creatures of the sea in the middle of the night. JFK saved one injured crewman by swimming with a strap from the man’s lifebelt in his teeth. Given up for dead by his own naval base JFK never stopped in his efforts to rescue his crew.

JFK went on to become the 35^th American President. His rescuer was so little known that he was referred to by another name and as being a New Zealander for nearly 20 years afterwards. Eventually the painfully humble Reg outed himself and was invited with his Solomons Islands colleagues to the White House as JFK’s honoured guests.

This book gives a fascinating insight into Australian/US relations and we get to talk about the famous Battle of Brisbane when the impact of 1 million US servicemen joining a small population of about 7 million Australians naturally caused some friction. Perhaps this was to be expected even if the overwhelming feeling in the community was that the American defence forces were going to save the country. The bonds between the servicemen were strong with Australian and American servicemen fighting side by side in two world wars.

Great to speak with Brett on such a fascinating topic.

Brett Mason

Brett Mason is Chair of the Council of the National Library of Australia and Adjunct Professor in the School of Justice at the Queensland University of Technology. He was formerly a Senator for Queensland, serving in the Ministry, before being appointed Australia’s Ambassador to The Hague and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. He is the author of Wizards of Oz: How Oliphant and Florey helped win the war and shape the modern world

Song selection by our guest: With or Without You by U2

Podcast (mp3)