PT-109
Written by M. Wilkin and F. Burch
As recorded by Jimmy Dean on "Jimmy Dean's Greatest Hits" (Columbia Records CS 9295)

1. In forty-three, they put to sea:
Thirteen men and Kennedy,
Aboard the PT-109
To fight the brazen enemy,
And off the Isle of Olasana,
In the strait beyond Naru,
A Jap destroyer in the night
Cut the One-Oh-Nine in two.

CHORUS: Smoke and fire upon the sea!
Everywhere they looked was the enemy.
The heathen gods of old Japan,
Yeah, they thought they had the best of a mighty good man.

2. And on the coast of Kolombangara,
Looking through his telescope,
Australian Evans saw the battle,
For the crew had little hope.
Two were dead; some were wounded.
All were clingin' to the bow,
Fightin' fire and a-fightin' water,
Tryin' to save their lives somehow. CHORUS

3. McMahon, the Irishman,
Was burned so badly he couldn't swim.
"Leave me here; go on," he said,
"'Cause if you don't, we'll all be dead."
The PT skipper couldn't leave him,
A man to die alone at sea,
And with a strap between his teeth,
He towed the Irishman through the sea. CHORUS

4. He led his men through waters dark,
Rocky reefs, and hungry sharks,
Braved the enemy's bayonets,
A thirty-eight hung 'round his neck.
Four more days and four more nights,
A rescue boat pulled into sight.
The PT-109 was gone,
But Kennedy and his men lived on.

SPOKEN: Now who could guess,
Or who could possibly know
That this same man named Kennedy—

SUNG: Would be the leader of the nation,
Be the one to take command?
The PT-109 was gone,
But Kennedy lived to fight again.

CHORUS: Smoke and fire upon the sea!
Everywhere they looked was the enemy.
But JFK and his crew lived on,
Which proves—it's hard to get the best of a man named John.

Big John, Big John, Big John.