To Orwell Today,

Enjoy your web-site. Glad to see you are pro-life (and love animals). Share your interest in the JFK assassination.

I wanted to point out one error in your story about PT 109. The movie was filmed in June and July of 1962 (in the Florida Keys). A fishing island named Munson Island, then owned by the Monroe County Sheriff John Spottswood, was used to film the movie. The movie was publicly released in January of 1963. Sheriff Spottswood was part of the motorcade when JFK visited Key West in November of 1962 (to thank the military stationed here for their help in the Cuban missile crisis). Munson Island was (about 12 years ago) developed into a world class resort, Little Palm Island.

Tim Gratz

Greetings Tim,

Thank you for setting the record straight on the correct date of PT-109's release in movie theatres. I always thought it was before JFK was elected president, not after. But I guess I should have read the credits at the end of the movie a little closer. I have a copy on tape and have watched it several times over the years when I show it to people who haven't seen it.

I was interested in hearing that JFK had made a visit to the military base in Key West in November 1962 to thank the soldiers for their help in the Cuban Missile Crisis. That reminded me of a visit he made to Florida a month later - December 29, 1962 - where he got a standing ovation in the Orange Bowl from the Cuban rebels captured at the Bay of Pigs twenty months previously. They'd just recently been released thanks to JFK and Bobby working tirelessly on their behalf, winning their freedom in exchange for giving Castro millions of dollars in cash, food and medicine.

JFK & BAY OF PIGS and ICH BIN FREE HAVANA

JFK never forgot the experience of being abandoned and given up for lost back in August 1943. Even his fellow crew members had given up on themselves and preferred surrender to death. But JFK refused to accept either and the rest of the story is history, and also a very good movie.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

PS - I just [2004] put up some photos of PT-109 you may enjoy seeing.

JFK PT-109 MOVIE STAR MAGUIRE

PT-109 the 1963 Movie on DVD

watch PT 109 1963 Movie Trailer, YouTube

watch/listen PT 109 SONG, by Jimmy Dean 1962, YouTube