Remembering PT-109: Three Young Officers Took Torpedo Boat Into Combat During World War II

World War II in the Pacific was less than a year old when a small torpedo boat was launched from the Electric Boat Company factory in Bayonne, New Jersey on June 20, 1942. She was among the newest type of American naval vessels. Measuring only eighty feet in length, constructed of wood and designated PT for patrol torpedo, her main weapons were torpedoes and speed. Made famous by her final commanding officer, John F. Kennedy, PT-109 was destined to become one of the most celebrated warships in American history. Kennedy, however, was third in a string of three young officers to take the small boat into battle.

A naval reserve officer who volunteered for PT boat duty, Bryant Larson took the boat to the front lines of the South Pacific in late 1942 where the U.S. Navy was struggling with Japanese forces for control of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Rollin Westholm then chose PT-109 as his flagship while commanding a squadron of torpedo boats in the area. The two officers immediately began taking PT-109 on night patrols into Iron Bottom Sound, a body of water in the Solomons aptly named for the large number of warships - both American and Japanese - sunk in the battle.

PT-109 prowled the waters of the South Pacific for the next eight months. During the time she fought Japanese warships in a series of furious night clashes, survived attacks from the air, and conducted routine security patrols. It is a tale that has been around since ancient times - brave sailors using small boats to attack larger adversaries. The foe was heavily armed Japanese destroyers using the cover of darkness to deliver troops and supplies to the front lines of Guadalcanal. The

Americans dubbed these nocturnal runs the Tokyo Express.

When the opposing forces met it was often a horrific night battle with the PT boats racing into close quarters to launch torpedoes and then using speed and darkness to slip away into the night. Westholm and Larson knew it was hazardous work - a single hit from a destroyer's main battery guns could blast their wooden PT boat to pieces - but bravely ventured out night after night in search of the enemy.
Under Westholm and Larson's command PT-109 participated in a series of naval battles in Iron Bottom Sound. The action culminated in a final fight around the embattled island on February 1, 1943. PT-109 survived the battle that saw three PT boats sunk and ended with Guadalcanal firmly in American control about a week later.

Changes came to PT-109 shortly after the Guadalcanal victory. Rollin Westholm was promoted to an administrative position and Bryant Larson transferred back to the United States for more training as part of a normal rotation of officers. On April 25, 1943 John F. Kennedy assumed command of PT-109. Kennedy was a former ambassador's son who traded a desk job for a trip to the front lines. Although he would later ascend to the presidency, in 1943 Kennedy was just another young officer fighting a war thousands of miles from home.

The first undertaking for the new boat captain was to rebuild the crew, many of whom had recently transferred out to other duties. Kennedy then took his boat north following American amphibious forces leapfrogging up the Solomon Islands deeper into Japanese held territory.

The early morning hours of August 2, 1943 found PT-109 idling through the waters of Blackett Strait near the island of Kolombangara. It was another dangerous night patrol in enemy-held territory. Kennedy was at the helm with the boat slowly plodded through the inky black night when the Japanese destroyer Amagiri suddenly emerged out of the darkness. He had only seconds to react before the warship rammed PT-109 slicing the wooden torpedo boat in two.

The damage was catastrophic. Two crewmen were killed instantly. The struggle for survival had only just begun for Kennedy and the sailors who lived through the horrifying event. It was the start of an ordeal that would find them shipwrecked and stranded for nearly a week before rescue.

The time spent aboard PT-109 would be defining moments in the lives of Westholm, Larson, and Kennedy. Each would carry the experience into their post-war worlds - Westholm as a career naval officer, Larson as a successful businessman, and Kennedy as a rising politician. Kennedy would sum up his feelings decades later. "I firmly believe that as much as I was shaped by anything, so was I shaped by the hand of fate moving in World War II."

Murder Over The Border by Richard Steinitz

This is a pleasurable detective story written by Richard Steinitz, a veteran of the Israeli forces. The story is founded on the writer's experience living in Israel, and narrated through the viewpoint of 'Yossi', a detective living in Jerusalem.

Yossi is an unusual and likeable personality, smart, somewhat handicapped, and with a cultured attitude, (his passion is nature photography). He takes us on the serpentine walk through the tricky negotiations involving the Israeli government and the PLO, each hoping to reach a peace settlement.

There is no straight split between the good guys and the bad guys, and you sense the writer's urge to show Israel in a positive light. Steinitz is at pains to show the decency of the Israeli cop. He succeeds by having Yossi in a work setting that includes dedicated men and women in law enforcement and in government.

Yossi's life changes dramatically when he tumbles down a steep precipice after seeing a murder over the border (of the title) and he is permanently hurt. This brings him to a dull desk job which produces another dramatic occasion. When Yossi puts himself in the line of fire protecting a new Jordanian acquaintance, he is badly injured, and thus is forced to retire. This leads him to a more fascinating role as assistant to the Prime Minister's aide, getting involved in high level, secret talks with the PLO. Meanwhile he continues to conduct his own inquiry into the murder of a man he accidentally witnessed being killed over the Jordan Israeli border.

The activity is set primarily in Jerusalem, and there much pleasure in reading about the ancient biblical environment and the routines going along inside the walled city.

The writer peppers important details throughout the narrative. For instance, Yossi's friend and collaborator Arieh, who works for the Israeli secret service worries about his personal security when he decides to quit the MOSSAD, a telling detail.

Then you'll find amusing touches, such as the delightful contradiction when Yossi and Arieh happen upon the long-dead corpse of an Arab soldier. Being good and decent fellows they take pains to bury the body with dignity, even whilst plotting to abduct (and 'gently' torture) another Arab suspect for questioning.

The writer shows life going on in Israel, and the encompassing territories, supplying intimate facts about a rich and varied landscape, from the old alleyways and streets of Jerusalem to the dry desert.

I specially loved Stenitz's descriptions of the Israeli diet, including the small detail that Yossi enjoys his falafel produced from Egyptian full beans in the place of chick peas. Or that chicken is readily available while lamb or mutton is longer used for the famous shwarma.

Overall, the book is well-written, though occasionally it reads like a primer for understanding Arab-Israeli relationships. Predictably, (the writer being Israeli) the book is biased towards Israel; the Palestinians are viewed as a threat. While the situation between the occupiers and the occupied of Israel is more nuanced than the press and TV presents, I would have preferred a deeper integration of the viewpoint of the Palestinians within the narrative structure.

Nevertheless, the writer succeeds in showing us a fuller picture of Israel than we see in the Western media. Overall, this is a worthwhile book giving valuable insight into the nuances of the Israeli character. The book should appeal to both sexes. Find it on Amazon.

Superior and Reasonably Priced Wood Letters to Paint

Wood letters are a great do-it-yourself project for at home or at school. Wood letters to paint can be found online or in arts and crafts supply stores. There are many different types of wood letters to paint. Wooden letters are usually sold in stores or online in a basic form, with zero paint on them and no varnish. Sometimes the letters still need to be sanded to get the rough edges off.

Wooden letters are great for children as well. Children enjoy painting the wood letters in solid colors or decorating them with polka dots or stripes. There are many different sizes of letters made out of wood, and there are many different "fonts" or lettering styles as well. Wood block letters are probably the easiest for children to paint, because they don't have a lot of intricate pieces and ins and outs.

For style ideas, wood block letters look great on the walls of nurseries or children's rooms, but they also look nice in a central room like a family room or TV room. Sometimes, block letters made out of wood can be varnished and waterproofed after being painted, and then they can safely be put outside on the side of a house or mail box to denote the address of a family or individual's home. These actually make great presents for those who want to make a homemade gift for a friend or loved one. Simply find out the street number and the name of the street and make a sign with letters made of wood. Paint the letters or stain the sign, and it can be an excellent gift for anyone!

Finally, consider letters made out of wood for a children's activity at school. Children are often longing to find great gifts that they can be creative with and then give to their mom, dad, aunt, uncle or grandparents. Painted wood letters are a great option for this, because they are not something that can get lost or accidentally thrown out. Painted wood letters actually look very nice, and when decorated by a child, they can look very cute and stylish on the outside of a home or indoors!

It can be hard to know where to buy wood letters that will be durable and well made, but there are many places where these arts and crafts letters are available in actuality. The first place to try is on-line. Anyone can find basically anything on-line! A final place to look for these wood letters to paint is arts and crafts stores.

The Importance of Hiring a Professional Video Production Company

Video production has been called an art or a science and it based on the latest results that we can see online and on TV, it would seem that it is a little bit of both. With so many companies operating in the field, entrepreneurs everywhere have reasons to be happy. Options are indeed numerous and production costs aren't that high either, especially considering that a well-made commercial pays off in no time. However, make the wrong choice, apply the wrong concept, and you will end up losing your production budget will go to waste. The secret to a good commercial is an innovative concept. To turn your vision into reality and promote your cause or product in a professional way, the first thing you have to do is hire the right video production company. A great mistake that people make is that they imagine that creativity will save everything. This is true, but only to a certain extent, because even the most innovative idea will be unnoticed when poorly executed.

The main reason why you should work with a professional production firm is easy to guess: performance. Professional companies have skilled creative managers and state of the art filming, photo shooting and editing equipment. Although essence is more important than form, you cannot expect a low quality video commercial to be broadcast on national television. First impression does matter and the more high definition the media project is, the better. This applies for music videos, product photo shooting, social campaigns and all the other types of promotional materials. A well-made video or series of photos that use proper placement and lighting denote professionalism and that is always a good thing. If a creative concept helps you persuade or inspire your clients, technical quality is the element that draws attention.

But there is more than technical mastery to specialized companies. As previously mentioned, media production is in equal measure an art and a science, so there as to be a creative background to every project. You have to know your targeted clients and you need to know how to adjust your idea to the market. Unfortunately, this is not something you can do alone. By working alongside experts, you will be able to learn the smart strategies that turn an average video into an extraordinary one. That little extra element that turns an OK commercial into a viral video. The third reason why you should work with a certified company is that it provides various services. for best results, choose a group of professionals who have an extensive portfolio. This should include TV commercials, social campaigns, documentaries, short videos, photo shoots and so on. have a look on their website too. This is the fastest and easiest way of making sure that the company you are about to hire truly stands up to its name.

Collaborating with international companies is the latest trends, but you do not necessarily have to go overseas to find someone qualified, because local options such as Limelight production are equally qualified.

Services Offered by Production Companies

We live in a world where modern technology is an important part of our lives so naturally, when someone wants to make a commercial or to shoot a video for a project, they have to offer their audience a product that rises to certain standards and meets their expectations. Gone are the days when you could just turn on your camera and make a project video yourself. Of course, it does depend on the project, because nobody expects high school students to hire a production company for their project, but if you are involved in something more important and want to obtain larger scale results, you will need the help of professionals. However, most people don't know exactly what services a production company offers, which is why they might not always know what to ask. These are the main services offered by production companies:

TV Commercials 
There isn't any person who has not seen a TV commercial, unless by any chance you don't own a TV. But even then, you might watch a commercial when you stay in line at a store or if you go shopping for electronics and you pass by the TV section of the store. Advertising has always been a very important part of commerce and ever since the TV was invented, TV commercials have been increasingly used by any company that wants to increase its sales. Even though some commercials may not seem too complicated, it is surprising how many details come into producing a 30 second commercial. In addition, companies that want to impress their potential customers and convince them to purchase their products can really use the help of professional production companies.

Music videos
Music videos these days are small movies. Many of them have special effects that only a few years ago seemed impossible to achieve. A professional music video production company can offer its clients anything they want and make them a video that expresses the essence of their song. Many people prefer to watch the video of a certain song because it allows them to better connect with that song and with the person singing it. This is why it is so important to choose a reliable music video production company for your future video.

Social projects and documentaries
Anyone who wants to raise the awareness of those around knows how important it is to be able to put an image to a good message, so it is always advisable to hire a professional in order to be sure that your message will reach your target audience. Furthermore, a good production company will know exactly what to do to make your documentary successful and allow you to present your subject as clearly as possible.

These are some of the most common services offered by production companies. Of course, large scale movies are made with the help of large production companies too, but if you are a business owner looking for someone to shoot your commercial, you can rely on the fact that you can find professional help. Regardless of your project or theme, you will always be able to obtain great results when you choose to work with a professional.