John F. Kennedy Wins Medal for Courage

John F. Kennedy is a hero on the battlefield and wins a medal. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
An honor for gallantry. We'll discuss as if we take
a bite out of history with ingles markets. John F.
Kennedy wasn't supposed to be in the Navy. It was
a dream of his, but he was denied due to
chronic back issues that started after a football injury in college. However,
his father, who was well connected in politics, was able
to get him in. In July of nineteen forty three,
Kennedy and his pt boat crew were sent on a
night mission near the Solomon Islands. Their boat was rammed

(00:21):
by a Japanese destroyer, caught fire and exploded. Kennedy dove
into the fiery water and rescued three of a shipmates.
He and his crew held onto the hull for twelve
hours before deciding to swim four miles to a nearby island,
placing the injured on a makeshift life raft the others
pulled while swimming. Kennedy and his crew made it to
the island. They were given food and sheltered by the natives,
and six days later they were rescued. On June eleventh,

(00:42):
nineteen forty four, while in the hospital recovering from back surgery,
John F. Kennedy received the Navy Marine Corps Medal for courage, endurance,
and excellent leadership that contributed to the saving US several
lives and was in keeping with the highest traditions of
the United States Naval Service. He would later also receive
the Purple Heart. This has been a bite out of
history with Ingles Markets.