JFK AND PT-109 TORPEDO BOAT

During the Second World War, future US president John F. Kennedy served in the US navy, and was posted to the newly formed PT (Patrol Torpedo) Squadron, which had been based in the South Pacific since 1941.

In 1943 the now-promoted Lieutenant Kennedy was given the command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109. On August 2nd the navy dispatched a fleet of PT boats, including PT-109, to intercept a Japanese convoy which was delivering supplies to enemy troops in the Solomon islands. PT-109 had a problem with its radar and the crew were unaware of the approach of a Japanese destroyer, the Amagiri, until it was right upon them and crashed through their boat. PT-109 was critically damaged and caught fire.

Things were bleak; two of the crew had been killed and one had been seriously burned in the fire. Kennedy managed to rally the survivors in the water and get them to climb onto the remains of the wrecked boat. By the next day though it was clear they had to abandon the sinking PT-109.

The nearest islands were occupied by Japanese troops, so Kennedy decided to aim for a small island which was three miles away. The only way was to swim, and Kennedy pulled the wounded crewmember the whole way, towing him by the strap of his life jacket with his teeth.

The exhausted crew of PT-109 crawled onto the island known as Plum Pudding island and hid among the trees. The relief of being out of the sea was short-lived however as there was no fresh water and nothing to eat. After two days they had to swim to a nearby island where they found coconuts to give them some nourishment, but after a further few days they were becoming sick and despondent. Kennedy tried to swim out into the channel to see if he could get help but without success.

Finally Kennedy and another man swam to the island of Nauru and found some supplies. They also spotted some native islanders, with whom they made contact the next day. Kennedy picked up a fallen coconut shell and scratched inside it the following message:

NAURU ISL. COMMANDER
NATIVE KNOWS POS’IT
HE CAN PILOT 11 ALIVE
NEED SMALL BOAT KENNEDY

Kennedy repeated the word ‘Rendova’ several times, hoping that the men would understand that he wanted them to take the crude message to the PT base there. The scouts, who were called Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, took the coconut shell together with a knife so they could scratch the message out if caught by the Japanese, and paddled off in their canoe.

The next day four natives returned and one walked up to Kennedy, saying, in perfect English, ‘I have a message for you, sir’. The message asked Kennedy to return with the natives, and confirmed that the British Navy would ‘be in radio communication with the authorities at Rendova, [to] … finalise plans to collect balance of your party’.

That night the rescue arrived in the form of a US PT boat, and Kennedy heard American voices calling to him out of the darkness offering him food. Kennedy responded, with feeling, ‘No thanks, I just had a coconut’.

Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps medal and the Purple Heart for his heroism. He refused the chance to go home and stayed on the patrol boats. Kennedy kept the coconut shell and it was turned into a paperweight which he kept on his desk at the White House. It is now kept in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

BODY SCRUB

Coconut oil makes a great base for a body scrub as its moisturising properties keep working long after the scrub is washed off for beautifully soft, glowing skin.

INGREDIENTS

•6 tbsp sea salt or brown sugar

•6 tbsp coconut oil

•few drops essential oil of your choice

METHOD

Mix the sea salt or sugar with the coconut oil. Add a few drops of essential oil like tea tree or lavender for an extra-sensory experience.

In a warm shower or bath, using circular motions, working from your feet upwards to increase your skin’s circulation, scrub the skin all over paying particular attention to rougher areas such as elbows and feet.

Rinse off and enjoy the feeling of smooth clean skin.

IN 2009 IN KERALA, INDIA, DESIGNERS COMPETED IN VAIN TO REPLACE A LACK OF COCONUT-PICKERS BY INVENTING A MECHANICAL PICKING DEVICE.

HAIR

Coconut oil is wonderful for hair and is used in countless products. Used in its raw form it can have powerful results, and there are numerous ways it can be applied to achieve beautiful, healthy hair. It also avoids using any harmful chemicals, which may be found in some commercial products.

COCONUT OIL HAIR TOP FIVE

DEEP CONDITIONER – Apply a generous amount of melted coconut oil to clean, damp hair until the hair is completely coated. Wrap your hair in clingfilm around the head and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse well.

SPLIT ENDS REPAIR – Rub a pea-sized amount of coconut oil between flat palms of the hands until the oil is soft. Gently and evenly run your fingers through the ends of clean damp hair before drying, to smooth any frizz and split ends.

DAILY DETANGLE – Rub a pea-sized amount of oil between flat palms of the hands until the oil is soft. Gently and evenly run fingers though your hair from root to tip before combing though with a wide tooth comb.

DANDRUFF REMEDY – Before bed, simply apply melted coconut oil to the scalp and massage well for a few minutes before covering the hair with a towel or clingfilm and leaving on overnight. Wash and rinse well in the morning.

STRENGTH AND GROWTH BOOST – Before bed, massage coconut oil into the scalp and then through the length of your hair to the tips. Leave the treatment on overnight (cover with a towel) and wash thoroughly in the morning for beautifully shiny, sweet-smelling, strong hair.

BEAUTY

Coconut oil makes a useful addition to your beauty kit and it’s a great idea to keep a small pot in your beauty bag.

OIL ON

Apply as a luxurious lip balm, or a skin smoother on any dry patches before applying makeup. You can even use it for highlighting with a touch of coconut oil on the high points of your face such as cheekbones, cupid’s bow, and brow bones to reflect the light.

OIL OFF

Coconut oil makes a wonderfully gentle eye makeup remover. The oil is smooth and gentle and will nourish the eye area and strengthen your lashes, making this the ideal multi-tasking eye makeup remover, even on hard-to-remove mascara.

Simply rub a pea-sized amount of oil between your hands and massage over closed eyes for a few moments to ‘melt’ the makeup around your eyes. Pay particular attention to your lashes for maximum moisturizing penetration.

Then using a warm muslin cloth or flannel, wipe away the oil, taking the makeup with it. Simple!

TOP TIP

Coconut oil is ‘lipophilic’, meaning it likes blending with other oils and thus breaks them down, making it a great makeup remover.

COCONUT BIRDFEEDER

Coconut shells make excellent sturdy birdfeeders and can be filled with nuts, lard or suet mixes to attract garden birds and keep them well fed all year round. Here’s how to make a birdfeeder.

METHOD

First drill a hole in a whole coconut and drain out the milk.

After this you can simply cut the coconut in half along the longer side, using a hacksaw, then drill a hole to attach some twine, and fill with a suet or lard mixture that will cling to the shell when hung up. Find a nice spot in the garden and watch the birds enjoying their treat.

For a different version, after draining the coconut, cut it half-way through from the side, then half-way though from the top to meet the first cut and remove a quarter chunk of the shell.

This will create a hollow feeder with a little roof, Now drill a hole in the top. Add the garden twine to hang it up and fill with your favourite bird food mix.

TOP TIP

Be very careful to ensure the coconut is secure while you are cutting, so it does not slip.