Erwitt, Elliott. PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II by Robert J. Donovan. Photographs by Elliot Erwitt.

Fawcett, 1962. Crest Book d523.  First Crest printing, March 1962. Paperback, good with noticeable aging to pages. Short split of front cover along top of spine. Fragile binding but usable.  One page creased.  Illustrated in part with eight photographs by Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt, who accompanied the author Robertson to the area where Kennedy had his military adventures during World War II. 160 pages.  Signature of previous owner inside front cover. Sold as is, not subject to return.  Summary:

PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II (originally published in 1961) is the definitive journalistic account of John F. Kennedy’s heroic actions as a young naval officer in the South Pacific. While Robert J. Donovan provided the meticulously researched text, the 1960s editions are iconic for their visual contributions, including the sophisticated documentary eye of Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt.

Core Themes and Narrative

• The Collision: The book centers on the night of August 2, 1943, when the Japanese destroyer Amagiri rammed and sliced JFK’s torpedo boat, PT 109, in half in the Blackett Strait.

• Leadership and Survival: Donovan chronicles Kennedy’s grueling efforts to save his surviving crew, including towing a badly burned sailor for miles by clenching the man's life jacket strap in his teeth while swimming to a deserted island.

• The Rescue: The narrative details the crucial role of Melanesian coastwatchers Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who transported the famous message Kennedy carved into a coconut shell to Allied forces.

Visual and Artistic Impact

• Erwitt’s Contribution: Elliott Erwitt’s photographs (often featured in the 1960s commemorative and "movie tie-in" editions) provide a "New Journalism" finish to the historical text. Erwitt traveled to the Solomon Islands to photograph the actual locations, survivors, and the coral reefs, lending a gritty, modern realism to the 1940s legend.

• The "Camelot" Prequel: Published just as Kennedy was ascending to the Presidency, the book and its imagery were instrumental in cementing the "war hero" persona that defined his political identity.