Reader JFK 109 Crew

SEARCHING 4 JFK 109 CREW

PT-109 was sliced in half by a Japanese destroyer
on August 1-2, 1943;
two crewmen were killed,
11 survivors were rescued
by PT-157
on August 8, 1943.

I'm doing research on the fate of the surviving PT 109 crewmen. I've got some information on the life and death of Kennedy, Thom, Ross, Albert, Harris, Maguire, and McMahon. However, there seems to be little information on the other PT 109 crewmembers.

Do you have any information on the post WW 2 life and death of William Johnston, Maurice Kowal, Edgar Mauer, and Raymond Starkey? I can't seem to find information on them or find their obituaries anywhere.

So far, the only info I have on JFK's PT-109 (and PT-59) crew members is what's already on ORWELL TODAY (and which I assume you've already read).

For future reference, in case they update their info, you could check the Maritime Quest website which has links (with a bit of biographical info) on three of the four crewmen you're searching for:

William Johnston, born Dumbarton, Scotland moved to the USA when he was two. His family settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was thirty three when he joined the crew. After the collision he swallowed a large amount of gasoline and passed out due to that and the fumes. He remained violently ill for several days after the sinking. After his rescue he was found to be unfit for further service and was discharged.

Edgar E. Mauer, from St. Louis, Missouri was twenty eight when he joined the crew. He had been on the USS Niagara AGP-1 when it was sunk by a Japanese air attack on May 22, 1943. On the PT-109 he would be quartermaster, cook and signalman. He would also join Kennedy, Maguire, Drewitch, Kowal and Drawdy on the PT-59.

Raymond L. Starkey, from Garden Grove, California was twenty nine when he joined the crew of the PT-109. He came aboard to replace Edmund Drewitch, who had been injured earlier on the Pt-109.

Lt. jg.           John F. Kennedy             Commanding Officer
Ensign          Leonard J. Thom            Executive Officer
Ensign          George H. R. Ross          Lookout/gunner
S1C              Edgar E. Mauer              Quartermaster/cook/signalman
RM2C           John E. Maguire              Radioman
S1C              Raymond Albert             Gunner
GM2C           Charles A. Harris            Gunner
MOMM1C      Gerald E. Zinser              Motor mechanic
MOMM1C      Patrick H. McMahon         Motor mechanic
MOMM2C      Harold W. Marney           Gunner
MOMM2C      William Johnston            Gunner
TM2C           Raymond L. Starkey        Torpedoman
TM2C           Andrew J. Kirksey           Torpedoman

It would be interesting to hear the results of your research into the post-war lives of JFK's PT-109 crew members. Perhaps it would inspire others to write in with info they may have.

Thank you for your encouraging reponse. I'll keep you posted with whatever information I turn up.

JFK FRIEND FAY FONDLY REMEMBERS (about Paul "Red" Fay who was an ensign at Melville Naval Academy where JFK was his instructor on PT boats)

JFK SAVED THE MARINES (...neither Colonel Bigger & Dr Stevens had the slightest idea of the identity of the PT-59 skipper who had rescued them in the dark off Choiseul...)

JFK'S PT 109 CREW (Albert, Drawdy/absent); Drewitch/absent; Harris, Johnston, (Kirksey died), Kowal/absent; Maquire, (Marney died), McMahon, Mauer, Ross, Starkey, Thom, Zinser)