Long before John F. Kennedy entered the White House, he faced a fight for survival in the Pacific Ocean. In August 1943, a Japanese destroyer struck his Navy patrol boat, PT-109, leaving his crew stranded in enemy waters. ⚓ Kennedy helped lead the survivors toward safety, even towing a badly burned sailor through the ocean with a life-vest strap clenched between his teeth. After days of uncertainty, all 11 survivors were rescued. **Before he became America's first Irish Catholic president, he had already demonstrated extraordinary courage at sea.** ❤️ #GaelicByBlood #IrishAmerican #JFK #WorldWarII #AmericanHeroes