To Orwell Today,

Good'ay from Annapolis MD!

I just wanted to ask why my uncle's name -- "Stanley Gilbert", USN from Washington DC -- does not appear on your lists? He was on board with Kennedy and the PT boats (I was told it was the 109)? I heard this story many times by my Father (his older brother).

I would be interested in hearing what you think.

-James Gilbert

Greetings James,

Great to hear from Annapolis, Maryland -- home to the prestigious USA Naval Academy where JFK gave a speech to the plebes three months before he died, with this humorous ending:

"...There's an old story -- which I will close with which will give you very valuable advice as you follow a naval career -- about a yeoman who watched a lieutenant begin a meteoric career in the Navy, and he always used to go in every morning and open up his drawer and take out a piece of paper and look at it and put it back. He became a lieutenant-commander -- the youngest captain, the youngest admiral, the youngest commander in the Navy. Finally one day he had a heart attack. The yeoman said, "Well, I want to see what's in that paper, it might help me." So he went over and opened up the safe and pulled out the paper. And it said, "Left -- port; right -- starboard. If you can remember that, your career is assured!..."

Here's the audio: JFK's Remarks at the U.S. Naval Academy, August 2, 1963

Now, to answer your question -- I compiled my lists of JFK's PT-boat crew members from books and articles and also from information on USN websites, and your uncle's name does not appear:

JFK'S PT-109 CREW and JFK'S PT-59 CREW and USS PT-109 Final Crew List

The PT-109 had two commanders before JFK arrived in the Solomons and perhaps your uncle served under them or on another PT-boat serving alongside PT-109 and 59.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

WILL PRINCE WILL VISIT JFK RESCUER?

WONDERING WAS BROTHER ON PT-109